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Getting Started With Stata

What Is Stata?

The word "Stata" was derived from "statistics" and "data"; it is not an acronym. Stata is a general-purpose statistical software package that offers users a clean graphical (point-and-click) interface that is easy to understand. Stata also allows users to run commands in batch mode by using the ".do" file.

It is currently available in USC computer labs on Windows and Macintosh computers. Stata can be purchased through USC site license at a greatly reduced discount for Windows, Macintosh or UNIX. The most current version of Stata is 10.0. This is the version installed in all USC labs.

Data Management and Analysis

Stata can read in datasets of various standard formats including those from spreadsheets or databases. There are several ways to input data in Stata. The simplest way is using the Data Editor window where you can enter/edit data directly into cells in the Data Editor. Creating variables, encoding and labeling them are simple tasks in Stata. For details about variables and reading data, go to the Stata data management page.

Statistics

You can perform most statistical procedures in Stata using the point-and-click interface or by running commands in the Command window. Some advanced features can only be accessed via the command window. The Statistics button on the Task bar, provides access to most of the statistical functions available in Stata via the drop-down menus. To begin learning about statistical analysis with Stata, go to the Stata descriptive statistics page.

Graphs and Charts

Stata has excellent graphing capabilities, accessible through the graph command, and Graphics tab from pull-down menu. Stata can be used to produce a wide variety of graphs including scatter plots, bar charts, regression plots and much more. The most commonly requested graph, the X-Y plot, is available in Stata through the Two way graph menu from the Graphics Tab. To learn about creating charts and graphs in Stata, please see the Stata graphics page.



Last updated: Monday, July 13, 2009, 16:46PM PDT