Assessing Your Statistical Resources

Don’t forget to assess your skills and comfort level with available statistical tools...

In order to do a successful data analysis project, you are probably going to need some good training and experience, or else you are going to need some good outside help. You will need to fully assess your statistical resources.

What human resources are available to you?

You will find that their are many resources available to help you with the statistical side of your project. Here are a few:

1. Statistician/analyst: If you have an in-house statistician or analyst, hopefully you have been consulting with them from the very beginning of your project. Your statistician/analyst is most likely an expert at data handling, and will be able to help with implementing the correct analysis for your data, as well as interpreting the results.
2. Consultation with NEDARC: NEDARC has on-staff statisticians who are available to assist you with a variety of your statistical needs. Take advantage of this great resource. Contact your state/territory contact today!
3. Your skills and comfort level: Are you an experienced data analyst or statistician? Do you have adequate time and resources to devote to this project? If so, you may be able to do your analsis largely on your own. Be sure to honestly assess your skills and comfort level for this project, and don't be afraid to ask for help if you do need it.

Statistical software

If you have an in-house statistician or analyst, they probably have preferred software packages that they use on a regular basis. Consult with them about their preferences and recommendations.

If you do not have an in-house statistician or analyst, there are many statistical software packages to choose from. Some common packages include:

• SAS
• SPSS
• Stata
• JMP
• SPlus (R is the freeware version)
• Minitab
• Microsoft Excel (can be used to do limited statistical analysis)

The software that you decide to use should be based upon your preferences and the preferences of those you will be working with, your comfort level with the software, the ability of the software to import and export the needed formats, your budget constraints, and time constraints.

 

Step 2: Validate the Data >>

 

 

rev. 15-Jul-2006