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Fall 2006 Tutorials

To register, please send email to researchservices@bc.edu with the names of the tutorials that you are interested in attending. 

Creating Web-based Surveys with phpESP

phpESP (php Easy Survey Package) offers a way to create surveys without complicated  programming or coding. Working within pre-defined templates, you can use several different types of questions, including text, multiple checkboxes, single-answer radio
buttons, likert scales and essays. Once the survey is completed, data can be downloaded into a format that can be used with Excel, SPSS, or other analysis programs. The tutorial will cover:

  1. Getting started with phpESP
  2. Creating and editing surveys
  3. Publishing the survey on the web
  4. Closing the survey and downloading data

In addition to phpESP, we will also briefly discuss other survey options, including the commercial service SurveyMonkey.

2:00 - 3:00 October 19, 2006 Gasson 9

Data Resources at Boston College

Boston College offers many sources and repositories of data for secondary research in the social sciences, education, nursing, economics, business and other disciplines.  This workshop is particularly geared to researchers who need to access, analyze and manipulate data from BC's subscription data repositories.  This tutorial will help you: find the data you need for your research or class project; learn about the Boston College collection of data resources in the Statistical Data Catalog; and how to download the data onto your desktop.  Get a tour of the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, a data archive that includes over 5,000 datasets. The library also offers guides to key Business, Economics, Education, Health, and General U.S. and cross-national data sources.

2:00 - 3:30 October 30, 2006  Gasson 9

Introduction to ArcGIS  9

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used today to analyze and represent data with  geographical reference on maps. It is widely used in academia, private industry and government agencies and the number of applications is increasing.  ArcGIS Desktop GIS software products from the Environmental Research Systems Institute (ESRI) are used to  compile, author, analyze, map, and publish geographic information and knowledge.  ArcGIS Desktop is a scalable suite of GIS products that starts with ArcReader and
extends to ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo -- one of the most powerful and widespread GIS product available today.

This session will introduce users to:

  1. GIS software, data and technical support at Boston College;
  2. Main ArcGIS features and capabilities (ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcTool, ArcGlobe);
  3. Extensions and capabilities (Spatial Analyst, Geostatistical Analyst, etc);
  4. Demos using Census data and demos usingEnvironmental data.

4:00 - 5:00  October 11, 2006  Gasson 9


Introduction to Filemaker Pro 8

Filemaker Pro has recently introduced version 8. While retaining much of the user-friendliness of earlier versions, the newer version has introduced powerful new features.  This tutorial is aimed towards people familiar with earlier versions of Filemaker Pro.

This tutorial will cover:

  1. Creating a flat-file database using the new interface
  2. Customizing the layout
  3. An introduction to relational databases
  4. Simple web publishing
  5. New features: PDF Maker, Excel Maker, Email merge
  6. Upgrade considerations: data migration, etc.

2:00 - 3:00 October 26, 2006  Gasson 9

Introduction to SPSS

SPSS is a powerful and yet easy to use integrated collection of quantitative analysis software that is particularly popular with social
science researchers. This hands-on tutorial is designed as an introduction for beginning users who are just getting started using
SPSS. No prior knowledge of SPSS is required. The following topics will  be covered:

  1. Overview of SPSS, including how SPSS compares to the other most popular statistical packages and special features of SPSS.
  2. Getting started with SPSS
  3. Working with data in SPSS
  4. SPSS graphs

2:00 -3:30 November 2, 2006 Gasson 9

Introduction to STATA

STATA is a powerful and yet easy to use statistical package. This hands-on tutorial is designed as an introduction for beginning users who are just getting started using STATA. No prior knowledge of STATA is required. The following topics will be covered:

  1. Overview of STATA, including how STATA compares to the other most popular statistical packages and special features of STATA.
  2. Getting started with STATA
  3. Working with Data in STATA:
  4. STATA graphs.

3:00 - 4:30 October 3, 2006  Gasson 9

Matlab 1(Introduction)

MATLAB fundamentals provide a working introduction to the MATLAB technical computing environment. Matlab can be used with all aspects Mathematical computation, analysis, visualization, and algorithm development. This course is intended for beginning
and intermediate users. No prior knowledge of MATLAB is required. Themes of vector  and matrix data analysis, graphical visualization, data modeling, and MATLAB programming are explored in the context of realistic examples.

This Matlab hands-on practice workshop will present:

  1. Getting strated with Matlab;
  2. A description of some toolboxes;
  3. Use of Matlab help; basic commands; 
  4. Variable representation in Matlab and work with variables;
  5. Simple computations and how to build programs in Matlab (m files);
  6. Data importing and data analysis examples;
  7. Matlab graphics capabilities;

Additional information on Matlab software and resources at Boston College will be presented as well.

3:00 - 4:00 September 20, 2006.  Gasson 9

Matlab 2 (Functions and Programming)

This Matlab hands-on workshop will present more advanced topics needed  to build programs and to use Matlab functions.  Using examples, we will illustrate:

  1. Using functions to create compact, structured Matlab programs;
  2. Numerical Integrals;
  3. Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE) with initial values;

3:00 - 4:00 September 27, 2006.  Gasson 9

Matlab 3 (Graphs and Visualization)

The type of graph needed in a specific project depends on the nature of available data and  on what is intended to reveal about the data. MATLAB predefines many graph types,  such as line, bar, histogram, and pie graphs. There are also 3-D graphs, such as surfaces, slice planes, and streamlines.  There are two basic ways to create graphs in MATLAB: 1) Use plotting tools to create graphs interactively; 2) Use the command interface to enter commands in the Command Window or create plotting programs (m files).

This Matlab hands-on practice workshop with focus on m-files to produce graphics, data visualization, and animation. We will show:

  1. Samples of 2D plots;
  2. Subplots;
  3. Samples of 3D Plots;
  4. How to create animations

Examples presented (m files) can be easily modified and applied to your specific  experimental or model data.

3:00 - 4:00 October 4, 2006.  Gasson 9