Just found an easy way to import new references into my bibtex-database. When accessing Google Scholar, you can change google scholar preferences (next to the search field) that you get the bibtex-code for each result. Especially for working paper versions or conference papers this can be messy. But in general an easy way to update your bibtex-database.
Author: Jan Sauermann
Transform string variable to categorical integer variable
When cleaning datasets one often has string variables containing categories (e.g. country names). A simple way of transforming such a variable to one variable containing the same information is encode. Encode assigns numerical values 1, 2, … to newvar, while the original values (e.g. country names) are kept as labels. Continue reading “Transform string variable to categorical integer variable”
Organise your bibliography with JabRef
There is a handy open source program to organize all your bibliography in bibtex. Bibtex is a open source code which is mainly used for managing bibliography for latex-documents, but which can also be used for MS Word. Continue reading “Organise your bibliography with JabRef”
Loops in LaTeX
Similar to the loop functions in Stata (foreach, while, etc.), LaTeX allows loops. Suppose you have to include a large number of figures into a single .tex-document. In this case, you have to number the files containing figures consecutively (fig1.eps, fig2.eps, etc.) and apply the following code in your .tex-document: Continue reading “Loops in LaTeX”
Technical note: use of quotation marks
Be aware of the proper use of single and double quotation marks when copying Stata or other codes from this blog (but also when copying codes from other websites). Often opening or closing quotation marks are wrongly formatted. Continue reading “Technical note: use of quotation marks”
Using question marks and stars in strings
I just came accross the following problem: suppose you have a string variable (stringvar) which contains text and question marks. Question marks are usually used as wildcards for single letters or numbers. So, when you want to apply some changes to the variable (here: removing the “?”), you should NOT type Continue reading “Using question marks and stars in strings”
Recording time stata needs for running a file
Running do-files with a large number of simulations or iterations often takes a lot of time. Either just for fun or in order to make your do-file more efficient, you may want to record the time Stata needs in order to run the whole file or just a part of it. The solution is –timer–. Just specify in the beginning Continue reading “Recording time stata needs for running a file”
Using Stata to randomise vignettes in NetQuestionnaire
One huge disadvantage of NetQuestionnaire (NetQ) is that randomisation is only possible for the order of sub-items of questions. There is, however, a way to use Stata to make anything random (e.g. the order of questions, content of questions). Below, I describe a way how to generate randomly sets of vignettes. At the end of the do-file, text is saved to an Excel-file). Merged with an address-list, this information can be imported to NetQ, and used in questions using the NetQ-variables. Continue reading “Using Stata to randomise vignettes in NetQuestionnaire”
Export single numbers to LaTeX or MS Word
In a text, you often you refer to a number (e.g. the number of observations in the estimation sample). There is a simple way to automise the export of this number from a Stata-do-file to a Latex-document. Continue reading “Export single numbers to LaTeX or MS Word”
Export of regression tables to LaTeX
The ado-files --esto-- and —esta— (has to be installed by typing --findit esto-- or —findit esta— into the Stata command window) provides a simple way to export regression tables from Stata to a separate LaTeX-file. At the same time, it is possible to adjust basically everything. I will just present a short example that I use for my regression tables (for adjusting the code, see --help esta--). After installing the ado-packages, run (in this case) two regressions, in my case: Continue reading “Export of regression tables to LaTeX”