Master the art of creating publication-ready tables in Stata with Michael N. Mitchell's "Create and Export Tables Using Stata." This comprehensive guide provides step-by-step instructions for crafting custom tables of summary statistics, regression results, and more, drawing from analyses of hundreds of published journal articles. Learn to utilize Stata's table, dtable, etable, and collect commands through numerous examples, including detailed walkthroughs of creating Table 1s, regression model tables, and tables displaying t-tests and pre-posttest results. The book covers exporting tables to Word, PDF, and Excel formats, and delves into creating composite results and complex tables. Whether you're a novice or experienced user, this book is your essential resource for efficient and stylish data presentation in Stata.
Review Create and Export Tables Using Stata
Let me tell you, "Create and Export Tables Using Stata" by Michael Mitchell is a game-changer. For years, I've wrestled with the frustratingly time-consuming process of creating publication-ready tables in Stata. Even with several years of experience in data analysis and statistics, the transition from analysis to presentable results was always a major hurdle. I'd pour hours into meticulously transferring numbers, tweaking formats, and generally fighting with software to achieve something that should be, frankly, much simpler. We spend so much time cleaning, manipulating, and analyzing our data, only to be bogged down by the agonizingly manual process of turning those beautiful results into clear, concise tables.
The release of Stata's 'collect' suite of commands was promising, but I felt utterly lost despite taking a course on it. Simple tables were manageable, but the moment I needed anything complex – something beyond cross-tabs or basic descriptive statistics – I'd throw my hands up in frustration. I'd inevitably resort to painstakingly manual entry, a process guaranteed to be iterative and error-prone. This book, however, has completely reversed that experience.
Mitchell's book is a breath of fresh air. He masterfully guides you from the fundamentals to constructing incredibly intricate tables, all with remarkable patience and clarity. His step-by-step explanations of even the most complex code make the learning process not just bearable, but genuinely enjoyable. I particularly appreciate the real-world examples; the 24 sample tables, showcasing various statistical analyses, immediately demystified the process and provided concrete models to adapt for my own work. I worked through the entire book over a few months, and I can already see the transformation in my own workflow. It's become significantly more efficient, reliable, and, dare I say it, fun!
The book's logical progression is superb. You start with the basics, building a solid foundation before diving into more advanced techniques. The best part? Building the do-files alongside the examples creates an incredibly valuable reference resource. I now have a searchable library of code snippets for creating virtually any table I might need. Even the appendices, detailing exporting to different file types and automation strategies, are incredibly valuable additions.
Beyond the practical skills, the book also provides a deeper understanding of the underlying logic of Stata's table system, particularly the 'collect' commands. This insightful exploration empowers you to go beyond the examples and create even more complex custom tables with confidence. The final chapter, diving into the 'tag' system, is a game-changer for anyone aiming to develop their own reporting templates beyond the specific examples provided.
For anyone struggling with the often-overlooked but critically important task of data presentation in Stata, this book is indispensable. It’s become a permanent fixture on my bookshelf and a resource I expect to consult frequently for years to come. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Information
- Dimensions: 7.1 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
- Language: English
- Print length: 461
- Publication date: 2024
- Publisher: Stata Press