Choosing The Correct Statistical Test in SAS, Stata, SPSS and R

The following table shows general guidelines for choosing a statistical
analysis. We emphasize that these are general guidelines and should not be
construed as hard and fast rules. Usually your data could be analyzed in
multiple ways, each of which could yield legitimate answers. The table below
covers a number of common analyses and helps you choose among them based on the
number of dependent variables (sometimes referred to as
outcome variables), the
nature of your independent variables (sometimes referred to as
predictors). You also want to consider the nature of your
dependent
variable, namely whether it is an interval variable, ordinal or categorical
variable, and whether it is normally distributed (see What is the
difference between categorical, ordinal and interval variables? (https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/whatstat/what-is-the-difference-between-
categorical-ordinal-and-interval-variables/)
for more information on this). The table then shows one or more
statistical tests commonly used given these
types of variables (but not
necessarily the only type of test that could be used) and links showing how to
do such tests using SAS, Stata and SPSS.
Number of Nature of Nature of Test(s) How to SAS How to Stata How to SPSS How to R
Dependent Independent Dependent
Variables Variables Variable(s)*

1 0 IVs (1 population) SAS R
Stata SPSS
(/sas/whatstat/what- (/r/whatstat/what-
(/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
interval & one-sample statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal t-test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
usestatistical- usestatistical-
analyses-using- analyses-using-
stata/#1sampt) spss/#1sampt)
sas/#1sampt) r/#1sampt)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
ordinal or one-sample statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
interval median should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#1sampm) spss/#1sampm)
sas/#1sampm) r/#1sampm)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
categorical statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
(2 binomial test should-i- should-i-
should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
categories) usestatistical- usestatistical-
stata/#bitest) spss/#bitest)
sas/#bitest) r/#bitest)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
Chi-square statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
categorical goodness- should-i- should-i-
of-fit usestatistical- usestatistical-
stata/#chifit) spss/#chifit)
sas/#chifit) r/#chifit)
1 IV with 2 levels SAS R

(independent Stata SPSS
groups) 2 (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
interval & independent statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal sample t- should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
test analyses-using- analyses-using-
stata/#2ittest) spss/#2ittest)
sas/#2ittest) r/#2ittest)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
Wilcoxon- statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
y y
ordinal or statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
Mann should-i- should-i-
interval should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
Whitney test usestatistical- usestatistical-
stata/#wilc) spss/#wilc)
sas/#wilc) r/#wilc)
categorical SAS R
Stata SPSS
should-i- should-i-
test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#chisq) spss/#chisq)
sas/#chisq) r/#chisq)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
Fisher’s statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
exact test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#exact) spss/#exact)
sas/#exact) r/#exact)
1 IV with 2 or more SAS R

levels (independent Stata SPSS
groups) (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
interval & one-way statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal ANOVA should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#1anova) spss/#1anova)
sas/#1anova) r/#1anova)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
ordinal or Kruskal statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
interval Wallis should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#kw) spss/#kw)
sas/#kw) r/#kw)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
y y
categorical should-i- should-i-
test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#chisq) spss/#chisq)
sas/#chisq) r/#chisq)
1 IV with 2 levels SAS R

(dependent/matched Stata SPSS
interval & statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
paired t-test should-i- should-i-
normal should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#pairt) spss/#pairt)
sas/#pairt) r/#pairt)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
Wilcoxon statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
signed ranks should-i- should-i-
test usestatistical- usestatistical-
stata/#wilcsign) spss/#wilcsign)
sas/#wilcsign) r/#wilcsign)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
categorical McNemar should-i- should-i-
stata/#Mcnemar) spss/#Mcnemar)
sas/#Mcnemar) r/#Mcnemar)
1 IV with 2 or more SAS R

levels Stata SPSS
(dependent/matched one-way (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
groups) interval & repeated statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal measures should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
ANOVA analyses-using- analyses-using-
stata/#1repanova) spss/#1repanova)
sas/#1repanova) r/#1repanovA)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
y y
ordinal or Friedman statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
interval test should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#fried) spss/#fried)
sas/#fried) r/#fried)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
repeated (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
categorical statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
measures statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
(2 should-i- should-i-
logistic should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
categories) usestatistical- usestatistical-
regression analyses-using- analyses-using-
stata/#1replog) spss/#1replog)
sas/#1replog) r/#1replog)
2 or more IVs SAS R

(independent Stata SPSS
interval & factorial statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal ANOVA should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#factanov) spss/#factanov)
sas/#factanov) r/#factanov)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
ordered statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
logistic should-i- should-i-
regression usestatistical- usestatistical-
stata/#orderedlogistic) spss/#orderedlogistic)
sas/#orderedlogistic) r/#orderedlOgistic)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
categorical factorial statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
(2 logistic should-i- should-i-
categories) regression usestatistical- usestatistical-
stata/#faclogistic) spss/#faclogistic)
sas/#faclogistic) r/#faclogisTic)
1 interval IV SAS R
Stata SPSS
y y
interval & statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
correlation should-i- should-i-
normal should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#corr) spss/#corr)
sas/#corr) r/#corr)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
interval & simple linear statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal regression should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#simpreg) spss/#simpreg)
sas/#simpreg) r/#simpreg)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
non- statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
parametric should-i- should-i-
correlation usestatistical- usestatistical-
stata/#nonparr) spss/#nonparr)
sas/#nonparr) r/#nonparr)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
simple statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
categorical logistic should-i- should-i-
stata/#simplog) spss/#simplog)
sas/#simplog) r/#simplog)
1 or more interval IVs interval & SAS R

and/or 1 or more normal Stata SPSS
categorical IVs (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
multiple statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
regression should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#multreg) spss/#multreg)
sas/#multreg) r/#multreg)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
y y
analysis of statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
covariance should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#ancova) spss/#ancova)
sas/#ancova) r/#ancova)
categorical SAS R
Stata SPSS
multiple statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
logistic should-i- should-i-
stata/#logistic) spss/#logistic)
sas/#logistic) r/#logistic)
SAS R
Stata SPSS
discriminant statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
analysis should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#discrim) spss/#discrim)
sas/#discrim) r/#discrim)
2+ 1 IV with 2 or more SAS R

levels (independent Stata SPSS
interval & one-way statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal MANOVA should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#manova) spss/#manova)
sas/#manova) r/#manova)
2+ SAS R
Stata SPSS
multivariate (/stata/whatstat/what- (/spss/whatstat/what-
interval & multiple statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal linear should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
regression analyses-using- analyses-using-
stata/#mmreg) spss/#mmreg)
sas/#mmreg) r/#mmreg)
0 SAS R
Stata SPSS
y y
interval & factor statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal analysis should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#factor) spss/#factor)
sas/#factor) r/#factor)
2 sets of 0 SAS R
2+ Stata SPSS
interval & canonical statistical-analysis- statistical-analysis-
should-i- should-i-
normal correlation should-i-usestatistical- should-i-usestatistical-
stata/#cancor) spss/#cancor)
sas/#cancor) r/#cancor)
*Technically, assumptions of normality concern the errors rather than the dependent variable itself. Statistical errors are the deviations of the observed
values of the dependent variable from their true or expected values. These errors are unobservable, since we usually do not know the true values, but
we can estimate them with residuals, the deviation of the observed values from the model-predicted values. Additionally, many of these models
produce estimates that are robust to violation of the assumption of normality, particularly in large samples.
This page was adapted from Choosing the Correct Statistic developed by James D. Leeper, Ph.D. We thank Professor
Leeper for permission to adapt
and distribute this page from our site.
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The following table shows general guidelines for choosing a statistical

Variables Variables Variable(s)*

1 IV with 2 levels SAS R

1 IV with 2 or more SAS R

1 IV with 2 levels SAS R

1 IV with 2 or more SAS R

2 or more IVs SAS R

1 or more interval IVs interval & SAS R

2+ 1 IV with 2 or more SAS R

Click here to report an error on this page or leave a comment

How to cite this page (https://stats.idre.ucla.edu/other/mult-pkg/faq/general/faq-how-do-i-cite-web-pages-and-programs-from-the-ucla-statistical-

© 2021 UC REGENTS (http://www.ucla.edu/terms-of-use/)

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