Statistical Packages

STATISTICAL PACKAGES
INTRODUCTION:
Traditionally in the field of healthcare biostatistics, data has been handled manually. It
includes laborious work, needing tools of paper work. The results often become available too late
and contain different types of errors. The advent of computers and their popularity in almost
every sphere of life have significantly changed the way biostatistics is now applied to health
sciences. Computer hardware and appropriate software have optimized the various process
involved in the application of biostatistics by making the data analysis and storage easier, faster
and errorless. On the other hand, it has also improved the comprehension of data through the use
of sophisticated graphic presentation techniques.
Several computer packages are available to be used for the statistical analysis among
their commonly used packages are Microsoft Excel, SPSS, SAS, Stata, Mnitab etc.
MICROSOFT EXCEL:
History:
This is part of the Microsoft Office suite of programs. Excel version 1.0 was first released
in 1985, with the latest version Excel 2017.
Good points:
 Extremely easy to use and interchanges nicely with other Microsoft products
 Excel spreadsheets can be read by many other statistical packages
 Add on module which is part of Excel for undertaking basic statistical analyses
 Can produce very nice graphs
Bad points:
 Excel is designed for financial calculations, although it is possible to use it for many
other things
 Cannot undertake more sophisticated statistical analyses without purchase of
expensive commercial add ones.
Availability:
Most computers come with Microsoft software already installed; you can always
purchase Microsoft Office from a retail store.
SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences):
SPSS stands for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. It was one of the earliest
statistical packages with Version 1 being released in 1968, well before the advent of desktop
computers. It is now on Version 23.
Good points:
 Very easy to learn and use

 Can use either with menus or syntax files
 Quite good graphics
 Excels at descriptive statistics, basic regression analysis, analysis of variance, and some
newer techniques such as Classification and Regression Trees (CART)
 Has its own structural equation modeling software AMOS, that dovetails with SPSS
Bad points:
 Focus is on statistical methods mainly used in the social sciences, market research and
psychology
 Has advanced regression modelling procedures such as LMM and GEE, but they are
awful to use with very obscure syntax
 Has few of the more powerful techniques required in epidemiological analysis, such as
competing risk analysis or standardized rates
SAS (Statistical Analysis System):
SAS stands for Statistical Analysis System. It was developed at the North Carolina State
University in 1966, so is contemporary with SPSS. The software is divided into many modules
and its licensing is flexible, based upon the need for functions.

Good points:

 Much more powerful than SPSS
 Commonly used for data management in clinical trials
Bad points:
 Harder to learn and use than SPSS
Stata:
Stata is a more recent statistical package with Version 1 being released in 1985. Since
then, it has become increasingly popular in the areas of epidemiology and economics, and
probably now rivals SPSS and SAS in it user base. We are now on Version 14.
Good points:

 Much more powerful than SPSS – probably equivalent to SAS
 Excels at advanced regression modelling
 Has its own in-built structural equation modelling
 Has a good suite of epidemiological procedures
 Researchers around the world write their own procedures in Stata, which are then
available to all users
Bad points:
 Harder to learn and use than SPSS

 Does not yet have some specialized techniques such as CART or Partial Least squares
regression
Minitab:
This is another statistical package designed to facilitate the teaching of statistical methods
by using computer. The minitab is also very user friendly product with well-designed
documentation facilities, being friendly, widely used in educational institutions. To learn more
about Minitab will search in website (www.Minitab.com).
Conclusion:
From this assignment, I gained knowledge regarding the Statistical packages.

Bibliography:
1. Suresh. K Sharma “Nursing Research & Statistics” Jaypee publications, second

edition, Pg. no : 403, 404.
2. https://www.google.com/statictical packages
ASSIGNMENT
ON
STATISTICAL
PACKAGES
SUBMITTED TO:- SUBMITTED BY:-
MRS. THENMOZHI, M.SC. (N) MS.R.VISHALATCHI
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, M.SC. (N) IST YEAR,
TEXCITY COLLEGE OF NURSING, TEXCITY COLLEGE OF NURSING
COIMBATORE. COIMBATORE.
SUBMITTED ON:-

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STATISTICAL PACKAGES

SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences):

 Very easy to learn and use

SAS (Statistical Analysis System):

 Can use either with menus or syntax files

 Harder to learn and use than SPSS

 Can use either with menus or syntax files

 Harder to learn and use than SPSS

From this assignment, I gained knowledge regarding the Statistical packages.

1. Suresh. K Sharma “Nursing Research & Statistics” Jaypee publications, second

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, M.SC. (N) IST YEAR,

TEXCITY COLLEGE OF NURSING, TEXCITY COLLEGE OF NURSING

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