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SPSS vs R

  • 29-04-2008 1:10am
    #1
    ciano6
    Closed Accounts Posts: 108 ✭✭


    This a question related to a Stats package but I don't know where would be better to post it. Basically, we don't live in Ireland, but my girlfriend is doing a Masters in UCC (distance) and has only the research component left to do. She would like to be able to use SPSS but it is only available on-campus for free. Instead, she tells me she will probably have to use R as this is available online for free. Now, she has a few questions related to this:
    Is there any freeware version of SPSS available as she would prefer to use this?
    Is R pretty similar to SPSS and as easy to use?
    Does anyone recommend a site to download R if SPSS is not available for free?
    Is SPSS available for a small fee as she might consider that?
    Thanks in advance for any help you can offer us,
    Cian:)


Comments

  • #2
    2Scoops
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,845 ✭✭✭2Scoops


    ciano6 wrote: »
    Is there any freeware version of SPSS available as she would prefer to use this?

    There is a trial version on www.SPSS.com that inactivates itself after 2 weeks or 14 uses or something like that. Assuming your gf only has to analyse her dataset, I would advise her to get everything ready, download the trialware and run her stats as quickly as possible, print everything or save it as PDF.
    ciano6 wrote: »
    Is R pretty similar to SPSS and as easy to use?

    R does not use menus like SPSS and is pretty esoteric if you're not familiar with statistics and programming. Not for novices. Awesome and very customizable if you are, though!
    ciano6 wrote: »
    Is SPSS available for a small fee as she might consider that?

    You can get a grad student version of SPSS for about $100, AFAIK.

    Edit:
    Cheap limited version: http://www.studentdiscounts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=14331&HS=1
    More expensive student version: http://www.studentdiscounts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=14273&HS=1


  • #3
    ciano6
    Closed Accounts Posts: 108 ✭✭ciano6


    Hey 2Scoops,
    Thanks for that, you've really pointed us in the right direction and I appreciate it. It looks like i'll be doing a bit of helping with this thesis...:rolleyes:
    Cian
    PS any inputs from anyone else also appreciated


  • #4
    Grudaire
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,620 ✭✭✭Grudaire


    I've only ever used R, and it's not that bad, I've never tried SPSS, one thing is the alck of much info on R on the net. If you search the correlation coefficient (also denoted by "r") you just get a load of info on it, not on using R...

    I don't know what is the better/useful-er language to know though...


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