Statistical analysis

Excel

Microsoft Excel is one of the most commonly used spreadsheet packages using a grid of cells in rows and columns to organise data. It can be used to carry out arithmetic calculations and display data as graphs, histograms and charts.

Access

Training

  • To find training courses for Excel, visit IT Services and search for 'Excel'

Nesstar

Nesstar is a software system for online data analysis developed within the national data archiving community and in particular by the Norwegian Social Science Data Service (NSD). As a result the software also features tools to allow sharing and dissemination of data. Nesstar handles survey data and multidimensional tables as well as text resources. Users can search, browse and analyse the data online. It is supported by other archives such as the UK Data Service.

Access

Trial licences for Nesstar Server & Webview, plus the freeware version of Nesstar Publisher, are available from Nesstar.

 

R

R is an open source, freely available language and environment for statistical computing and graphics which provides a wide variety of statistical and graphical techniques: linear and nonlinear modelling, statistical tests, time series analysis, classification and clustering. It is a major rival of SPSS and Stata.

Access

Freely available online.

Training

 

SPSS

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is used widely in business, marketing as well as academia. It is a starting point for most interested in analysis of statistical data and also produced tabulations and graphics. SPSS may also function as a data organisation and limited research documentation tool. It is easy to learn and is often recommended for general use.

Access

Access is restricted to current University members.

Training

Stata

A software package that is an alternative to SPSS and performs similar functions of analysis, modelling and tabulation. It takes longer to learn than SPSS but is more powerful and flexible. In addition it benefits from regular updates of its techniques. A number of versions are available aimed at educational use, large volumes of data, multiprocessor computers as well as the standard version (Stata/IC).

Access

  • STATA is not available for instant access on either Bodleian Libraries or Manor Road Building-networked PCs; however, it is available to eligible students and staff in departments and centres within the Manor Road Building. Each department/centre decides who is eligible and nominates them to the MRB IT Team, who send a username and password and instructions for downloading the software onto their own device. Find out more about access via MRB.
  • Students can also purchase STATA at a reduced cost for their own devices from the supplier Timberlake.

Training