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I. Computer Exercise: Objectives: 1) To Introduce The SPH Computer Laboratory 2) To Log Into The Network 3)

This document provides instructions for a computer exercise in STATA to: 1) introduce the computer lab and STATA software; 2) have students practice logging into the network and saving files; and 3) have students enter sample data, generate new variables, summarize data, and save and export their work. Students are asked to analyze the distribution of the decom variable based on the provided data and commands. They also complete a brief written competency assessment on the roles of biostatistics in public health.

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Jessie
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34 views

I. Computer Exercise: Objectives: 1) To Introduce The SPH Computer Laboratory 2) To Log Into The Network 3)

This document provides instructions for a computer exercise in STATA to: 1) introduce the computer lab and STATA software; 2) have students practice logging into the network and saving files; and 3) have students enter sample data, generate new variables, summarize data, and save and export their work. Students are asked to analyze the distribution of the decom variable based on the provided data and commands. They also complete a brief written competency assessment on the roles of biostatistics in public health.

Uploaded by

Jessie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1I.

Computer Exercise

Objectives: 1) To introduce the SPH computer laboratory; 2) to log into the network; 3)
to save files from the lab; and 4) to start and introduce STATA.

Procedures. (Ignore step #1 for this quarter)

1. Logging onto the network. The logon window should have three areas:
1) User name,
2) Password,
3) Domain.

To logon to the network fill in the following values (the TA will provide this
information):

Logon name: sph


Password: hello
Domain:

If you now click OK you should be logged on and ready to start STATA.

2. Saving files from lab: The easiest way to save files is to email them to yourself
as an attachment. (Alternatively, you can save files on a memory device.)

3. Starting and using STATA to input data.

a. First logon to network. (See 2 above.)


b. Click on the “STATA” icon.
c. Entering data from the keyboard. The command input var1 ... var# will allow
you to enter data manually from the keyboard to be stored in the variables
var1, ..., var#. Type the first observation for each variable separated by a
space and then hit return. When you are done entering observations, type
end and hit return. For practice, try entering the data for 5 variables below by
using the commands listed on the next page:

site capacity decom start close


1. 1 24 14 1962 1968
2. 2 33 64 1963 1981
3. 3 65 55 1963 1976
4. 4 72 98 1957 1982
5. 5 210 95 1900 1978

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d. In STATA (in the command window), type the following commands:

COMMAND PURPOSE
1. input site capacity decom start close inputting data.

2. 1 24 14 1962 1968 entering data each row at a time. (Hit


2 33 64 1963 1981 return after each 5 numbers.)
3 65 55 1963 1976
4 72 98 1957 1982
5 210 95 1900 1978
end

3. list showing the contents of your data.

4. replace start=1960 in 5 changing data. The 5th start value


(or, replace start=1960 if start==1900) should be 1960 instead of 1900.

5. gen years=close-start making new variables.

6. save i:lab1.dta saving your data set on memory device.


Or saving to email. TA will assist if
necessary.

7. sum decom and sum decom, detail summarizing information about a


variable. Typing “, detail” yields a more
extensive summary. (After typing
commands, write down results for
analysis section below.)

8. exit exiting STATA.

9. exit, clear exiting STATA without saving a data file


you just changed.
Note: before you leave, make sure to logout from the network.

Analysis. Turn in the following:

• Briefly describe the distribution of decom. State the range and center of the data.
Is decom’s distribution symmetric?
$ Using the raw data in the table above, construct a stem-and-leaf display. Using
the information from the “sum decom, detail” command, construct a boxplot.

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II. Competency Assessment

Describe the roles biostatistics serves in the discipline of public


health.

To successfully complete this assignment, you may wish to review some of the following
material:

$ From textbook, Chapter 1.


$ From Class Lecture 1.
$ Search (google or other search engines) using the phrase ‘role of biostatistics in
public health’.

Your written description should be double-space typed and under 250 words.

Due date: Both computer exercise and competency assessment are due the
following week after your lab section on the same day as your lab.

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