Evaluation of Selected Desktop Statistical Software for Fisheries Data Analysis

Barkoh, A., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, HC 7, Box 62, Ingram, Texas 78025

Kurten, G. L., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 507 Staples Road, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Muoneke, M. I., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744

Five desktop statistical packages were evaluated to determine which is most suitable for adoption by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Inland Fisheries Division as an alternative to SAS, which has a high “total cost of ownership." The packages (SPSS, Statistica, Systat, Statistix, and Minitab) were selected for evaluation using word-of-mouth, internet search, and review of two fisheries-related journals. Cost (<$1000) and scope of statistical techniques (i.e., comprehensiveness) were used as criteria for an initial screening that eliminated SPSS and Statistica from further evaluation because they were relatively expensive. Minitab, Systat, and Statistix were further compared for ease of use, reporting, documentation, and technical support. These packages were subjected to the same battery of data manipulation (data import, merging, and transformation) and statistical analyses (t-test, analysis of variance, linear correlation, linear regression, and Kruskal-Wallis test) of fisheries data, and their performances were compared. Our evaluations revealed that Minitab ($975), Systat ($695-995) or Statistix ($295-495) would meet the analytical needs of the majority of the Inland Fisheries staff. However, to meet the needs of both novice and advanced users, Minitab or Systat would be better choices, because they have more extensive collection of basic, advanced, and specialized statistical and graphical techniques.

Copyright © 1999
Texas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
Last modified: 03/03/04 04:15:38 PM