Georgetown Public Policy Institute
• Will I be required to learn SAS and Stata?
• Can I get my own copy of SAS?
• Can I get my own copy of Stata and which version should I buy?
• Which Microsoft XP and Vista versions are compatible with SAS and Stata?
• Are there Mac versions of SAS and Stata?
• I’ve been using Stata 10. What should I know about Stata/IC 11?
• Which should I use -- SAS or Stata -- for my thesis?
• I want to convert a dataset from one program format to another. How do I do it?
Will I be required to learn SAS and Stata? At this time, the instructors teaching Quantitative Methods I assign problem sets that are to be completed using SAS. All Instructors teaching Quantitative II and III allow students to use SAS and some permit the use of Stata by students who prefer it.
Can I get my own copy of SAS? Georgetown University holds a SAS license so you can purchase a one-year license for your personal computer for $25 (payable by GOCard only) through Hoya Computing located on the ground floor of St. Mary's Hall on the medical school side of campus near Reservoir Road. They will provide you with a DVD for the installation. Call Hoya Computing (202-687-0640) before you walk over to make sure they have a SAS DVD available.
Can I get my own copy of Stata and which version should I buy? Can I get my own copy of Stata and which version should I buy?* If you plan to purchase Stata for your own computer, Stata/IC 11 which was released in July 2009, will be appropriate for your programming needs. You can purchase a copy of Stata/IC 11 via the Stata website on the Grad Plans page. You can choose either a one-year ($98) or perpetual ($179) license. These prices were valid as of August 2009. Once your order is processed, you will be directed to pick up the software from the Georgetown campus representative, Ru San Chen (chenrs@georgetown.edu). His office is in CBN 314.
Which Microsoft XP and Vista versions are compatible with SAS and Stata? Stata: Both Stata/IC 10 and IC 11 are compatible with the Vista operating system. So is Stata/SE but for your own computers, order the IC version. SAS: At this time the current version, SAS 9.2, is compatible with only the “business” versions of Microsoft Vista -- *Windows Vista Enterprise, Business, and Ultimate* editions. SAS is also compatible with the *Professional *version of Windows XP (updated with Service Pack 2). If purchasing a SAS 9.2 license from Hoya Computing at Georgetown (or renewing your license), be sure to make sure your computer has one of the compatible operating systems. To be clear, SAS 9.2 is *not *compatible with either Windows Vista Home Premium or Home Basic or Windows XP Home. For more information see the SAS website here: http://support.sas.com/techsup/pcn/vista.html
Are there Mac versions of SAS and Stata? There is a version of Stata 11 compatible with Macs. For further information and to order, please refer to the grad plans page referenced in the previous question. Unfortunately, at this time, there is no Mac version of SAS 9.2.
I've been using Stata 10. What should I know about Stata/IC 11? Please note that for the most part, Stata 10 versions are compatible with Stata/IC 11. Stata 11 does have some new features including a more interactive do-file editor. For more details on changes, see this link http://stata.com/stata11/. Also, if you are working in a Stata 11 version either in the lab or at home and for some reason expect to use Stata 10 (either IC or SE) to work with your data, you may need to invoke either the 'version' command (see Stata Help for an explanation) or use the saveold command in lieu of the normal save command when saving your DATA set. In particular, note there is a new merge command. See here http://stata.com/stata11/dataman.html. The old merge command continues to work. Also, it is now easier to include indicator and interaction variables in your regression models. See: http://stata.com/stata11/factorvar.html.
Which should I use -- SAS or Stata – for my thesis? It is up to each thesis advisor to determine which statistical package that students in his or her section will be permitted to use. Within those parameters, the choice often depends on personal preference as both are quite versatile packages widely used in applied research settings.
However, there are some differences across the two packages that may be important depending on the data management tasks and/or statistical procedures you plan to use.
Your advisor can help you determine whether SAS or Stata is better suited to your specific needs. Given the idiosyncrasies of each package, some students use SAS for some project tasks and Stata for others.
It is straight-forward to transition across SAS and Stata, even though their data file formats differ. Both SAS and Stata contain routines for exporting and importing data with different formats. Easier yet, the software application called Stat-Transfer (loaded on the computers in the GPPI lab) makes quick work of file format conversions.
I want to convert a dataset from one program format to another. How do I do it? SAS and Stata contain routines for exporting and importing data with different formats. However, the easiest way to convert a data file from one format to another is by using Stat-Transfer (available on the computers in the GPPI lab), a software application designed for this purpose. Stat-Transfer allows you to convert among a broad array of file formats including spreadsheets, databases, SPSS, SAS, Stata.
See tips for using Stat-Transfer provided on the product’s webpage. The UCLA Academic Technology Services division also provides advice and answers to frequently asked questions.