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SEPTEMBER 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 63 eight chapter headings and the highest-level sec- tion headings within each chapter. The usefulness of this handbook comes from the experimental data sets (case studies). As you read, you are encour- aged to make comparisons with its statistical tools by supplying a complete statistical software program. When used with the supplied data sets, Dataplot coaches you through the interpretation of the results. You can also substitute your own data. This system of running a demonstration first, then running personal data, is an effective way to coach some- one through the sta- tistical tools. NIST has prepared a version of the Dataplot software for nearly all computer operating systems: DOS, Windows, NT, UNIX, MAC OS, Linux, etc. It is large, but the download time is worth it. F i g u re 2 : S E M E T EC H / N I ST e - H a n d b o o k of S t at i st i c a l M et h o d s . ▼ Handbook Integrated With the Software Most sample output, graphics, and case studies came from Dataplot. This aspect does not require you to have Dataplot or know anything about it. However, any statistical program could also have generated the sample outputs and graphics. The case studies contain a "work this example yourself" section using Dataplot with a pre-existing macro. Since Dataplot runs in a separate window, you can view the handbook pages and the Data- plot output simultaneously. You can also generate your own commands in addition to running the handbook-generated macros. This integration requires the installation of Dataplot on your local system. Dataplot can access the handbook as an online help system. This complements its online help fea- ture because the handbook accesses descriptions of the statistical techniques, while the online help focuses on the implementation of the technique. Correlation Plots and Curve Fitting One of the Six Sigma (TQC) statistical tools is cor- relation plots and curve fitting/regression. Curve- Expert Basic 21 (Figure 3) is an excellent, low-cost,