Use an individual value plot to:

·    Compare distributions

·    Observe each distribution's shape

·    Observe each distribution's variation

·    Check for outliers

Individual value plots can help you visualize the shape and spread of sample data, and they are especially useful for comparing distributions. Minitab plots a dot representing the actual value of each observation above its group in a vertical column.

GrowFast, a plant fertilizer manufacturer, is attempting to develop a formula that yields the greatest plant growth. In a controlled greenhouse environment, they set up 3 groups of 50 identical seedlings, a control group with no fertilizer, a group using their product, and another group using their closest competitor, SuperPlant. After 3 months, they measured the plants' heights in centimeters.

Data: Plant.MTW (available in the Sample Data folder).