Using & Teaching Using & Teaching Stata in a semester-Stata in a semester-

length Introduction to length Introduction to Biostatistics CourseBiostatistics Course

Clinton J Thompson;Clinton J Thompson;Stephen C Alder, Ph.D., Justin Brown, & Stephen C Alder, Ph.D., Justin Brown, &

Laurie JohnsonLaurie JohnsonPublic Health Program, Department of Public Health Program, Department of

Family & Preventive Medicine, Family & Preventive Medicine, University of UtahUniversity of Utah

“I’m often wrong, but never in doubt.” ~ Ivy Baker Priest

The Public Health The Public Health ProgramProgram

Public Health Program part of the Public Health Program part of the Department of Family & Preventive Department of Family & Preventive Medicine in the UU School of MedicineMedicine in the UU School of Medicine

Five full-time faculty members; 12 adjunct Five full-time faculty members; 12 adjunct faculty; 14 affiliated facultyfaculty; 14 affiliated faculty

An average of 58 students admitted each An average of 58 students admitted each fall for the previous five yearsfall for the previous five years

Program has graduated 550 students as of Program has graduated 550 students as of June 2001 and an additional 116 over the June 2001 and an additional 116 over the past seven semesterspast seven semesters

Master of (Science) of Master of (Science) of Public HealthPublic Health

Conceived in 1975 as a Master of Science in Conceived in 1975 as a Master of Science in Community Medicine (MSCM)Community Medicine (MSCM)

Evolved into the Master of Science in Public Evolved into the Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) in 1984 Health (MSPH) in 1984

Master of Public Health (MPH) was added in Master of Public Health (MPH) was added in 19891989

Ph.D. program approved in 1999 but funding Ph.D. program approved in 1999 but funding (or the lack thereof) postponed accepting (or the lack thereof) postponed accepting the first crop of students until fall 2004the first crop of students until fall 2004

Programs accredited by the Council of Programs accredited by the Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH)Education for Public Health (CEPH)

Introduction to Introduction to BiostatisticsBiostatistics

Textbook: “Principles of Biostatistics” (2Textbook: “Principles of Biostatistics” (2ndnd Edition) by Marcello Pagano & Kimberlee Edition) by Marcello Pagano & Kimberlee GauvreauGauvreau

Two 90 minute lectures per week; all HW Two 90 minute lectures per week; all HW problems assigned in almost every chapterproblems assigned in almost every chapter

4 – 6 lab sessions (60 minutes) per week, 4 – 6 lab sessions (60 minutes) per week, depending on the size of the classdepending on the size of the class

Lecture attendance strongly encouraged; Lecture attendance strongly encouraged; lab attendance optional but encouragedlab attendance optional but encouraged

Lab Manual ConceptionLab Manual Conception

Created with version 5 of StataCreated with version 5 of Stata Began as a collection of handouts that Began as a collection of handouts that

varied with respect to objective, varied with respect to objective, detail, and formatdetail, and format

Although the handouts were created Although the handouts were created from scratch, some of the questions, from scratch, some of the questions, examples, & datasets originally came examples, & datasets originally came from Rosner or Pagano & Gauvreau from Rosner or Pagano & Gauvreau and were modified where appropriate and were modified where appropriate

Lab Manual Conception…Lab Manual Conception…

Lab handouts underwent several Lab handouts underwent several iterations to suit the taste of the iterations to suit the taste of the teaching assistant as well as the teaching assistant as well as the current version of Stata current version of Stata

Major overhaul of the handouts Major overhaul of the handouts coincided with release of version 8 & coincided with release of version 8 & the graphics capabilities thereinthe graphics capabilities therein

Lab Manual facilitated movement Lab Manual facilitated movement towards uniformity re: teaching towards uniformity re: teaching Stata in a classroom settingStata in a classroom setting

How does this manual differ How does this manual differ from Stata help from Stata help

documentation & the suite documentation & the suite of Stata User’s books? of Stata User’s books?

Teaches students the essential skills for Teaches students the essential skills for successful completion of the course successful completion of the course homeworkhomework

Provides a rudimentary introduction to Provides a rudimentary introduction to Stata and it’s capabilitiesStata and it’s capabilities

Gives students enough confidence & Gives students enough confidence & experience to navigate Stata following experience to navigate Stata following course conclusioncourse conclusion

Advantages vs. Advantages vs. DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Advantages:Advantages: Tailored to the needs of a specific courseTailored to the needs of a specific course Applied flavor --- appropriate for the nature of the Applied flavor --- appropriate for the nature of the

program and backgrounds of the studentsprogram and backgrounds of the students Introduces topics & techniques when necessary, Introduces topics & techniques when necessary,

i.e. as HW problems necessitatei.e. as HW problems necessitate Disadvantages:Disadvantages:

Tailored to the needs of a specific courseTailored to the needs of a specific course Does not introduce students to more sophisticated Does not introduce students to more sophisticated

topicstopics Does not discuss in detail the programming Does not discuss in detail the programming

features in Stata, e.g. .do & .ado files, -foreach-, -features in Stata, e.g. .do & .ado files, -foreach-, -forvalues-, etc.forvalues-, etc.

StructureStructure

15 weeks, 16 labs, & 22 chapters…15 weeks, 16 labs, & 22 chapters…

Lab schedule is intended to coincide Lab schedule is intended to coincide with the material being taught in the with the material being taught in the corresponding week’s lecture corresponding week’s lecture

Lab Section StructureLab Section Structure

Introduce topicIntroduce topic

Introduce relevant Stata syntaxIntroduce relevant Stata syntax

Work example or problem from textWork example or problem from text

Explanation & Interpretation of Explanation & Interpretation of outputoutput

The Lab & the Lab The Lab & the Lab ManualManual

Facilitates teaching of the materialFacilitates teaching of the material Allows those students with a keen & Allows those students with a keen &

intuitive understanding of the intuitive understanding of the software to skip the labs and, on the software to skip the labs and, on the flip side, allows struggling students flip side, allows struggling students more opportunity to learn Stata via more opportunity to learn Stata via increased TA availabilityincreased TA availability

Promotes autonomy?Promotes autonomy?

Implications for Implications for Biostatistics Course & PH Biostatistics Course & PH

ProgramProgram Movement towards decreasing number Movement towards decreasing number

of labs offered in Fall 2005 --- in Fall of labs offered in Fall 2005 --- in Fall 2004, many students opted not to 2004, many students opted not to attend lab after receiving the manual attend lab after receiving the manual

Further builds infrastructure for the Further builds infrastructure for the Biostatistics I & II Courses thereby Biostatistics I & II Courses thereby providing more opportunity for providing more opportunity for students to explore and focus on more students to explore and focus on more sophisticated concepts & techniquessophisticated concepts & techniques

Reception of the Lab Reception of the Lab ManualManual

Students:Students: Easier to access the materialEasier to access the material Provides more time to focus on the statistical Provides more time to focus on the statistical

concepts & machinery while minimizing the “Wow, concepts & machinery while minimizing the “Wow, I didn’t realize the genius behind ANOVA…now I didn’t realize the genius behind ANOVA…now how do I do this in Stata??” that often plagues how do I do this in Stata??” that often plagues students in introductory statistics courses students in introductory statistics courses

Faculty:Faculty: Provides more opportunity for faculty to impart the Provides more opportunity for faculty to impart the

genius behind, well, ANOVA (insert your favorite genius behind, well, ANOVA (insert your favorite technique here, or the technique most in vogue)technique here, or the technique most in vogue)

Teaching Stata: Teaching Stata: ReflectionsReflections

Interactive command window: can view Interactive command window: can view results immediately, easier to follow & correct results immediately, easier to follow & correct student errors; conducive to lab settingstudent errors; conducive to lab setting

Stata *relatively* easy to teach: possible to Stata *relatively* easy to teach: possible to write code, provide demonstrations, & solve write code, provide demonstrations, & solve problems on the fly (disclaimer: my problems on the fly (disclaimer: my experience is limited to my tenure as a experience is limited to my tenure as a Masters graduate student)Masters graduate student)

Students working for the government often Students working for the government often presented with conflicting obligation to learn presented with conflicting obligation to learn Stata for the course but required to use SAS Stata for the course but required to use SAS for work --- reasonable attempts made to for work --- reasonable attempts made to compare & contrast where appropriatecompare & contrast where appropriate

Using Stata: ReflectionsUsing Stata: Reflections Syntax is intuitive: ‘when you want Stata to Syntax is intuitive: ‘when you want Stata to

do something, you tell it what to do first, do something, you tell it what to do first, followed by what you want Stata to do it to’followed by what you want Stata to do it to’

Stata listserve: Good resource for Stata listserve: Good resource for developing Stata skills developing Stata skills

Previous students have indicated that Stata’s Previous students have indicated that Stata’s learning curve isn’t nearly as steep when learning curve isn’t nearly as steep when compared to SAScompared to SAS

The concepts and techniques taught in the The concepts and techniques taught in the Stata lab provide a good foundation for the Stata lab provide a good foundation for the students that eventually take the follow-up students that eventually take the follow-up “Introduction to Biostatistics, II” course as “Introduction to Biostatistics, II” course as well as an “Introduction to SAS” course well as an “Introduction to SAS” course

Questions? Comments?Questions? Comments?

Thank You!

ReferencesReferences

Rosner, Bernard. “Fundamentals of Rosner, Bernard. “Fundamentals of Biostatistics” (Fourth Edition). Biostatistics” (Fourth Edition). Duxbury Press. 1995.Duxbury Press. 1995.

Pagano, Marcello & Kimberlee Pagano, Marcello & Kimberlee Gauvreau. “Principles of Gauvreau. “Principles of Biostatistics” (Second Edition). Biostatistics” (Second Edition). Duxbury Press. 2000.Duxbury Press. 2000.