Free statistical software

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Free statistical software comes from a variety of sources, including governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like UNESCO, and universities, and is also developed by individuals. Most of it is fairly easy to learn, using menu systems, while a few are command-driven. Many free software packages are used in academic research in peer-reviewed journals or in publications from major organizations. Some are very popular, while others are much less frequently used. In general, though, free statistical software can be seen as a practical alternative to commercial packages.

This article reviews general statistical packages.

Sources of free statistical software

Some of the free software packages are from governmental or NGO organizations, such as Epi Info, from CDC[1], and IDAMS from UNESCO[2]. Some other software packages are from smaller or independent organizations or universities, such as Instat[3] or Irristat[4]. A couple of other packages are being developed by groups of volunteer individuals. PSPP[5], from the GNU project, is developing into a clone of SPSS, but is free. The R project[6] is also very frequently used. A large proportion of free statistical software packages, however, are from individuals. Some commonly used software packages from individuals include Easyreg[7], MicrOsiris[8], OpenStat[9], and Zelig[10].

In some cases, the statistical software packages were developed for the purposes of making key technologies available to those who could not otherwise afford them, to empower development[11],[12]. In other cases, the packages were developed as teaching aids[9],[3]. Other packages were developed for specific purposes but can be more generally used. Examples are Irristat[4], developed for agricultural analysis, and Epi Info[1], developed for public health. A couple of packages don't appear to give any statements about why they were developed, other than just general use for statistical analysis[5],[6],[8].

Reviews of free statistical software

There are a few reviews of free statistical software. There were two reviews in journals (but not peer reviewed), one by Zhu and Kuljaca[13] and another article by Grant that included mainly a brief review of R[14]. Zhu and Kuljaca outlined some useful characteristics of software, such as ease of use, having a number of statistical procedures and ability to develop new procedures. They reviewed several programs and identified which ones, at that time, had the most functionality. At that time, several of the programs may not have had all of the desired ability for advanced statistics. Grant reviewed some of the programing features of R, and briefly mentioned the availability of other programs. One other paper reviewed statistical packages, mainly commercial, but includes R[15]. One article reviewed EasyReg and included a discussion of it's accuracy[16].

Only one review has compared the output of various packages[17]. In this review, all of the packages read either CSV (Comma Separated Values - text files in which all values are separated by commas) files or excel format. All of the packages gave exactly the same results for correlation and regression. The free software packages also gave the same regression results as did excel. One of the main differences among the packages was how they handled missing data. With the example data sets used in the review, and for the package versions available in November 2006 when this review was conducted, two packages, MicrOsiris and Epi Info, could read files with blanks for missing. Two other programs, Stat4U and WinIdams need something for the missing, like -9 or -9.99. The other packages could only handle data sets with no missing values.

A couple of websites that list software also have very brief reviews of each package. The two sites that have these are by StatCon[18] and by Pezzullo[19]. These sites mainly offer a brief list of the features available in the packages. Similarly, one bachelors thesis compares the statistical procedures available on free statistical packages[20]. In this review, R had all of the procedures, OpenStat had 16, MacAnova had 15, and Microsiris had 12. The others had from 8 to 11 of the procedures.

There is also a journal specifically for statistical software[21], although the main focus is on commercial software, R and some coding snippets.

These free software packages have been used in a number of scholarly publications, so that at least various journals, NGOs or other organizations regard the packages as valid. For example, OpenStat was used in a research letter to JAMA[22] and in several published studies[23],[24],[25]. Irristat is used in this agricultural report[26], EasyReg is listed or used in these papers[27],[28],[29], various versions of EpiInfo were used in these papers[30],[31],[32] and WinIdams was used in these papers[33], [34].

Using free statistical software

Before using any statistical packages, it is generally a good idea to have a solid background in Statistics. Then the packages can be used to the best advantage, for example, to choose the most appropriate test, to make sure all the necessary assumptions are met, so that the appropriate conclusions can be drawn.

Once the statistical issues are understood, the next step is to decide which package to use. Most of these packages are menu driven, and can be learned a couple of hours at most, except R, which is generally code driven and requires a much longer time to learn, and to some extent CDC's Epi Info, which also takes some time to learn.

Several of the packages also have tutorials. These tutorials help with a basic introduction and learning the basics of programs. For example, CDC has these tutorials about Epi Info[35],[36]. The CDC page also lists a video slide show tutorial from the University of Nebraska [37], and another site has on line training classes[38]. R has a large number of tutorials and manuals, in English and other languages[39],[40],[41], and a faq site[42]. A few of the packages have a email discussion lists including R[43], OpenStat[44], and PSPP[45].

Some of the packages have on line manuals, guides or help pages. These manuals or guides are useful when there are questions about specific procedures or statistical tests. Some manuals or guides are for R[46], EasyReg [47], OpenStat[9], PSPP[48], Vista[49], WinIdams[50],[51], and Zelig[52]. The CDC EpiInfo site itself does not have a manual, but one faculty member from Emory's School of Public Health has an introductory manual[53].

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Epi Info, CDC, 2008 http://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/index.htm.
  2. ↑ IDAMS Statistical Software, http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=2070&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Instat - an interactive statistical package, Statistical Services Centre - University of Reading, 2009. http://www.ssc.rdg.ac.uk/software/instat/instat.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Irristat, International Rice Research Instititue, Biometrics and Bioinformatics Unit, http://www.irri.org/science/software/irristat.asp
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 PSPP, 2008 http://www.gnu.org/software/pspp/
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The R Project, http://cran.r-project.org/
  7. ↑ Easy Reg International, Herman Bierens, Penn State University, 2008 http://econ.la.psu.edu/~hbierens/EASYREG.HTM
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 MicOsiris, Neal Van Eck, Van Eck Computer Consulting http://www.microsiris.com/
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 OpenStat, Bill Miller, 2009 http://www.statpages.org/miller/openstat/
  10. ↑ Zelig, Kosuke Imai, Gary King and Olivia Lau , 2009 http://gking.harvard.edu/zelig/
  11. ↑ UNESCO. 03-11-2004 . In Focus: Communication and Information Sector's In Focus service. UNESCO and Software. http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=17447&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
  12. ↑ VSN International. 2008. GenStat Discovery. http://www.vsni.co.uk/software/genstat-discovery/
  13. ↑ "A Short Preview of Free Statistical Software Packages for Teaching Statistics to Industrial Technology Majors" Journal of Industrial Technology (Volume 21-2, April 2005), Ms. Xiaoping Zhu and Dr. Ognjen Kuljaca. http://www.nait.org/jit/current.html
  14. ↑ Felix Grant, "Free Statistics Software, Yours, Free to keep....", Scientific Computing World, Sept/Oct 2004, http://www.scientific-computing.com/scwsepoct04free_statistics.html
  15. ↑ Edward J. Wegman and Jeffrey L. Solka. 2005. Statistical Software for Today and Tomorrow. http://www.galaxy.gmu.edu/ (listed as "A Guide to Statistical Software".
  16. ↑ Hwan-sik Choia and Nicholas M. Kiefer, Software evaluation: EasyReg International. International Journal of Forecasting. Volume 21, Issue 3, July-September 2005, Pages 609-616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijforecast.2005.02.003
  17. ↑ Shackman, Gene. 2006. "Comparing free statistical software for data sets with no missing values" and "Comparing free statistical software, Handling missing data". Both available here "Free Software" http://gsociology.icaap.org/methods/soft.html
  18. ↑ List of free statistical software, Open Source & Public Domain Packages with Source Code. StatCon 2006. http://statistiksoftware.com/free_software.html
  19. ↑ Pezzullo, Free Statistical Software, 2009. http://statpages.org/javasta2.html
  20. ↑ Paivi Lankinen and Anna Tanhuala. 2008. Internationalization of Software Companies: Case - Le Sphinx, France. School of Business Administration, Jyvaskyla University of Applied Sciences. Appendix 1, Comparing free statistical software. https://oa.doria.fi/handle/10024/38544
  21. ↑ Journal of Statistical Software, http://www.jstatsoft.org/
  22. ↑ Future Salary and US Residency Fill Rate Revisited, Mark Ebell. Research letter in JAMA, September 10, 2008—Vol 300, No. 10, p1131-1132. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/300/10/1131
  23. ↑ Differential gene expression patterns in cyclooxygenase-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 deficient mouse brain. Christopher D Toscano, Vinaykumar V Prabhu, Robert Langenbach, Kevin G Becker, and Francesca Bosetti. Genome Biol. 2007; 8(1): R14. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1839133
  24. ↑ M Bielaszewska, B Sinha, T Kuczius and H Karch. Cytolethal Distending Toxin from Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157 Causes Irreversible G2/M Arrest, Inhibition of Proliferation, and Death of Human Endothelial Cells. Infection and Immunity, January 2005, p. 552-562, Vol. 73, No. 1. http://iai.asm.org/cgi/content/full/73/1/552
  25. ↑ C.D. Toscano, P.J. Kingsley, L.J. Marnett, and F. Bosetti1. NMDA-induced Seizure Intensity is Enhanced in COX-2 Deficient Mice. Neurotoxicology. 2008 November; 29(6): 1114–1120.http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2587528
  26. ↑ FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper No. 174, Rome, 2003, Genotype x environment interactions. Challenges and opportunities for plant breeding and cultivar recommendations, http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4391E/y4391e00.htm
  27. ↑ A Gambardella and Bronwyn H. Hall, "Proprietary versus public domain licensing of software and research products" (2006). Research Policy. 35 (6), pp. 875-892. Postprint available free at: http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/1865.
  28. ↑ Liu, Wen-Chi and Tsangyao Chang, (2008) "Rational Bubbles in the Korea Stock Market? Further Evidence based on Nonlinear and Nonparametric Cointegration Tests." Economics Bulletin, Vol. 3, No. 34 pp. 1-12. http://economicsbulletin.vanderbilt.edu/2008/volume3/EB-08C30021A.pdf
  29. ↑ Harumi Itoa and Darin Lee, Journal of Economics and Business, Volume 57, Issue 1, January-February 2005, Pages 75-95. Assessing the impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks on U.S. airline demand. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconbus.2004.06.003. Also available here http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Economics/Papers/Papers/2003/2003-16_paper.pdf
  30. ↑ Rahav G, Gabbay R, Ornoy A, Shechtman S, Arnon J, Diav-Citrini O. Primary versus nonprimary cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy, Israel. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2007 Nov [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/13/11/1791.htm
  31. ↑ Chan P-C, Huang L-M, Wu Y-C, Yang H-L, Chang I-S, Lu C-Y, et al. Tuberculosis in children and adolescents, Taiwan, 1996–2003. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2007 Sep. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/13/9/1361.htm
  32. ↑ ME Gyasi, WMK Amoaku, and MA Adjuik. Epidemiology of Hospitalized Ocular Injuries in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Ghana Med J. 2007 December; 41(4): 171–175. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2350113
  33. ↑ N. S. Sapre, N. Pancholi, and S. Gupta, Computational Modeling of Substitution Effect on HIV–1 Non–Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors with Kier–Hall Electrotopological State (E–state) Indices, Internet Electron. J. Mol. Des. 2008, 7, 55–67, http://www.biochempress.com/cv07_i03.html
  34. ↑ Chawla, Anju. Exploring project selection behavior of academic scientists in India. Research Evaluation, Volume 16, Number 1, March 2007 , pp. 35-45(11). http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/beech/rev/2007/00000016/00000001/art00004
  35. ↑ Epi Info™ Community Health Assessment Tutorial. The Epi Info™ Community Health Assessment Tutorial was produced by the collaborative efforts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Assessment Initiative (AI), and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). http://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/communityhealth.htm
  36. ↑ Cholera Outbreak in Rwenshama: Using Epi Info for Windows in an Outbreak Investigation. Coordinating Office for Global Health - DGPHCD, http://www.cdc.gov/cogh/dgphcd/training/softwaretraining.htm
  37. ↑ Introduction to EPI2000. GPVEC Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center. University of Nebraska - Lincoln. http://gpvec.unl.edu/videos/epi-stats.asp
  38. ↑ The North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness Training Website http://nccphp.sph.unc.edu/training/index.html
  39. ↑ Contributed Documentation. http://cran.r-project.org/other-docs.html.
  40. ↑ William Revelle, Using R for psychological research: A simple guide to an elegant package, 2008, http://personality-project.org/r/
  41. ↑ Dong-Yun Kim, MAT 356 R Tutorial, Spring 2004. http://www.math.ilstu.edu/dhkim/Rstuff/Rtutor.html
  42. ↑ R FAQ. Frequently Asked Questions on R. Version 2.8.2009-03-18. ISBN 3-900051-08-9 http://lib.stat.cmu.edu/R/CRAN/doc/FAQ/R-FAQ.html
  43. ↑ R-help -- Main R Mailing List: Primary help. https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
  44. ↑ OpenStatHelp http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/OpenStat/
  45. ↑ Pspp-users -- PSPP user discussion, http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/pspp-users
  46. ↑ R Development Core Team. An Introduction to R. Version 2.8.1 (2008-12-22). ISBN 3-900051-12-7. http://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/R-intro.html
  47. ↑ Herman J. Bierens. EasyReg International: Guided tours. No Date Given. http://econ.la.psu.edu/~hbierens/ERITOURS.HTM
  48. ↑ Documentation, No Date Given. PSPP. http://www.gnu.org/software/pspp/documentation.html
  49. ↑ Forrest W. Young, 1996. ViSta User's Guide. http://forrest.psych.unc.edu/research/
  50. ↑ P.S. Nagpaul. 1999. Guide to Advanced Data Analysis using IDAMS Software. http://www.unesco.org/webworld/idams/advguide/TOC.htm
  51. ↑ Unesco. 2008. WinIDAMS 1.3 Reference Manual - Table of Contents. http://www.unesco.org/webworld/portal/idams/html/english/TOC.htm
  52. ↑ Kosuke Imai, Gary King, Olivia Lau, No Date Given. Zelig: Everyone's Statistical Software. http://gking.harvard.edu/zelig/docs/index.html
  53. ↑ Kevin M. Sullivan. Mar 3 2008. Introduction to Epi Info (Version 3.4.1) Analyze Data Module. http://www.sph.emory.edu/~cdckms/
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