Run Chart Template

Developed by Richard Scoville, PhD. (richard@rscoville.net)

Vertical Axis Label Axis Label

Graph Label Graph Title
Date / End
Observation Value Median Goal Median
Enter dates or observation Jan-21 43% Err:508 80
numbers into the green cells at Feb-21 49 Err:508 80
right. (clear the sample data Mar-21 60 Err:508 80 12
before you begin) Apr-21 75 Err:508 80
May-21 75 Err:508 80
Enter your data values into the 10
Jun-21 81 Err:508 80
blue cells. Goal values are
optional. Jul-21 85 Err:508 80
Aug-21 87 Err:508 80 8

Don't leave any blank cells in Sep-21 76 Err:508 80

the Date/Observation Oct-21 71 Err:508 80 6
column. Nov-21 66 Err:508 80
Dec-21 63 Err:508 80 4
Enter an 'X' into the End Err:508 80
Median column to mark the last
row to be included in the Err:508 80
2
median Err:508 80
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Enter your graph title and y Err:508 80 0
axis label into the cells Err:508 80
provided. Err:508 80
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Use regular Excel commands
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to configure the graph.
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See sheet 'Rules for Err:508 80
Interpreting Charts' for Err:508 80
information about interpreting Err:508 80
charts Err:508 80
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 Graph Title
12

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Procedure for Interpreting Run Charts

Run Charts Rules Summary

Signals of non-random patterns:
1. Shift - 6 or more consecutive points either all
above or all below the median
2. Trend - 5 or more consecutive points all going
up or all going down.
3. Runs - Too few or too many runs.
4. Astronomical point - A point obviously different
from the rest, "everyone agrees." This rule is
subjective, unlike rules 1-3, which are
probability based.
See Perla et al. (2010) for further explanation and details
1/3/2015 3
Expected Runs
Total number of Lower limit
data points on the number
the run chart runs (< than t
that do not fall number runs
on the median 'too few')
10 3
11 3
Checking for too
12 3
many or too few 13 4
runs on a run chart. 14 4
15 5
Table is based on
16 5
about a 5% risk of 17 5
failing the run test 18 6
19 6
for random patterns
20 6
of data. 21 7
22 7
23 7
24 8
25 8

Source: Table 1, Perla et al. (2010)

1/3/2015
 N not on median Lower limit Upper limit
26 9 19

pected Runs Table

27 10 19
28 10 20
29 10 20
30 11 21
Total number of Lower limit for Upper limit for 31 11 22
data points on the number of the number of 32 11 23
the run chart runs (< than this runs (> than this 33 12 23
that do not fall number runs is number runs is 34 12 24
on the median 'too few') 'too many') 35 12 24
10 3 9 36 13 25
11 3 10 37 13 25
g for too 38 14 26
12 3 11
too few 13 4 11 39 14 26
40 15 27
a run chart. 14 4 12
41 15 27
15 5 12
based on 42 16 28
16 5 13 43 16 28
5% risk of 17 5 13 44 17 29
e run test 18 6 14 45 17 30
19 6 15 46 17 31
om patterns 47 18 31
20 6 16
21 7 16 48 18 32
22 7 17 49 19 32
50 19 33
23 7 17
51 20 33
24 8 18 52 20 34
25 8 18 53 21 34
54 21 35
55 22 35
56 22 35
ce: Table 1, Perla et al. (2010), p. 49. 57 23 36
58 23 37
59 24 38
5 2
60 24 38