Data Analysis
Table of Contents:Can Library Data Services help me analyze data?
No, the Data Services librarian cannot assist in the analysis of data. Doing so would be beyond the scope of our service plan. However, there are other Michigan State University campus units that may be able to help.
- CSTAT: Center for Statistical Training and Consulting
CSTAT is a professional service and research unit at Michigan State University. Their aim is to support research and provide training and consulting in statistics for faculty, staff and graduate students. They provide assistance in all phases of research projects including planning, analysis, and reporting. The CSTAT website is also a good source for tutorials and self-help resources related to data analysis. - ATS Statistical Consulting Services
Michigan State University's Academic Technology Services offers a statistical computing consulting service. This service is free to the university community. We can help you select and locate statistical software for your research. In addition, we can assist finding manuals or related reference materials. We offer instruction on learning to use statistical and mathematical software through the Libraries, Computing and Technology Training Program. Our service provides consulting assistance throughout your research project from data collection and management to interpreting your results.
See also Campus Data Resources
Featured Library Resource
The library has books and articles that can help you understand the theory and process of data analysis techniques.
- StatsNetBase - An unparalleled repository of world-class references, this online library meets the needs of statisticians and researchers employing statistical science across a wide range of disciplines. From Frequentist to Bayesian, biostatistics to finance, this fully searchable collection is the perfect tool for any size analysis on all sorts of data.
Online Data Analysis Tools
Many data providers include web browser based statistical analysis tools. These allow for basic manipulations of the data without needing to purchase or learn statistical software such as SPSS. A short list of online analysis options is provided below, but keep in mind that many more exist than those listed here.
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) offers over 400 studies for online analysis on topics such as aging, childcare and early education, criminal justice, demography, education, substance abuse and mental health.
- DataFerret for the DataWeb is a unique data mining and extraction tool. DataFerrett allows you to select a databasket full of variables and then recode those variables as you need. You can then develop and customize tables. Selecting your results in your table you can create a chart or graph for a visual presentation into an html page. You can download an application program to your desktop or do your analysis online through a java applet. Surveys are available mainly from the U.S. Census Bureau as well as several other sources.
- Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) Online Data Analysis System provides access to Census microdata for social and economic research.
- National Center for Education Statistics Data Analysis System (NCES DAS) is a software application that allows you to produce tables and to estimate covariance analyses from NCES data sets. There is a separate DAS for each data set, but all have a consistent interface and command structure. Each DAS runs in two modes: Tables and Covariance Analysis. Using the DAS Online, you can create programming instruction files, run tables and regressions, and view output using a web browser.
- Social Science Electronic Data Library’s Multivariate Interactive Data Analysis System (SSEDL MIDAS) allows users to perform real-time data analysis of the SSEDL data sets over the web and download dataset documentation and customized datasets. Studies are available for analysis from the Research Archive on Disablity in the U.S., American Family Data Archive, AIDS/STD Data Archive, Complementary and Alternative Medicine Data Archive, Contextual Data Archive, Child Well-Being and Poverty Data Archive, Data Archive on Adolescent Pregnancy and Pregnancy Prevention, Data Archive of Social Research on Aging, Maternal Drug Abuse Data Archive, Promoting Evaluation, Teaching, and Research on AIDS.
- Survey Documentation and Analysis (SDA) Archive. SDA is a set of programs for the documentation and Web-based analysis of survey data.
Tutorials for Statistical Software
SPSS
- Library Catalog Subject search:
- Sample titles:
- Online tutorial:
- SPSS
This web site by UCLA provides resources to learn SPSS. It includes a SPSS Starter Kit, which has a movie tutorial or class showing SPSS in action. There are also more advanced resources.
- SPSS
- Library Catalog Subject Search:
- Sample titles:
- Online tutorial:
- SAS
This web site by UCLA provides resources to learn SAS. It includes a SAS Starter Kit, which has a movie tutorial or class showing SAS in action. There are also more advanced resources.
- SAS
- Library Catalog Subject Search:
- Sample title:
- Online tutorial:
- STATA
This web site by UCLA provides resources to learn STATA. It includes a STATA Starter Kit, which has a movie tutorial or class showing STATA in action. There are also more advanced resources.
- STATA