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4. Descriptive variable statistics

Microdata.no provides various techniques for data exploration. The most basic and useful tools are frequency tabulations (one-way or cross tables) and summary statistics (for numerical/metrical variables). It is also possible to visualize through histograms, barcharts, piecharts or anonymised scatterplots (hexbinplots).

The microdata.no analysis system currently has the following commands available for the production of descriptive statistics:

  • tabulate

  • summarize

  • boxplot

  • hexbin

  • piechart

  • histogram

  • barchart

  • sankey

In addition, the following commands can be used on panel data (ref section 5.9.1):

  • tabulate-panel

  • summarize-panel

  • transitions-panel

Through various options, alternative representations of the same distributions may be displayed, and specified units can also be filtered out from the tables/figures through if-conditions.