Re: st: A Word to Future Authors

[Richard Williams <Richard.A.Williams.5@ND.edu>]

At 09:02 AM 8/10/2005 -0400, Raphael Fraser wrote:
> Dear Authors of Stata Books,
>
> I have a complaint about introductory Stata books. Recently, I have
> been searching for  "intro to Stata" books to teach masters level
> students how to use Stata. Of the two intro books at Stata's book
> store none had EXERCISES to reinforce concepts. Why should I buy a
> book and create my own exercises? I feel cheated. While these books
I think Hamilton's book is great.  I think the real problem is that 
different people like different things, and there aren't as many books on 
Stata as there are for other programs.  As I wrote in my review of 
Hamilton's book for the Stata Journal,

"it is also important to acknowledge that, if Hamilton's is the one Stata 
book that everyone should own, it is partly because there are so few 
alternatives.  If I wish to teach an introductory statistics course using 
SPSS, I probably have at least a dozen texts to choose from.  If I want to 
teach that course using Stata, Hamilton wins almost by default.  As I read 
Statistics with Stata, I repeatedly found myself thinking of things I would 
like to see done differently or additionally.  However, no one text can do 
all things; many of the comments that follow are therefore not criticisms 
of the book, but rather, observations on the kinds of other texts I wish 
were available.  Of course, since such books often are available using 
other software, those looking for a textbook and who are not wed to the 
choice of a specific program will want to consider whether, despite all its 
merits, SWS is the best choice for them...

"...as good as Hamilton's examples are, instructors who feel that students 
learn statistics best by seeing relevant examples from their own fields of 
study should realize that Hamilton does not provide them with the kind of 
support that many other books will.  Particularly for an introductory 
course where many of the students will never run a statistical package 
again, the benefits of using a superior program like Stata and a fine 
general book like Hamilton's will have to be weighed against the advantages 
of using a text that focuses on examples from the course's discipline."


-------------------------------------------
Richard Williams, Notre Dame Dept of Sociology
OFFICE: (574)631-6668, (574)631-6463
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EMAIL:  Richard.A.Williams.5@ND.Edu
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