Stata, developed by StataCorp, is a statistical software package that provides a suite of functions for statistical analysis and data management. It is widely used by researchers, economists, sociologists, political scientists, and other professionals for quantitative data analysis. Stata offers a comprehensive set of tools for data manipulation, statistical modeling, and graphics.
Some notable uses of Stata include:
- Data management: Stata allows users to import, clean, and manipulate datasets. It supports various data types and formats, and users can perform tasks such as merging datasets, reshaping data, and creating new variables.
- Statistical analysis: Stata provides a broad range of statistical procedures for analyzing data. It includes basic descriptive statistics, regression analysis, analysis of variance, time-series analysis, survival analysis, and more.
- Graphics: Stata offers powerful graphics capabilities for visualizing data. Users can create charts, graphs, and plots to explore patterns and trends within their datasets. Stata’s graphical user interface (GUI) also facilitates the creation of visualizations for those who prefer point-and-click interactions.
- Econometrics: Stata is widely used in economics and econometrics. It includes specialized features for estimating and interpreting econometric models, making it a preferred tool for researchers in this domain.
- Data exploration and reporting: Stata supports interactive data exploration, allowing users to interact with their data in real-time. It also facilitates the creation of reports and presentations directly within the software.
- Command Line Interface: Stata’s command-line interface and scripting language provide a flexible and efficient way for users to perform analyses and automate tasks and are particularly beneficial for users who prefer a command-driven approach.
List of recommended resources
For a broad overview
This introductory chapter gives a basic overview of Stata and the preliminary functions that can be performed in the software. The chapter uses screenshots for better understanding of the reader.
These software tutorials by the Department of Methodology of The London School of Economics and Political Science provide links for video tutorials for various topics under the Stata program.
For in depth understanding #
A Visual Guide to Stata Graphics
Written by Michael N. Mithcell, this book teaches the readers how to use Stata to make graphs that are not only publication quality but those which will stand out and enhance their statistical results. The book provides thousands of illustrated examples as references for the readers with simple, clear instructions.
This book by Ulrich Kohler and Frauke Kreuter is targeted towards not only beginners to data analysis but also to users who are switching from other softwares to Stata. The book provides a hands-on approach to using Stata and is structured as a self study course into introductory data analysis.
Case study #
Predicting the importance of current papers
This paper by Kevin Boyack and Richard Klavans examines how well one can predict the importance of a current paper, that is, a paper that has been recently published in literature. The Stata statistical package has been used to conduct regression analysis in the study.
STATA: A Statistical Analysis System for Examining Biomedical Data
This article by Raymond C. Boston and Anne E. Sumner shows how preliminary analyses of intravenous tolerance test (IVGTT) data leading to estimates of key parameters and their errors in the minimal model can be performed with STATA.
References #
