Appendix D. Statistical Software Tools and Packages
Several widely available statistical software packages are summarized in this appendix. These packages are included based on responses to the groundwater statistics survey (Appendix E) and on the input of team members. The information provided here is intended as a summary introduction for project managers and not to replace a thorough review of the appropriateness of any software package. In addition, inclusion of software in this appendix is not an endorsement. Many other available statistical packages may also be useful for statistical analyses and evaluations. You must verify the applicability and accuracy of any selected statistical software package prior to use. Also, make sure that you understand the assumptions and input requirements for any statistical tests used in making decisions.
Note that not all of the packages are specifically designed for statistical analyses of environmental data, or specifically of groundwater data. Some are general statistical packages intended for use in different business or scientific application areas. Each package summary identifies the statistical functions that may be applied to groundwater problems.
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The included statistical software packages were described and evaluated using a number of categories. While most of the following software package information is self-explanatory, please note the following regarding the evaluation process for each package (these are the package descriptions included as Sections D.1 through D.23):
- Current version: Most recent available version at the time of publication. You should check for more up-to-date versions when considering a software package.
- Ease of Use: Ranked as Easy, Moderate, or Complex based on team reviews.
- Statistical Functions: Statistical software packages were evaluated on their capability to perform various statistical functions used in analysis of groundwater data as outlined below:
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Capability Ratings: The following capabilities ratings are included in the statistical functions tables for each software package:
N/A = Not applicable or not available.
● = "Full capability" means that the ITRC team did not identify significant limitations on the identified tests using the software package.
◒ = "Some capability" means that some limitations exist for a given package. An example of limited capability might be the ability to map data using only certain geostatistical mapping methods or an inability to edit maps that are produced using the package. Not all users require all capabilities.
In addition to the “as is” ratings, the ITRC team attempted to identify tests where “as is” capability may be limited or missing, but where some or full capability may exist with the use of add-ins, scripts, or programming. Because team members were not able to evaluate the use of each package for every type of analysis and for every possible situation, you should evaluate possible statistical packages for their particular intended use and, when possible, consult the package developers regarding specific capabilities or limitations.
- Ease of Use and Data Import: Packages were evaluated for the target audience for this document (average user). Experienced statisticians may find packages easier to use than indicated; users who are new to statistical software packages may find them slightly more difficult than indicated.
- Primary Uses: This section describes the primary identified uses of the statistical software package for groundwater data analysis. Be aware that certain packages were developed for a particular type or range of analyses and that other packages were developed to be used for a broader range of applications.
- Benefits and Limitations: The team evaluated benefits and limitations based on their experience with various statistical software packages and applications. You must understand the limitations of any software package or any particular test before applying statistics to groundwater data at your specific site.
The following tables (Tables D-1 through D-7) indicate available statistical functions for each software package described in Sections D.1 through D.23. Each individual software description provides the specific information about the capabilities for that package.
Table D-1. Handling of Nondetects
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Kaplan-Meier |
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Table D-2. Exploratory-diagnostic
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Table D-3. Statistical design
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Table D-4. Statistical limits
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Table D-5. Graphics
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Plots/Charts |
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Table D-6. Comparison and Analysis
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t-tests |
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Geostatistics/ Mapping |
Kriging/ Interpolation |
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Table D-7. Regression and Time Series
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Statistical Method |
Trend Tests |
Mann-Kendall |
Linear regression |
Nonlinear regression |
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Publication Date: December 2013