tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407706060840451428.post3383183024618382781..comments2023-02-28T07:06:30.303-05:00Comments on Accidental Archivist: Statistics Skills and SoftwareAccidental Archivisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11641928814058458322noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407706060840451428.post-14811460215345772062008-11-21T19:36:00.000-05:002008-11-21T19:36:00.000-05:00if you go here you see a number of freeware/sharew...if you go here you see a number of freeware/shareware statistical software packages<BR/><BR/>http://www.download.com/1770-2010_4-0.html?query=statistics&searchtype=downloads&filter=platform=Windows&filterName=platform=Windows&tag=ltcolPeterKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07295419705953718469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407706060840451428.post-1403966861810058932008-11-21T19:24:00.000-05:002008-11-21T19:24:00.000-05:00Research design will influence how you collect and...Research design will influence how you collect and analyze statistics, so I'd start with a good book on research design. I liked Douglas Mook's <I>Psychological Research</I> (you could probably get an older edition for cheap) and I think it would be accessible even if you don't have a psychology background.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407706060840451428.post-61052474763347961532008-11-21T17:11:00.000-05:002008-11-21T17:11:00.000-05:00Both Stata and SPSS are for hard-core statistician...Both Stata and SPSS are for hard-core statisticians, people who have a good grounding in their stats education. There are a number of basic stats software programs out there that are open source, too. Look but don't buy something until you know what you need - I agree with Peter on this.Russell Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09898918881398364874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1407706060840451428.post-83666173051016312262008-11-21T14:48:00.000-05:002008-11-21T14:48:00.000-05:00"I'm starting to think that I need to develop some..."I'm starting to think that I need to develop some substantial statistics skills."<BR/><BR/>good! but have you properly defined the metrics that you will use in your statistical analysis?<BR/><BR/>'Does anybody reading have any preferences on statistical software or recommendations on how to get a grounding in applied statistical skills?"<BR/><BR/>first if you don't have a solid grounding in statistics or how to interpret them you might want to get a basic book such as <BR/><BR/>http://www.amazon.com/Statistics-Dummies-Deborah-Rumsey/dp/0764554239<BR/><BR/>along with the workbook<BR/>http://www.amazon.com/Statistics-Workbook-Dummies-Lifestyles-Paperback/dp/0764584669<BR/><BR/>always keep in mind what Disraeli said "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."<BR/><BR/>you need to define your metrics first, what are you measuring so that you can do some meaningful statistical analysis. If your metrics aren't good the analysis is cr*p<BR/><BR/>for example years ago I worked for an archives that was part of a public library. Once a year the library collected a variety of information. number of patrons, items requested etc. All well and good if you are a library. but as an archives the information collected was not worth a darn. We were only allowed to count a researcher once not all the times we interacted with them during the day. A library patron typically asks a question and goes away. An archives researcher comes in early and stays the day interacting with all the staff who are desk duty during the day. A researcher requests one box and works with it all day. a library patron asks for a book and leaves. both are counted as one item<BR/><BR/>so my point is make sure what you measure will be meaningfulPeterKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07295419705953718469noreply@blogger.com