Choosing The Correct Statistical Test in SAS, Stata, SPSS and R

6/19/2019 Choosing the Correct Statistical Test in SAS, Stata, SPSS and R
, ,
The following table shows general guidelines for choosing a statistical analysis. We emphasize that these are general guidelines and should not be
construed as hard and fast rules. Usually your data could be analyzed in multiple ways, each of which could yield legitimate answers. The table below covers
a number of common analyses and helps you choose among them based on the number of dependent variables (sometimes referred to as outcome
variables), the nature of your independent variables (sometimes referred to as predictors). You also want to consider the nature of your dependent variable,
namely whether it is an interval variable, ordinal or categorical variable, and whether it is normally distributed (see What is the difference between
categorical, ordinal and interval variables? (https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/whatstat/what-is-the-difference-between-categorical-ordinal-and-
interval-variables/) for more information on this). The table then shows one or more statistical tests commonly used given these types of variables (but not
necessarily the only type of test that could be used) and links showing how to do such tests using SAS, Stata and SPSS.
Number of Nature of Nature of Dependent Variable(s) Test(s) How to SAS How to Stata How to SPSS
Dependent Independent (https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/other/mult-
Variables Variables pkg/whatstat/what-is-the-difference-
https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/whatstat/ 1/8
between-categorical-ordinal-and-
interval-variables/)
1 0 IVs (1 population) SAS

Stata SPSS
(/sas/whatstat/what- (/
(/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
statistical-analysis- st
one-sample statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
interval & normal should-i-
t-test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using- analyses-using-
analyses-using-
stata/#1sampt) spss/#1sampt)
sas/#1sampt)
SAS
Stata SPSS
one-sample statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
ordinal or interval should-i-
median should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#1sampm) spss/#1sampm)
sas/#1sampm)
SAS
Stata SPSS
statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
categorical (2 categories) binomial test should-i-
should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#bitest) spss/#bitest)
sas/#bitest)
SAS
Stata SPSS
Chi-square statistical-analysis- st
categorical goodness- should-i-
of-fit usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#chifit) spss/#chifit)
sas/#chifit)
1 IV with 2 levels SAS

(independent Stata SPSS
groups) 2 (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
independent statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
sample t- should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
test analyses-using- analyses-using-
analyses-using-
stata/#2ittest) spss/#2ittest)
sas/#2ittest)
SAS
Stata SPSS
Wilcoxon- statistical-analysis- st
y
ordinal or interval Mann should-i-
Whitney test usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#wilc) spss/#wilc)
sas/#wilc)
categorical SAS
Stata SPSS
Chi-square statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i-
test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#chisq) spss/#chisq)
sas/#chisq)
SAS
Stata SPSS
Fisher’s statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i-
exact test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#exact) spss/#exact)
sas/#exact)
1 IV with 2 or more SAS

levels (independent Stata SPSS
groups) (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
one-way statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
ANOVA should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#1anova) spss/#1anova)
sas/#1anova)
SAS
Stata SPSS
Kruskal statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
Wallis should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#kw) spss/#kw)
sas/#kw)
SAS
Stata SPSS
y
Chi-square statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
categorical should-i-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#chisq) spss/#chisq)
sas/#chisq)
1 IV with 2 levels SAS

(dependent/matched Stata SPSS
interval & normal paired t-test should-i-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#pairt) spss/#pairt)
sas/#pairt)
SAS
Stata SPSS
Wilcoxon statistical-analysis- st
ordinal or interval signed ranks should-i-
test usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#wilcsign) spss/#wilcsign)
sas/#wilcsign)
SAS
Stata SPSS
categorical McNemar should-i-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#Mcnemar) spss/#Mcnemar)
sas/#Mcnemar)
1 IV with 2 or more SAS

levels Stata SPSS
(dependent/matched one-way (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
groups) repeated statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
measures should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
ANOVA analyses-using- analyses-using-
analyses-using-
stata/#1repanova) spss/#1repanova)
sas/#1repanova)
SAS
Stata SPSS
y
Friedman statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#fried) spss/#fried)
sas/#fried)
SAS
Stata SPSS
repeated (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
measures statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
categorical (2 categories) should-i-
logistic should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
regression analyses-using- analyses-using-
analyses-using-
stata/#1replog) spss/#1replog)
sas/#1replog)
2 or more IVs SAS

(independent Stata SPSS
factorial statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
ANOVA should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#factanov) spss/#factanov)
sas/#factanov)
SAS
Stata SPSS
ordered statistical-analysis- st
ordinal or interval logistic should-i-
regression usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#orderedlogistic) spss/#orderedlogistic)
sas/#orderedlogistic) r/#
SAS
Stata SPSS
factorial statistical-analysis- st
categorical (2 categories) logistic should-i-
analyses-using-
stata/#faclogistic) spss/#faclogistic)
sas/#faclogistic)
1 interval IV SAS
Stata SPSS
y
interval & normal correlation should-i-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#corr) spss/#corr)
sas/#corr)
SAS
Stata SPSS
simple linear statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
regression should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#simpreg) spss/#simpreg)
sas/#simpreg)
SAS
Stata SPSS
non- statistical-analysis- st
ordinal or interval parametric should-i-
correlation usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#nonparr) spss/#nonparr)
sas/#nonparr)
SAS
Stata SPSS
simple statistical-analysis- st
categorical logistic should-i-
analyses-using-
stata/#simplog) spss/#simplog)
sas/#simplog)
1 or more interval IVs interval & normal SAS

and/or 1 or more Stata SPSS
categorical IVs (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
multiple statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i-
regression should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#multreg) spss/#multreg)
sas/#multreg)
SAS
Stata SPSS
y
analysis of statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i-
covariance should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#ancova) spss/#ancova)
sas/#ancova)
categorical SAS
Stata SPSS
multiple statistical-analysis- st
logistic should-i-
analyses-using-
stata/#logistic) spss/#logistic)
sas/#logistic)
SAS
Stata SPSS
discriminant statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i-
analysis should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#discrim) spss/#discrim)
sas/#discrim)
2+ 1 IV with 2 or more SAS

levels (independent Stata SPSS
one-way statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
MANOVA should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#manova) spss/#manova)
sas/#manova)
2+ SAS
Stata SPSS
multivariate (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
multiple statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
linear should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
regression analyses-using- analyses-using-
analyses-using-
stata/#mmreg) spss/#mmreg)
sas/#mmreg)
0 SAS
Stata SPSS
y
factor statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
analysis should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#factor) spss/#factor)
sas/#factor)
2 sets of 0 SAS
2+ Stata SPSS
canonical statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
correlation should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical-
analyses-using-
stata/#cancor) spss/#cancor)
sas/#cancor)
This page was adapted from Choosing the Correct Statistic developed by James D. Leeper, Ph.D. We thank Professor Leeper for permission to adapt and
distribute this page from our site.
Click here to report an error on this page or leave a comment
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6/19/2019 Choosing the Correct Statistical Test in SAS, Stata, SPSS and R

1 0 IVs (1 population) SAS

1 IV with 2 levels SAS

1 IV with 2 or more SAS

1 IV with 2 levels SAS

1 IV with 2 or more SAS

2 or more IVs SAS

1 or more interval IVs interval & normal SAS

2+ 1 IV with 2 or more SAS

Click here to report an error on this page or leave a comment

How to cite this page (https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/faq/general/faq-how-do-i-cite-web-pages-and-programs-from-the-ucla-statistical-consulting-

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