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Overview of New Features
Stata’s interface



An overview of the main new features available in Stata 12:

Structural equation modeling (SEM)

This is a complete implementation of SEM. There will be a separate Structural Equation Modeling Reference Manual.

Included are path diagrams, standardized and unstandardized estimates, modification indices, direct and indirect effects, score tests, Wald tests, factor scores and other predictions, goodness of fit, estimation with groups and tests of invariance, seemingly unrelated regression (SUR), instrumental variables, FIML and LIML estimation of simultaneous equations, maximum likelihood estimation, GMM estimation, clustered data, survey data, missing at random (MAR) data. All has been implemented for big datasets and for big models.

This feature is particularly useful for psychologists and anyone that fits linear regressions, multivariate regressions, seemingly unrelated regressions, or simultaneous systems, or anyone who uses generalized method of moments (GMM). SEM is a very flexible framework to work in.

Contrasts and pairwise comparisons

Capabilities include linear and nonlinear models, comparison of means, intercepts, or slopes, comparison of adjacent categories, comparison with reference category, comparison with grand mean, treatment effects, orthogonal polynomials, adjustments for multiple comparisons, and graphs.

The contrast and pwcompare commands are available after estimation commands that allow factor variables, which means almost every estimation command in Stata.

Multiple imputation

Many new additions have been made to multiple imputation. The MI manual has grown from 270 pages to 353.

New features include chained equations, imputation of continuous, ordinal, cardinal, and count variables, conditional imputation, imputation separately within groups, support for panel data and multilevel models, and linear and nonlinear predictions.

Time series

This is another area where there is a lot that is new. The time-series manual has grown from 537 to 710 pages.

New features in Time Series include the following:

Multivariate GARCH, including constant conditional correlations, dynamic conditional correlations, varying conditional correlations, level predictions, variance predictions, and dynamic forecasts.

ARFIMA, featuring long memory processes, predictions, fractional integration predictions, and dynamic forecasts., featuring long memory processes, predictions, fractional integration predictions, and dynamic forecasts.

UCM -- unobserved-components models -- including trend, seasonal, and cyclical components, prediction of components, and dynamic forecasts.

Spectral density with parametric estimates after ARIMA, ARFIMA, and UCM.

Time-series filters, including Christiano-Fitzgerald, Baxter-King band-pass filters, Hodrick-Prescott high-pass filters, and Butterworth high-pass filters.

Business calendars. Users can define their own calendars so that dates display correctly and lags and leads work as they should. For instance, a user might create a file that recorded the days the London Stock Exchange is open. Say that file was named lse.stbcal, Stata would then understand the format %tblse, just as it understands the usual date format %td.


Contour plots, including both filled and outlined plots.


Multilevel/mixed models - Estimation with complex survey data now possible with xtmixed, including multilevel sampling weights and robust variance estimators. This puts Stata at the forefront of handling survey data in linear mixed models.


ROC analysis capabilities have been greatly expanded. ROC is documented in the Base Reference Manual. Documentation went from 32 pages to 121. New features include ROC adjusted for covariates - you can model sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic test to take into account prognostic factors such as age and gender. You can also easily graph the estimated ROC curves that result from these models.


New commands import excel and export excel read and write worksheets from Microsoft Excel files, .xls and .xlsx. And, there is a new Import Preview tool which lets you see the files contents and adjust import settings before you import the data. Support for importing EBCDIC files has also been added


PDF export of results and graphs


Interface enhancements

Statas interface has many new features and enhancements. The screen layout has been redesigned to better fit wide screens.

New Properties window which lets you manage your variables, including their names, labels, value labels, notes, formats, and storage types.

The Data Editor also has a new Properties window; has another tool that lets you Hide, Show, Filter, and Reorder the variables; and the new Clipboard Preview tool lets you see and prepare your raw data before pasting. The Review and Variables windows support filtering (searching), and you can now also search in the Results window.

Automatic memory management

This is one of those features that is difficult to appreciate before you actually use it.  No more setting of memory. Stata automatically adjusts its memory usage up and down according to current requirements.

Improved help files

This is another feature that is difficult to appreciate before using it.  The Viewer shows help files with pulldown menus for the dialog box, the Also See entries, and a "Jump to" pulldown that includes each of the main sections in the help file so users can go quickly to the information that they want to see. For instance, a user could click on "Examples" in the Jump to pulldown to go directly to the examples for the command.

More…

There are many more new features including more improvements in the Stata interface, Data-Editor, and Do-file Editor, plus more parallelized commands and speed ups in Stata/MP versions.

Upgrade Information for recent Stata 11 Purchases

Customers who purchased Stata 11 in April, May or June 2011 can take advantage of special concessions when upgrading to Stata 12.

If you completed your purchase within this period, we will be contacting you individually with full information on these concessions.

If you have any immediate questions, please do not hesitate to contact our sales desk by email – info@timberlake.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 8697 3377.
 
We are currently updating the Stata section of our website to provide detailed information on Stata 12

 

 
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