Research Guides: Software for Data Analysis: Home

Consulting Guidelines

My role is to facilitate your quantitative analysis within the realm of our supported software packages (i.e., Python, R, Unix, and ArcGIS). Other software packages listed on this guide are to provide a wide overview of packages available but we do not necessarily have an expert for all of them.
I can assist you with issues that you may encounter with respect to data preparation (importing, merging, and cleaning data), analysis (implementing statistical tests), and results (understanding the formatting of the output). I can also help you select the best package for your task, interpret error messages, and locate documentation and further resources.
In addition to providing regularly scheduled software-specific tutorials, I can also help instructors by providing classroom presentations to introduce statistical software.
My role is to assist you with your analysis, rather than to conduct analyses for you. It is the researcher's responsibility to ensure that the research design, analysis, and programming are justified and appropriate for the discipline at hand.

Recommended Books

Analysis of Financial Time Series by Ruey S. Tsay
Call Number: Langson Library - HA30.3 T76 2002
ISBN: 0471690740
An introductory book provides theoretical concepts on time series analysis with plenty of intuitive insight of how exactly these models work. It covers a comprehensive and systematic account of financial econometric models: classic one-factor linear models (AR, MA, ARMA, Unit-root, ARCH, VAR, etc), and also multi-factor models and non-linear models. New edition adds chapters for PCA and MCMC too.
Analysis of mixed data: methods and applications by de Leon, Alexander
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781439884720
Publication Date: 2013
A comprehensive source on mixed data analysis, Analysis of Mixed Data: Methods & Applications summarizes the fundamental developments in the field. Case studies are used extensively throughout the book to illustrate interesting applications from economics, medicine and health, marketing, and genetics
Data Analysis by Govaert, Gerard
Call Number: Science Library Bar - QA276 .D3254513 2009
ISBN: 9781848210981
Publication Date: 2009
The first part of this book is devoted to methods seeking relevant dimensions of data. The second part is devoted to clustering methods which constitute another method, often complementary to the methods described in the first part, to synthesize and to analyze the data.
Data analysis using regression and multilevel/hierarchical models by Andrew Gelman
Call Number: Langson Library - HA31.3 .G45 2007
ISBN: 0521867061
The book carefully designs its approach, starting from single-level then to multi-level models, also provides the methodologies with broad practical examples (using R) and graphical displays. It gives useful guidance for social scientist and other applied statisticians into linear regression, logistic regression, GLM, and hierarchical models.
Dyadic Data Analysis by David A Kenny
Call Number: Langson Library - HM533.5 .K45 2006
ISBN: 1572309865
Dyadic data is a commonly found data structure in social psychology and social relations research. The authors describe and demonstrate several statistical methods, including multilevel and structural equation modeling approaches.
Foundations of Behavioral Statistics by Bruce Thompson
Call Number: Langson Library BF39 .T473 2006
ISBN: 1593852851
Bruce Thompson shows readers how to use the latest techniques for interpreting research outcomes as well as how to make statistical decisions that result in better research.
Thompson integrates a broad array of methods involving only a single dependent variable, ranging from classical and robust location descriptive statistics, through effect sizes, and on through ANOVA, multiple regression, loglinear analysis and logistic regression. Special features include SPSS and Excel demonstrations that offer opportunities, in the book’s datasets and on Thompson’s website.
Graphical methods for data analysis by Chambers, John
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781351080750
Publication Date: 2018
This book present graphical methods for analysing data. Some methods are new and some are old, some require a computer and others only paper and pencil; but they are all powerful data analysis tools.
A Guide to Econometrics by Peter Kennedy
Call Number: Langson Library - HB139 .K45 2008
ISBN: 140518258X
One of the best understandable econometrics books. Excellent discussions on classical linear regression model, and also explanations on other quatitative methods: survival models, Bayesian approach, panel data, neural networks, time series, etc.
Handbook of applied spatial analysis by Manfred Fischer
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9783642036460
Spatial data are an important source of scientific information. The book is designed to be a desk reference for all researchers just getting into the field of spatial data analysis as well as for seasoned spatial analysts.
Investigating the Social World: The Process and Practice of Research by Russell K. Schutt
Call Number: Langson Library - HN29 .S34 2009
ISBN: 1412969417
The book provides clear identification of key issues in research design (i.e. measurement, sampling and causation) as well as major data collection techniques. Excellent balance between qualitative and quantitative methods. Integration of research ethics with the pertinent methodological topics.
Linear mixed models: a practical guide using statistical software by West, Brady.
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 1584884800
This easy-to-use resource provides a clear explanation of mixed modeling techniques and theories and demonstrates the use of five popular statistical software procedures (SAS, SPSS, Stata, R/S-plus, and HLM) for fitting linear mixed models (LMMs) using real-world data.
The authors fit LMMs based on both general and hierarchical model specifications, develop the model-building process step-by-step, and demonstrate the estimation, testing, and interpretation of fixed-effect parameters and covariance parameters associated with random effects.
Longitudinal and panel data: analysis and applications in the social sciences by Edward W. Frees
Call Number: Langson Library - HA29 .F6816 2004
ISBN: 0521535387
Focusing on an analysis of models and data that arise from repeated observations of a cross-section of individuals, households or firms, this book also covers important applications within business, economics, education, political science and other social science disciplines. The author introduces the foundations of longitudinal and panel data analysis at a level suitable for quantitatively oriented graduate social science students as well as individual researchers. He emphasizes mathematical and statistical fundamentals but also demonstrates substantive applications from across the social sciences. These applications are enhanced by real-world data sets and software programs in SAS and Stata.
The Practice of Social Research by Earl R. Babbie
Call Number: Langson Library - H62 .B2 2016
ISBN: 9781305104945
Publication Date: 2016 (14th edition)
A straightforward, comprehensive, and approachable guide to research as practiced by social scientists, the Fourteenth Edition of this "gold-standard" book gives readers the tools they need to apply research concepts practically, as both a researcher and a consumer. The author emphasizes the process by showing readers how to design and construct projects, introducing the various observation modes in use today, and answering critical questions about research methods-such as how to conduct online surveys and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data.

Software for Data Analysis

Software Carpentry

Online Learning -- Software & Coding

Consulting Guidelines

Recommended Books