Stata Review

PROS: Unpopular opinion: Stata is quite easy to use. I say this because, unlike other tools similar to it, it only requires a top-level knowledge of coding. You don’t have to be particularly gifted at coding because it already has a menu of templated codes that you can choose from. If you do get stuck on a particular command, there are more than enough resources online that you can tap into. I also like that Stata allows you to customize your reports and tweak the basic elements such as the font color, properties, etc.

CONS: You need to pay to be able to use Stata. I think this is one of the major “cons” for me. Plus, there are issues on variable inclusions that I sometimes run into also.

PROS: This is definitely, infinitely better than excel. For one, it can plot out various scenarios for you (based on empirical data, of course), so you can make a more informed decision about a matter. You can generate reports much quicker and easier too.

CONS: It would be nice if the developers were to add more drag-and-drop or one-click commands that would trigger an action from the software.

PROS: Stata has this impressive ability to handle large-scale databases. Of course, the limitation lies in you finding a PC that is strong enough to support this program so it can run its analysis smoothly now.

CONS: To be able to fully utilize Stata, one needs to have the focus and the time to be able to withstand the long hours of delay and even longer hours of loading and generating of reports. The coding, in itself, is quite time-consuming as well. You’d have to prepare to bring in the extra hours just to finish your project. This means, too, that you need to be well-versed in coding as well as basic statistics.

PROS: It’s nice how you can see the results in just a glance. Stata knows how to format each report so you can quickly go over it and immediately get an impression of the outcome. This is fairly easy to use too. There have been new updates on the design editor too.

CONS: You’d need to take the time to get to know the commands before you become an expert at this tool. I wish that Stata will allow users to do a one-click command that immediately launches the design variables that you have uploaded into the system. Adding a “back” feature might be helpful in this regard so we can easily fire it up.

PROS: There’s a pretty solid community backing up Stata. A quick Google search of any question you may have regarding its use will almost instantly churn out dozens of results. This is great, I think, for helping you become unstuck. The analysis tool itself, of course, is pretty good.

CONS: I’ve been having issues with contrast coding on Stata. This issue does not seem to arise when I use other software so I urge the developers to smoothen out this facet. Some aspects run better on other software too.

PROS: This should be every scientist’s go-to statistical analysis tool. I’ve used too many other solutions in the past, and Stata is by far the most accurate and reliable one. Others are either too heavy, too difficult to use, or are simply all over the place. Stata is such a breath of fresh air compared to the others.

CONS: You’d need to pay a premium to use it. Plus, I have to use another program just to present my data into graphs that I find satisfactory to my aesthetic needs. The ones available at Stata aren’t so much aligned to my taste. But I do acknowledge that this might be because Stata wasn’t built for science-related research in the first place.

PROS: There are available premium versions if you anticipate a need for faster and more thorough tools. I’m also grateful for all the help I’ve been getting from Stata’s community of users. Whenever I run into an issue, I can always ask around for help.

CONS: I don’t see the need to pay for quite a hefty amount for the same features I can get from other free tools. I have yet to find an edge for Stata that will convince me to pay for the premium version.

PROS: However voluminous or complicated your data may be, you can count on Strata to help interpret it for you. This has been instrumental in analyzing so many sets of information for us, and I’m so glad that we have this helping us out. The arrangement of the data itself is already daunting enough, much more its analysis--and Stata helps with both.

CONS: Stata is a very robust and powerful tool, yes. However, to fully utilize its functionalities, the user would also need to be very familiar with the environment where it operates in. It is this combination of machine and human robustness that will give accurate results.

PROS: I like how Stata allows me the freedom to conduct my own A/B testing within its program. It is also very intuitive and is quite an easy tool to get to know and use. If by some chance, I do run into some issues, there’s always a community of users that I can fall back on. They have been helpful. There are ample training materials from Stata itself too. And the decision-making tool that helps you predict the outcome of your options (statistically-back, of course), is impressive.

CONS: Stata is still quite an infant tool compared to its competitors--although its price does not seem to acknowledge this. As such, it cannot perform more complicated equations. It does not handle bulk data analysis well too. This will require you to transfer to a far more faster PC if you want to venture into the territory of bigger sets of data.

PROS: This is the type of sophisticated tool that truly deserves recognition. Not only will it help you organize your data, but it will also accurately interpret it for you. It can solve just about any mathematical and statistical issue, trust me.

CONS: You can’t just feed data into the system and expect it to do all the grunt work. You, yourself, have to have enough training and know-how to interpret stats.

PROS: What I like about Stata is that it is constantly improving its operations and adding more features to its toolbox. Because of these improvements, it has quite easily surpassed its competitors. It is now more user-friendly than ever. It has a decent amount of resources online too for when you need to learn more about a specific command. If that is not enough, Stata also offers training and sends out a newsletter so you know what the latest updates are.

CONS: The design aspect of Stata’s reports still seems to leave a lot to be desired for. It’s outdated and slow to respond when given commands. I would also appreciate it if Stata would allow more than one data set analysis to be processed at a time. This would make our workflow so much faster.

PROS: I love that Stata, no matter how robust its features, is still constantly improving its operations. I used another statistical analysis tool as well and I think that it has a more helpful community of users that I can tap into for help. However, Stata’s community is quickly catching up. And not just in that aspect too. As I said, Stata is still continuously evolving and I’m excited to see what else it has in store for users.

CONS: When it comes to visualizations and aesthetic presentations, Stata seems to take a backseat compared to the other solutions. It can be quite clunky, plus it takes a long time to load each design element too.

PROS: I find Stata very user-friendly. The dashboard has everything you need and the data interpretations that it gives you are easy to understand. You can easily compare variables and their relationship with each other too.

CONS: You need to pay a premium to be able to use this tool. I also find the functionalities quite limiting.

PROS: If you have data (no matter how complicated or massive it may seem) that requires interpretation, you can count on Stata to break it down into more digestible parts for you. I think that every business should use this tool.

CONS: You need to dedicate time and research to fully understand this tool and all of its commands.

PROS: One of the things that I like about Stata is its capacity to store data internally. This way, I don’t have to hook up external devices into my PC just to use this tool. Plus, when it comes to handling data, Strata makes everything seem less complicated than they are. It manages to cut down the info into digestible parts and even help you present it graphically.

CONS: It would be nice if Stata were to develop a feature that helps you map out different possibilities and decision outcomes within the organization. This way, we can make better judgment calls. Also, the output of the new version does not appear to be supported in the older one.

PROS: This is a pretty straightforward tool. Its results are quick and uncomplicated. The only caveat is that you need to be able to have a firm grasp on, at least, the basics of statistics to fully use this tool. But I do like that the program has a pretty good library of codes that you can try out too. This is best for those who are experimenting with the various functions within the tool.

CONS: I do remember a time when Stata gave me such a hard time in interpreting a particular set of data simply because of its source. Somehow, it took the liberty of tweaking some of the elements in the data. Good thing I caught on and was able to find a way to keep it from messing with my inputted data. Other than this, there have been but small issues I’ve come across. Typos, for example, are quite a pain to deal with.

PROS: The environment is pretty simple, but it can handle even the most complicated of data. Somehow, Stata manages to give out accurate interpretations of data in just a short period. I also like that it makes it easy to test out just about any type of method of analyzing data, giving you results that will help you make better decisions for the company.

CONS: You need to specialize in statistical analysis for you to be able to fully use this tool. There has to be a dedicated employee in charge of handling this.