Opting for <scp>open‐source</scp>? A review of free statistical software programs
Melissa A. Shepherd, Elizabeth J. Richardson
Abstract
Abstract Statistical software is commonly used in undergraduate social sciences statistics courses. Due to the increase in online/hybrid courses and the cost of SPSS, instructors may wish to switch to another statistical software. We cover seven programs: Excel, Google Sheets, jamovi, JASP, PSPP, R, and SOFA. We compare programs using the following criteria: ease of download, quality of online instructions, availability of instructor resources, sophistication of analyses available, ease of use, operating system requirements, whether it uses point‐and‐click or code, and whether a VPAT is available. Adopting new course materials is a valuable part of instruction but time‐consuming. Therefore, this review provides information about commonly available or free open‐source programs so instructors can choose based on the needs of their students and/or institutions.