Excel
Good for data formatting for importation into stats packages. Exploratory stats okay. Not recommended for anything other than small data set. For Mac version, separate stats packages available for cost.
Data Entry: table entry; import csv, tab, xls, others
Availability: MS Office (PC only with enabled Analysis Toolpak), statistics packages can be purchased that work with Excel
Links
Mathematica
Interface is very flexible allowing for other types of calculations and analyses. Many options for visual representations
Data Entry: command line or drag and drop csv/other files, import command, command line entry
Availability: Contact ITS for install procedures, student version only
Links
Matlab
Data import and entry not as easy as other packages. Offers many options for visual representations
Data Entry command line editor, and/or import csv, tab, xls (cut and paste to deal with mixed text and number data)
Availability: ITS install, instruction license only, includes Statistics Toolbox
Links
R
Both a programming language and statistics software environment making it very flexible. Command line interface requires some learning. Open source
Data Entry: command line csv/file import, line/table entry
Availability: free download
Links
- R Project for Statistical Computing – home and link to downloads
- Review of R Statistical Methods
SPSS
Extensive user interface with pull down menus. Handles large data sets
Data Entry: import csv/other files, data entry
Availability: ITS Install
Links
Stata
Command line and GUI. Opens only one data set at a time
Data Entry: data editor, import files
Availability: ITS install, academic server
Links
Feature Comparison
| Product | Mac | PC | Descriptive | Bivariate | ANOVA | Regression | Cluster | Factor | Graphs | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excel | sold separately | yes | yes | yes | simple ANOVA | simple linear regression | no | no | basic | MS Office |
| Mathematica | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes (most methods) | yes | yes | yes | Contact ITS |
| Matlab | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | ITS install |
| R | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | download |
| SPSS | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes (most methods) | yes | yes | yes | ITS install |
| Stata | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | ITS install + server |