Re: Accuracy tests for PSPP

[John Darrington]

If you download the source, build PSPP yourself, you can run the self tests
to see for yourself.  The tests are located in the "tests" directory of the
source and are available for everyone to inspect.  As we add new features,
or become aware of a bug, we add a test for it.   There are currently just
over 1000 of them.  These are run typically everyday.  You can see today's 
run at http://benpfaff.org/~blp/pspp-master/latest/log.html


How do they work?  Typically, they compare the results that PSPP produces
to particular "known" results.  From where do the known results come?  Most
come from running the same tests on other software, usually SPSS.  However
a few results have been taken from published databases such as 
http://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/strd/

Much of the low level mathematical routines in PSPP come from the GNU 
Scientific Library which has its own test suite.

I hope this information helps.



On Sun, Aug 18, 2013 at 12:07:14AM -0400, Hugo Alejandro wrote:
     Hello. I wonder what the PSPP method used to test the accuracy of the
     statistical results supported by the program and if they can be shared.
     
     The information will use it to attach a report and slideshow that will
     perform before the academic council of the university to which I am
     affiliated.
     
     The purpose is to present a report at the request of the academic council 
of
     the university, so it can be approved the official use of PSPP, as an
     alternative to other similar software by teachers and students in
     introductory courses statistics, biostatistics and research methodology in
     the faculty of medicine and social sciences.
     
     The idea is to set a precedent and that students have the right to choose 
and
     forcing teachers to be trained and accept the diversity of tools available 
to
     accomplish the same purposes.(and not force students to buy expensive
     software license or use pirated softare)
     
     For now is focused on the use of PSPP (SPSS is used very extensively in the
     University), but this will also help to rely on other software like 
OpenStat
     or R.
     
     The method I use now is to use modified databases, which conducted the
     analysis using PSPP and compared with SPSS and Stata.
     
     Any help is welcome. Thanks.

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