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Research and Statistical Support Update Name That Tune ,,. umm ... Computer Keeping Up With Campus Computing News |
Research and Statistical Support Update
By Dr.Karl Ho , Research and Statistical Support Services Manager
We have recently made extensions to our application support services in Research and Statistical Support (RSS). The article gives a brief update on these new services RSS provides for the campus researchers and introduces you to our newest employee.
New Statistical Consultant
Craig Henderson was recently hired as a Statistical Consultant in RSS. The Psychology Ph.D. student started working at the end of May. He will be primarily responsible for software management and BackOffice support. He will take up other responsibilities such as teaching short courses and consulting as time permits.
Craig just published an article in Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences. with Dr. Hayslip, B., Shore, and Dr. Lambert, P.L. 1998. The article is entitled "Custodial grandparenting and the impact of grandchildren with problems on role satisfaction and role meaning." (Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 53B, S164-S173.) If you are an RSS customer or plan on becoming one, come by the office (ISB 131) and meet Craig.
New software
To cater to the increasing needs for more diversified computing environments and statistical modeling techniques, we have recently extended our support coverage to several new desktop statistical applications. These new applications include Eviews, a specialized program for time series analysis, Interactive LISREL, a program for structural equation modeling, and S-Plus, a data analysis tool equipped with S, an object-oriented programming language. The following are the brief descriptions of the newly added software:
Eviews - Eviews is a specialized program for time series analysis and econometric forecasting. It is designed for statistical and time series modeling and plotting using point-and-click approach and Graphical User Interface (GUI) operations. Alternatively, Eviews is also equipped with a command and batch processing language that enables users to compile a program for more sophisticated models. Some of the advanced features of the latest version include:
- full information maximum likelihood (FIML) estimation in systems
- state-space models using Kalman Filter
- Vector Autoregression and Vector Error Correction models
- Pooled Cross-sectional Time Series (panel data) analysis
Interactive LISREL 8.2 - The LISREL method, which has been used interchangeably with Structural Equation Modeling since its invention, is designed for estimation of unknown coefficients of a set of linear structural equations. It accommodates models with latent (unobserved) variables and/or directly observed variables with measurement errors, reciprocal causation, simultaneity and interdependence(1). RSS currently supports both LISREL 7, which was distributed with SPSS 4.1 on CMS and MVS, and the latest desktop version 8.2. A free student edition of the software is available at SSI's Web site.
S-Plus - We have just brought S-Plus on board. Currently we only have version 4.0 although 4.5 is out in the market. We are still pending the shipment of the latter. Hence, we will postpone the introduction of the software till next issue of Benchmarks. We will also offer short courses on S-Plus usage in Fall 1998.
Upgrades
We have also recently received the upgrades of the other two statistical packages, SPSS and SAS. SPSS just delivers it latest version, 8.0, for the 32-bit Windows (95 and NT). The new version is loaded with a new graphical utility called Interactive Graphic and a series of enhanced statistical procedures. The IGRAPH procedure allows for generating 3-D graphics and animations with high flexibility for editing. Click on the following thumbnail to view a screen shot of the SPSS 8.0:
Some enhancements of statistical procedures in SPSS 8.0 include:
- improved ANOVA without limits on maximum order of interactions
- compare variance between groups with Robust Levene's test in EXAMINE.
- Harmonic and geometric means in MEANS that allow comparison of samples of different sizes.
- improved GLM that frees users from using syntax.
- enhanced Categories: CATREG that performs
multiple regression analysis for
categorical data; CORRESPONDENCE which improves upon ANACOR
For SAS, a new add-on module, Analyst, is recently released to enable more GUI operations.
Analyst is new module in SAS that performs statistical analyses via a point-and-click interface. The add-on application is intended for beginning SAS users as well as for researchers already familiar with the SAS System and would like to use a graphical user interface. It also provides some tasks not covered by SAS procedures, such as sample size and power computations. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the screenshot of SAS/Analyst:
Once it is installed(2), it can be activated under Global-->Analyze-->Statistical Analysis as shown in the following (click on the following thumbnail to view a screen shot on how to get to SAS/Analyst):
Analyst covers a range of data analysis procedures including:
- Descriptive Statistics
Summary Statistics
Distributions
Correlations
Frequency Counts - Table Analysis
- Hypothesis Tests
One-Sample Z-Test for a Mean
One-Sample t-Test for a Mean
One-Sample Test for a Proportion
One-Sample Test for a Variance
Two-Sample t-Test for a Mean
Two-Sample Paired t-Test for a Mean
Two-Sample Test for Proportions
Two-Sample Test for Variances - Analysis of Variance
One-Way ANOVA
Factorial ANOVA
Linear Models - Regression Analysis
Simple Linear Regression
Multiple Linear Regression
Logistic Regression - Sample Size and Power Calculations
One-Sample t-Test
One-Sample Confidence Interval
One-Sample Equivalence
Paired t-Test
Paired Confidence Interval
Paired Equivalence
Two-Sample t-Test
Two-Sample Confidence Interval
Two-Sample Equivalence
One-Way ANOVA - Graphics
Histograms
Box Plots
Probability Plots
Scatter Plots
Contour Plots
Surface Plots
The latest version listing of all RSS-supported software packages is as follows:
| Software/Version(3) | Windows | Mac | CMS | MVS | UNIX |
| SAS | 6.12 | 6.1 | 6.08/TS425 | 6.09/TS450 | 6.12 |
| SPSS | 8.0 | 6.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 6.1 |
| Eviews | 3.0 | - | - | - | - |
| LISREL | 8.2 | - | 7 | 7 | - |
| S-Plus | 4.0 | - | - | - | - |
We encourage you to visit our RSS Web site should you have any questions, remarks or suggestions. Also, on the Web site we provide the latest information on our services and some sample programs that may be of applicational use to your research projects.n
1. Jöreskog, Karl and Dag Sörbom. 1996. LISREL® 8: User's Reference Guide, p.1
2. SAS/Analyst is released after BASE SAS
6.12 so it needs separate installation after the latter
is installed.
3. Latest supported version