Stata Manual
FACULTEIT ECONOMIE EN BEDRIJFSKUNDE
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
Short Guide to Stata
1. Introduction
This guide gives an overview of some basic commands of Stata. Stata contains many more commands. Some of these will be used in the computer exercises of Econometrics, but lots will not be used at all. With Stata you will be able to perform complex statistical and econometrical calculations and estimations. It is even possible to program your own routines. Below, Stata commands are set in lettertype Courier. Options are optional and denoted in [brackets]. Italics indicate that you need to change this part of the command to your own convenience. Only the most important options are listed in this guide. For a full list consult the help-menu of Stata.
2. The Stata environment
After having started Stata, Windows will open an window with four subwindows: the results window (largest and black), the command window, the variables window and the review window. The results window will display the results of Stata commands which you either entered in the control window or via menu on top of the screen (File Edit Data Graphic Statistics User Window Help). The variables window shows the variable names of the data set you are presently using. The review window displays the recent Stata commands that you have carried out.
3. Getting help
There exists a very lengthy official Stata User's Guide on paper but it is often more convenient to use the help-menu directly available in Stata or online help (http://www.stata.com/support/). The help-menu can directly assessed by clicking on help. Alternatively, you can enter help in the command window. On
Blackboard there is also a more extensive manual to Stata on Blackboard.
4. Opening and saving data
Assuming that you work with data in the special Stata format (.dta-extension) and that the data are available on the pc you are using, you can open the data in two ways:
• using File - Open etc. (menu driven)
•
UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
Short Guide to Stata
1. Introduction
This guide gives an overview of some basic commands of Stata. Stata contains many more commands. Some of these will be used in the computer exercises of Econometrics, but lots will not be used at all. With Stata you will be able to perform complex statistical and econometrical calculations and estimations. It is even possible to program your own routines. Below, Stata commands are set in lettertype Courier. Options are optional and denoted in [brackets]. Italics indicate that you need to change this part of the command to your own convenience. Only the most important options are listed in this guide. For a full list consult the help-menu of Stata.
2. The Stata environment
After having started Stata, Windows will open an window with four subwindows: the results window (largest and black), the command window, the variables window and the review window. The results window will display the results of Stata commands which you either entered in the control window or via menu on top of the screen (File Edit Data Graphic Statistics User Window Help). The variables window shows the variable names of the data set you are presently using. The review window displays the recent Stata commands that you have carried out.
3. Getting help
There exists a very lengthy official Stata User's Guide on paper but it is often more convenient to use the help-menu directly available in Stata or online help (http://www.stata.com/support/). The help-menu can directly assessed by clicking on help. Alternatively, you can enter help in the command window. On
Blackboard there is also a more extensive manual to Stata on Blackboard.
4. Opening and saving data
Assuming that you work with data in the special Stata format (.dta-extension) and that the data are available on the pc you are using, you can open the data in two ways:
• using File - Open etc. (menu driven)
•