Читать книгу Using Stata for Quantitative Analysis - Kyle C. Longest - Страница 10

For many people, learning any new computer software can be an anxiety-producing task. When that computer program involves statistics, the stress level generally increases exponentially. If you have similar feelings as you begin your journey into becoming a Stata¹ user, do not fear. You are not alone. This book is designed with this apprehension in mind. One of the primary goals of this book is to help alleviate, or at least minimize, this anxiety as we move toward becoming effective and proficient Stata users. Keep in mind that at one time you may have had similar feelings about using e-mail or the Internet, and just as many people now feel extremely comfortable using these programs, by the end of this book, you will have a similar grasp of and comfort with Stata.

¹Stata is a registered trademark of StataCorp LLC.

Before diving into all the details of using Stata, it is important to have an understanding of its various components. This chapter will serve as an introduction to the basic building blocks of the Stata program. Each of these aspects will be covered in much more detail throughout the book, but this chapter provides an overview of the basic functionality of the Stata program. The second section of the chapter explains how data are opened, imported, and entered.