The Mariano Marcos State University-Research Directorate (RD) conducted a training cum workshop on the use of Statistical Tool for Agricultural Researches (STAR) and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) on June 25-26, 2015 at the MMSU, One-Stop-Information Shop (OSIS), CRL Building.
The one-and-a-half day workshop targeted the faculty and full-time researchers as it aimed to enhance their capabilities to analyze their data properly and accurately using computer-aided tools. A total of 54 participants attended the training which comprised of 18 faculty, 30 full-time researchers, and 6 job order personnel of special projects and the research directorate.
The STAR is a complete data management package that provides analyses of experimental data that was developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Its main functions are data management which include descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlation and linear regression analysis and non-parameter data analysis. This tool can be a substitute of IRRI Stat previously used by researchers which can no longer be used nowadays because of the constant upgrading of computers as it only runs in Windows 95 Operating System.
SPSS on the other hand, is a widely used program for statistical analyses in social science. It was originally developed as a programming language for conducting statistical analysis which uses both a graphical and a syntactical interface and provides functions by managing, analyzing and presenting data.
Dr. Dionisio S. Bucao, Senior Science Research Specialist, served as the resource speaker who had trainings on STAR. He, likewise, gave an overview of the SPSS in lieu of Ms. Cherrie Orpia of CBEA, who was unable to lecture due to an equally important function she attended (Laurine Rieta).
