Table of contents
1. Why Stata? .................................................................................................................... 1
2. How to work with the software .................................................................................... 3
2.1. User-interface .......................................................................................................... 3
Results window ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Command window ................................................................................................................................ 3
Variables window ................................................................................................................................. 3
Review window .................................................................................................................................... 4
Buttons .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Menu ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
2.2. Do-files ..................................................................................................................... 4
2.3. Limits of the software ............................................................................................... 5
3. General commands ....................................................................................................... 6
cd ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
help ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
update .................................................................................................................................................... 6
findit ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
set memory ............................................................................................................................................ 7
display ................................................................................................................................................... 8
4. Data input and saving ................................................................................................... 8
use ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
insheet ................................................................................................................................................... 8
edit ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
compress ............................................................................................................................................... 9
save ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
5. Data management ......................................................................................................... 9
5.1. General command syntax ......................................................................................... 9
by ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
if .......................................................................................................................................................... 11
in ......................................................................................................................................................... 12
5.2. Commenting ........................................................................................................... 12
5.3. Data description..................................................................................................... 17
describe ............................................................................................................................................... 17
codebook ............................................................................................................................................. 17
sort ...................................................................................................................................................... 18
order .................................................................................................................................................... 18
browse ................................................................................................................................................. 18
list ....................................................................................................................................................... 19
assert ................................................................................................................................................... 19
summarize ........................................................................................................................................... 19
tabulate ................................................................................................................................................ 19
inspect ................................................................................................................................................. 20
5.4. Data manipulation ................................................................................................. 13
generate ............................................................................................................................................... 13
egen ..................................................................................................................................................... 14
replace ................................................................................................................................................. 14
recode .................................................................................................................................................. 14
drop ..................................................................................................................................................... 15
keep ..................................................................................................................................................... 15
destring ............................................................................................................................................... 15
5.5. Data formatting ...................................................................................................... 16
rename ................................................................................................................................................. 16
recast ................................................................................................................................................... 16
format .................................................................................................................................................. 17
label ..................................................................................................................................................... 17
5.6. Data merging ......................................................................................................... 20
append ................................................................................................................................................. 20
merge .................................................................................................................................................. 20
6. Further issues .............................................................................................................. 22
6.1. Log files .................................................................................................................. 22
6.2. Graphs.................................................................................................................... 22
6.3. Probability distribution and density functions ....................................................... 22
6.4. Random number generation ................................................................................... 23
7. Shortcuts (that make “life” easier) ............................................................................ 23
8. Some sample do-files ................................................................................................... 23
8.1. Example for importing data ................................................................................... 23
8.2. Example for preparing data ................................................................................... 24
8.3. Example for analyzing data ................................................................................... 25
8.4. Example for do-file that runs the entire project..................................................... 26
9. What is not captured in this introduction................................................................. 26
10. Where to find help .................................................................................................... 27
10.1. In-built help and printed manuals ........................................................................ 27
10.2. Online resources .................................................................................................. 27
11. Literature ................................................................................................................... 28