Do-File Cheat Sheet

*** Initial Commands – Always use these commands when beginning a do-file ***
* Who wrote it *
* What assignment this is *
* Class and Section *
* When it was written *

clear
*Clears out the dataset that is currently in memory

capture log close

*Closes any log files you may have accidentally left open

cd “m:\your_directory\your_subdirectory”
*Changes the working directory to the specified drive and directory

log using filename,replace

*Opens log file called “filename,” replaces the contents with the current log

use filename
*Loads a data set called "filename" into Stata

*** Useful Commands Below ***

describe
*Lists each variable in Stata's memory

summarize
*Lists number of observations, mean, standard dev., min & max for a variable

tab
*Gives frequencies (counts), and is most useful with categorical variables

correlate var1 var2

*Computes the correlation between var1 and var2

generate newvar = something

*Generates a new variable called newvar which is whatever you specify

replace var1 = something if var2 == 1

*Replaces existing value of var1 with something if blah is equal to 1.

*”something” may be an expression. Replace can also be used without the "if"
*qualifier. Notice there is ALWAYS a distinction between "=" and "=="

drop var1
*Removes var1 from your dataset
*can be combined with an “if” statement

keep var1 var2

*keeps only the variables listed after the word “keep”
*can be combined with an “if” statement

regress y var1 var2, robust

*This computes the ordinary least squares estimates. y is the dependent *variable, all
others are independent variables. The robust command assumes *unequal variances

ttest varname1, by(varname2) unequal

*For two variables called "varname1" and "varname2," calculate a difference of means
test; assumes unequal variances

log close
*Closes and saves the current log file