This review of Data Desk Professional, a statistical software package for Macintosh microcomputers, includes information on: (1) cost and the amount and allocation of memory; (2) usability (documentation quality, ease of use); (3) running programs; (4) program output (quality of graphics); (5) accuracy; and (6) user services. In conclusion, it is…

This report provides a detailed description and evaluation of the SYSTAT 2.1 microcomputer statistics system for professional statisticians. Information provided includes the producer, versions available and compatibility, and a description of each of the 11 modules that make up the SYSTAT package. Discussion of the usability of the software…

This guide discusses six sets of features to examine when purchasing a microcomputer-based statistics program: hardware requirements; data management; data processing; statistical procedures; printing; and documentation. While the current statistical packages have several negative features, they are cost saving and convenient for small to moderate…

STATGRAPHICS, a statistical package written for the IBM PC/XT/AT, is reviewed. In addition to superb graphics, STATGRAPHICS is unequalled in time series procedures, quality control, linear programming, and other mathematical procedures. The modules for regression analysis, categorical data analysis, and nonparametric analysis are good, but contain…

This paper describes a personal computer spreadsheet set up to carry out hierarchical log-linear analyses, a type of analysis useful for institutional research into multidimensional frequency tables formed from categorical variables such as faculty rank, student class level, gender, or retention status. The spreadsheet provides a concrete vehicle…

This guide to the discovery, analysis, production, communication, and use of statistical information through graphic forms produced by a computer is designed to enable researchers to conduct their analyses and report research results more effectively. It is designed both for individuals with little knowledge about the use of statistical graphs or…

A guide to the use of microcomputer statistical analysis packages for loglinear analysis describes the application of one popular package to a straightforward problem and critically surveys features available in four of the leading packages. Survey findings and suggestions for further development are included. (Author/MSE)

This issue discusses the relevance of microcomputers to evaluation research and program evaluation. The relevance of software designed to aid in making decisions, establishing relations through statistical analysis, and gathering information is emphasized. The relevance of hardware, word processing, and teaching is also discussed. (BS)

Reports the results of a national survey of academic psychologists relative to the use of microcomputers. Finds that there is an increase in the use of microcomputers for instructional purposes and that such use was unrelated to department size. Discusses the brands of computers most often used and the ways software is utilized. (KO)

The statistical analysis of processing tree models is advanced by showing how the parameters of estimation and hypothesis testing, based on the likelihood functions, can be accomplished by adapting the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. The adaptation makes it easy to program a personal computer to accomplish the stages of statistical…

The capabilities and hardware requirements of four microcomputer software packages produced by the Office of Educational Testing, Research and Service at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are described. These programs are: (1) the Scan-Tron Forms Analysis Package Version 2.0, an interface between an IBM-compatible and a Scan-Tron…

This publication acquaints the user with microcomputer statistical packages and offers a method for evaluation based on a set of criteria that can be adapted to the needs of the user. Several popular packages, typical of those available, are reviewed in detail: (1) Abstat, an easy to use command driven package compatible with the IBM PC or the…

Reports survey results on statistical characteristics and adequacy of random number generators on microcomputers. Cycle size, seed, and operational time considerations, and statistical tests examining validity of generators are discussed. Evaluations of software for specific microcomputers are presented. Experiments which demonstrate dangers of…

The process of developing a computer program that can turn French text into speech is described. The program is designed to change a conventionally-spelled text into a phonemic transcription with an accuracy level of over 99.9%, divide the text into breath-groups that are syntactically correct and not over 14 syllables long, treat the unstable…

This article shows how microcomputer software can help in overcoming key methological problems in program/policy evaluation by: (1) paired comparisons; (2) sensitivity analysis to deal with missing information; (3) allocation percentages to deal with multiple alternatives; (4) sub-optimizing to deal with conflicting constraints; and (5) decision…