Product Description

As the SAS© programming language continues to evolve, this guide follows suit with timely coverage of the combination statistical package, database management system, and high-level programming language. Using current examples from business, medicine, education, and psychology, Applied Statistics and the SAS Programming Language is an invaluable resource for applied researchers, giving them the capacity to perform statistical analyses with SAS without wading through pages of technical documentation. Includes the necessary SAS statements to run programs for most of the commonly used statistics, explanations of the computer output, interpretations of results, and examples of how to construct tables and write up results for reports and journal articles. Illustrated with SAS Graph™ output. Provides readers with ample models for developing programming skills. For anyone interested in learning  more about applied statistics and the SAS programming language.

Customer Reviews (39)

Bad shopping experience!
I've used Amazon to shop for years, but it was my first bad experience ever. I ordered three textbooks with 2 days shipment. However, I only got one after a week, and that one was folden in a bag, which was in a terrible condition so that I had to return it. The other two books never attend to my hands because the carrier, Fedex "insisted" to send the books to me personally only, but I have to work and go to school, there's no way I can stay home at the daytime! The only thing I can do was to sign the notes posted on my door. But they still ignored them and sent the packages back to Amazon. After contacting with Amazon and Fedex for many times, they sent the package again. But THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN!! I contacted Fedex and Amazon and ask them to leave the package out of my door, and I left the signed notes there, but they still ignored it! I spent so much time to wait and contacting, but got nothing after a month. Unbelievable. And the school began already so I went to the bookstore and got used books.

applied sta n the SAS
brand new book n i received it like 2-3 days after i ordered it. very fast shipping.

Use this text to learn SAS for Statistical Analysis
Anyone who must use SAS for statistical analysis should use this book in their learning process.Yes, there is "The Little SAS Book" and its variatons, but Cody and Smith have written the best text for quickly learning how to use SAS for statistical analysis.Sometimes, academic authors write for their associates rather than students.These authors have one goal: to help anyone, at any level, learn how to apply SAS for their statistical analyses.Their writing is clear, and anyone with an 8th grade education can use their text.I've used R, Stata, SPSS, and Matlab for statistical analysis.This text is among the best statistical references and learning tools for anyone who must quickly learn SAS.

Great!
I couldn't believe how fast I got the book, and it was in great shape!Very satisfied.

generally useful
this book is good for an overview of the software, but does not reveal some of the detailed ways it can be used ... Read more

Product Description
Develop and fine-tune your programming skills the easy way - by example! For beginning and intermediate users, SAS Programming by Example guides you, with a series of annotated examples, through basic tasks to more complex ones. Problems and solutions are provided to make the most of the programming tools available in base SAS software. Conversational in tone, this book is useful both as a tutorial for learning programming and as a convenient quick-reference filled with tips and strategies for solving your programming problems. Among the clearly explained examples are models that show you how to build SAS data sets, use SAS functions for data translation, program more efficiently, relate information from multiple sources, and chart and plot data. You will also learn to work with SAS date values, produce descriptive and summary statistics, and write reports.

Supports releases 6.09E and higher of SAS software. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Perfect for New Users and Reference
I have been writing SAS code off and on for quite some time and this is my favorite go-to reference book.If you are new to SAS, I recommend you start with "The Little SAS Book".This book would be my second purchase, and finally, I would also pick up "SAS Functions by Example".Between these three books and learning a strong fundamental knowledge of SQL, you should be able to do about 95% of what you'll ever need to do in SAS (unless you are doing hard-core stats).

Along with these books the most valuable concepts I have learned in SAS are 'by group' processing, and the first. and last. statements.

I also recommend not attempting to memorize programming statements or syntax; keep examples of code that you may find useful in the future and keep good reference books - like this one - don't try to memorize what you can look up.

Finally, my recommendation is to KISS....Keep It Simple Stupid.You can do many things in SAS (actually almost anything), often in many different ways; some are very straightforward, and some are convoluted.I go with straightforward any day as you never know who will inherit your code for review or maintenance (believe me you'll often curse the code you'll soon inherit from someone else!).My experience is that programmers by nature often want to complicate code by using by using obscure techniques(remember, this is their 'art'!), avoid that trap and do everyone a favor.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy using SAS as much as I have!

Replacement for SAS Programming by Example
This book, while very useful when it was written, is now replaced by a more update book containing approximately twice the material as the old book.I recommend that you look at Learning SAS by Example before you buy this book.Here is a link:
Learning SAS by Example: A Programmer's Guide

Good book for data restructuring algorithms
Hi,

There are times when you may get data sets that were entered in formats that are not compatible with the PROC you are using. In terms of teaching one how to use arrays and loops to restructure data sets, this book is a gold mine. If you analyze data from PROC SQL against databases then you probably won't need all of what is in this book. I have used this book for several consulting engagements and even if you program in SPSS, this s a great book to have in your arsenal.

SAS Programming
I enjoyed the book by Cody and Pass. It is very "user-friendly" and even though it may not be as comprehensive as other comparable books on the subject, I did find it excellent. It clarified many concepts which I was not able to from anywhere else. The authors may consider adding PROC REPORT, a very important and powerful tool.

Ok--rather above average
On the whole, the book is very good in that in general it consists of short self-contained programs: the input, the code, and the output, with discussion. Unfortunately, later in the book the authors got tired of the above and in many cases do not provide the output.

Also, the authors indulge in numerous parenethetical asides that are supoosed to be humorous but are just silly and interruptive.

Still, on balance it is a good (though outrageously overpriced) book. ... Read more

Product Description
Need help understanding the SAS macro facility? You will find all the answers that you need in this easy-to-follow book! Michele Burlew puts her decades of macro programming experience to work for you as she guides you through the basics, as well as the more complex features of the SAS macro facility. Updated extensively for SAS 9, this book includes plenty of examples and step-by-step instructions. You will learn the elements of the macro facility (macro variables, macro programs, macro language), how to write a macro program, macro programming techniques, tips on using the macro facility, how the macro facility fits into SAS, and about the interfaces between the macro facility and other components of SAS.

New topics for the second edition include using SAS 9 macro and SAS language features, debugging macro programs, adding error checking to macro programs, and building a library of utility macro programs.

Beginning macro programmers will learn to write SAS macro programs quickly and efficiently. More experienced macro programmers will find this book useful to refresh their conceptual knowledge and expand on their macro programming skills. It is also important to note that the macro facility is a highly popular part of SAS and found in the job requirements for many SAS programming jobs. In addition, macro facility concepts are tested on the SAS Advanced Programming Exam. The book assumes some SAS programming experience, including knowledge of how to write a DATA step and how to use SAS procedures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good, but not helpful!!
I bought 'SAS Macro Programming Made Easy' for two reasons: (A) I wanted to learn Macro programming in SAS and (B) I wanted the process to be easy!Via the book, I understood (not learnt) how Macros in SAS should work.But, the book does not offer any practice sets; so, one never gets the feeling that one has learnt much.It is primarily all theory (which is good), but sans practice (a bummer!).For the amount of money charged, the book should have offered some practice sets.

I love all the examples in this book
Each and every statement's syntax is followed by at least one example and its execution log, in which the readers are shown the resolution of macro variables used in the sample code. I find that wonderful in helping me understand the "mechanism" of macro execution.

Definitely recommended for newbies.

easy read and easy use
it's very easy to find information you want, and very handy. recommended.

Good introductory book to learn macros
This is a well organized book that gently introduces macro programming. If you have some knowledge of macros then you could learn and move quickly through this book (probably to Carpenter's Complete Guide to the SAS Macro Language.

Though, the depth of material and examples in this book are limited compared to Carpenter's, it much more readable and accessible.

Good
Through careful and patient reading, this book helped me learn Macros.The style of explanation is a little like a recipe bookand this style made the reading for me dry.For many readers, however, the book should be very useful, for it has info not easily found elsewhere. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in its fourth edition, The Little SAS Book is a classic, helping many people learn SAS programming. The book's friendly, easy-to-read style gently introduces readers to the most commonly used features of the SAS language. Topics include basic SAS concepts such as the DATA and PROC steps, inputting data, modifying and combining data sets, summarizing data, producing reports, and debugging SAS programs. Each topic is presented in a self-contained two-page layout complete with examples and graphics. This clear and concise format enables new users to get up and running quickly, while the examples allow readers to type in the program and see it work!

New topics in the fourth edition include ODS Graphics for statistical procedures, PROC SGPLOT for graphics, creating new variables in PROC REPORT with a COMPUTE block, WHERE= data set option, SORTSEQ=LINGUISTIC option in PROC SORT, and more functions, including ANYALPHA, CAT, PROPCASE, and YRDIF. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Best beginner SAS book
This is one of the best book available for someone new to SAS, its also really good for reference purposes for everyday SAS problems.

Ethan
[...]

Good, Introductory Book
Great book for your first experience with SAS! This is the missing tutorial guide.

For getting comfortable with SAS, I would recommend this book _instead_ of Learning SAS in the Computer Lab _or_ the Base SAS 9 Certification guide because

--you will learn all of the simple but mysterious things, like how to open/use a permanent SAS dataset and view its contents (variable names, number of observations, etc.)

AS WELL AS

--the basics of the data step, creating reports, creating macros, and using the ODS

AND

--each section is concise and easy to read (only 2 pages long)

AND

--each section has an example--data and sample program--you can test out and fiddle with (Base SAS 9 Cert. Guide does not)

It scores very high on all of the standard criteria for any book: well-written, images clean and readable, good typesetting, well organized. You can tell those involved in making this book have spent a lot of time putting it together and improving it, over many years.

Programmers like myself will still feel like this book is only a first step. The other two books I mentioned have their merits. Learning SAS in the Computer Lab goes into more detail about statistical procedures. The Little SAS Book only has one chapter on statistics, yet this chapter is packed with information, and it even covers things like PROC SGPLOT that Learning SAS in the Comp Lab does not.

Tables and images not up to par in Kindle version
While I love the portability of this as a Kindle version, the images and tables are pixelized and sometimes the first letter is missing. While this will take some involved re-working of the charts and pictures in this, I really wish they would fix it. Having to guess the first letter on the first column of the examples gets frustrating.

The book itself is very well written and great for beginners. My complaint is specific to the Kindle version.

Great book
This is an excellent reference on how to manage data in SAS. If you are looking for a guide for detailed statistical analysis, you probably won't be pleased; however, if you need a quick reference on how to manipulate data and perform basic summary statistics, this is the absolute best book out there.

Always at my work desk.It as given me a Career.
I work in Bio-tech industry and started working on SAS about 8 years ago. This book was first book and is remained with me forever up to the latest edition. It has given me confidence to get started and even now a great reference material for most of the topics. Needless to say, I would add that this book as given me a Career and would highly recommend for anybody who is connected to the SAS language. Thanks a lot Susan and Lora. ... Read more

Product Description
Building on the popularity of the first edition, Michele Burlew has revised this popular examples book to include expanded content and new features of SAS software. Completely updated for SAS 9.2, Combining and Modifying SAS Data Sets: Examples, Second Edition, presents examples that show solutions to common programming tasks that involve combining, modifying, and reshaping data sets. Expanded examples demonstrate how to combine data sets vertically and horizontally; retrieve data from lookup tables; modify and update data sets; combine summary and detail data sets; reshape and transpose observations in a data set; and manipulate data in a data set with utilities and functions.

The tools used to combine and modify data sets include the SET, MERGE, MODIFY, and UPDATE statements in the DATA step; joins and set operators in PROC SQL; BY-group processing; indexes; hash objects in the DATA step; the use of PROC FORMAT and hash tables as table lookups; and generation data sets.

Unique features of this book include the following: Examples are grouped by task, not by code, so you can easily find a solution to a particular task; alternative solutions are presented in addition to the main examples; most examples that combine and modify data sets include both a DATA step and a PROC SQL solution; many examples include a "Closer Look" section that describes in-depth how the example helps you complete the task; and each example stands on its own so you do not need to read the book from beginning to end.

Designed for SAS programmers at all levels, this examples book will help simplify the challenging task of combining and modifying data sets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great reference
Great reference on how to combine SAS datasets, including advantages and disadvantages of various methods.

Re: Audit Reference Title
This new reference title was useful for several auditors in the office to consult as a clarification source on SAS data sets.The delivery was prompt once the order was in the system and conditon of the item upon delivery was fine. ... Read more

Product Description
A professional reference book for SAS programmers packed with specific, practical techniques explained and demonstrated, organized into 88 chapters for easy reference. Includes information on data types, text files, time data, codes, missing values, table lookup, calendars, SQL, XML, macro language, text analysis, and many other subjects that SAS programmers work with every day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

S/he's Gotta Have It!
This is the only other SAS book you should have on your desk whether your SAS experience is measured in days or decades (the other is Mr. Aster's SAS Programmer's Pocket Reference).

My only beef: with all the new options and procs in SAS 9.1 and 9.2, these two books are going out of date. Of course, all the information is still useful, but in some cases you might find an easier way using the newest SAS features.

I'm hoping for an update edition, but until then, I will refer to the current edition.

Good quick reference for how to do things
Has some great tips and examples for doing some things fast.The code samples are good, concise, and point you in the right direction even if they don't show you a direct solution.

Great book
Great book, alot of useful tips/tricks for any level.Also clear and easy to follow.

Useful
I have learned lots of little tricks from this book and recommended to other SAS programmers.I have about 3 years of programming experience and this covered some techniques for tasks that we not obvious to me.I enjoyed his other book as well.

Very solid
I agree with the previous reviewer, especially on the point that the book could benefit SAS beginners, not just the more seasoned programmers: it is clearly organized, and makes it easy to look up the topic of interest. ... Read more

Product Description
Art Carpenter thoroughly updates his successful first edition with an extensive collection of new examples and techniques. Addressing the composition and operation of the SAS macro facility and the SAS macro language, this second edition is filled with ready-to-use macros, macro functions, and macro tools that will enable you to effortlessly convert SAS code to macros, define macro variables, and more! New topics include writing user interfaces with %WINDOW, using SYSPARM and SYSPBUFF, using CALL EXECUTE, deleting macro variables using %SYMDEL, using macro recursion, and creating your own macro functions. Also included are new SAS 9 features such as statements that include %ABORT and %RETURN, system options for the macro language, macro functions, autocall library macros, and code recovery options for compiled stored macro libraries. Many topics from the first edition have been expanded. Whether you're a new user with a basic understanding of Base SAS or an experienced programmer looking for an advanced reference manual, this is the macro book that you've been searching for! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A breath of fresh air for beginners!
I use SAS for work occasionally, and I have always struggled a little to get my head around macros. This book was great for the sometimes struggling SAS programmer like me. I liked how he started by explaining macros, pointing out extremely useful syntax tips like double quotes versus single quotes (as those who work with programs like SAS and STATA know, syntax can sometimes be the bane of our existence).

Importantly, if you struggle with macros, read the book from the beginning - he gradually builds the use of macros from there.

(Note: I posted a similar review to this on the UK amazon site).

Excellent!!!
I am highly satified with the shipping method and the condition of the book.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!

Thanks!

For Beginners Only
It is definitely not for advanced programmers, it is not designed to train you the ability to write your own code entirely as when using C++ or R language.
The book basically tells you how to manipulate existing SAS macro functions with the framework of SAS data step. I strongly doubt that a reader who finishes this book would acquire the ability to write a simple code on his own, for example, a code to compute the sum of integers from 1 to 100 under Macro environment.

But still, this is not a very bad book for two reasons:
1, there are not many books about writing (true) code inSAS;
2, the programming under SAS macro is very limiteddue to its poor design.

great for advanced programmers
Gives a fairly detailed overview of the SAS macro language. Great for users with a little bit of background. The book is not supplemented with an CD, it falls upon the reader to experiment.

excellent book for SAS/macro
I am not very familiar with SAS/Macro. This book show me how to
use macro language easily and I really learn a lot from this book. I recommend who does not know the macro language to buy
this book. And it contains much more than its prices.
Every SAS programmer must have one. ... Read more

Product Description
A professional reference book for SAS programmers packedwith specific, practical techniques explained and demonstrated,organized into 88 chapters for easy reference. Includes information ondata types, text files, time data, codes, missing values, tablelookup, calendars, SQL, XML, macro language, text analysis, and manyother subjects that SAS programmers work with every day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great reference book
This is a terrific book for describing SAS features in a terse but comprehensive way.If I could only have one SAS book, this would be it. ... Read more

Product Description
Thoroughly updated for SAS 9, this second edition addresses tasks that nearly every SAS programmer needs to do - that is, make sure that data errors are located and corrected. Written in Ron Cody's signature informal, tutorial style, this book develops and demonstrates data cleaning programs and macros that you can use as written or modify for your own special data cleaning needs. Each topic is developed through specific examples, and every program and macro is explained in detail.

You'll learn how to

• find and correct errors in character and numeric values
• develop programming techniques related to dates and missing values
• use SQL approaches to data cleaning
• develop techniques for correcting your data errors
• use integrity constraints and audit trails to prevent errors from being added to a clean data set

Novice and experienced SAS users will discover ways to detect and correct data errors while learning how to apply DATA step programming techniques and SAS procedures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Want to be a SAS guru?
Get this book when you want to change from being somebody who knows some basic data manipulation into being a SAS data guru.This brilliantly well written text includes lots of well annotated code examples and output which demonstrate how to find and clean bad data.Topics are covered with multiple methods starting with basic tricks that "everybody knows" but with slight tweaks to make them work better and then fancier methods are shown with clear explanations on why you would want to bother with the more advanced techniques.For example, he covers getting basic descriptive numeric statistics with the typical SAS procedures (proc means and proc univariate) but he shows useful tweaks like how to get custom percentages and custom reports of extreme values listed. Then he shows how to make the results look good (with proc tabulate) and he also provides custom "macros" so you can easily copy and paste his methods and apply them to your data.The topics are consistently useful and well presented. I have been using and teaching SAS for 15 years and while I was reading this book I repeatedly found myself thinking "I wish somebody told me that trick years ago."Because of the time you will ultimately save with Cody's techniques, this book is money well spent.

Great book. Easy to read !
Like other books by Ron Cody, this book is easy to read and understand. The explanation is clear with different examples and ways to write the SAS codes to achieve similar objectives but to suit different situations. You can download the programs and data sets from SAS website to try the codes without typing it yourselves. I normally had problems focusing on a book for a long time and skipped exercises to finish the book the earliest. It did not happen to me when reading this book. Moreover the book covers all the key problems with data especially when you touch it the first time. Even if you are a SAS expert, you will be surprised to learn a better way to code SAS. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This updated edition shows how to use the SAS System toperform basic statistical analysis. General topics include creating adata set with the SAS System; summarizing data with descriptivestatistics, frequency tables, and bar charts; comparing groups(t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and nonparametric analogues); performingbasic linear regression (lines, curves, and two-variable models);performing simple regression diagnostics (residuals plots, studentizedresiduals); and creating and analyzing tables of data. Using real-lifeexamples, this beginner's guide bridges the gap between statisticstexts and SAS documentation.

Supports releases 6.07 and higher of SAS software. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great for Learning SAS and Statistics.
I am in the second semester of a two semester design of experiments sequence and I have just started using this book. It's been very helpful. At the moment I am using chapter 9 to help me with the Multiple Regression homework.

It helps out in two ways, it has nice, readable instructions on SAS, using relevent, but not overly complex examples, and the way it covers Statistics, using those examples, makes the concepts significantly easier for me to grasp than the Stats textbook we are using. Plus, unlike the textbook, it's short and it makes it easy to get the big ideas quickly. Not to mention the textbook doesn't help you with SAS at all (well, not practically). Very highly recommended for people interested in learning both SAS and Statistical Analysis.

Excellet
Great conditions and I received it the date expected. I'm very satisfied with the product.

A SAS Must!
This book seems to be just what I need in an introductory SAS programming class. It is simple to read and helps me more than the teacher does!

A good start for Non-Statisticians.
For the ones who don't like Statistics it's a good book to start withsomething apparently confusing.Actually, Statistics is dismistified inthis book.In the first part of the book it's given a introduction aboutthe basic things that SAS can do as a statistical program.The second partof the book is dedicated to the Statistics accompanied with the SASlanguage, once given in the first part.Good real examples give exactlythe notion what SAS can do about a Statistical Analysis.It's also a verygood book for the ones who aren't good in English, as myself (i'mbrazillian).If you are planning to study Statistics with somecomputational help try to start with this book.

Gustavo Tavares If youwant this review translated to Portuguese send me a request. ... Read more

Product Description
Getting started with SAS is easy with The Little SAS Book. This friendly, easy-to-read guide gently introduces you to the most commonly used features of SAS software plus a whole lot more! The book has been revised to include concepts of the Output Delivery System; the STYLE= option in the PRINT, REPORT, and TABULATE procedures; ODS HTML, RTF, PRINTER, and OUTPUT destinations; PROC REPORT; more on PROC TABULATE; exporting data; and the colon modifier for informats. You'll find clear and concise explanations of basic SAS concepts (such as DATA and PROC steps), inputting data, modifying and combining data sets, summarizing and presenting data, basic statistical procedures, and debugging SAS programs. Each topic is presented in a self-contained, two-page layout complete with examples and graphics. This format enables new users to get up and running quickly, while the examples allow you to type in the program and see it work! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

SAS small book
This book is great, good for beginner in SAS or Biostat lab class. It give clear and very easy instructions to follow.I would recommend this book to anyone who taking these introduction classes to programing getting this book. It is worth the money.

Seller ridiculously Slow
I can't believe after paying for shipping, seller mailed this book by snail mail. Seller provided me with the tracking number. Seller asked me to go to the nearby post office to help track this package. Postmaster told me that the parcel was mailed through the postal service snail mail system. Seller could have told me what postal service system he/she used. It took almost three weeks to get parcel. Apparently, I am disgusted with this sale.

The Little SAS Book: A Primer, Third Edition
I am starting to use SAS and I found the book useful in address the questions I had.

little SAS book
This book is formatted for the average person to understand and is clearly written in an understandable "language".

SAS
This was a great book to read. I was very confused in lecture because I am not programming savy. This book really helped me a lot. Everything is explained in simple terms and makes so much sense.


... Read more

Product Description
At last! A real-world reference guide for clinical trial SAS programming, packed with solutions that programmers can apply to their day-to-day problems. Discover key techniques and tools available within Base SAS (including the macro language and PROC SQL), SAS/GRAPH, and SAS/STAT that can be used to resolve many common issues in working with clinical trial data. Organized to reflect the statistical programmer's work flow, this user-friendly text begins with an introduction to the working environment, then presents chapters on importing and massaging data into analysis data sets, producing clinical trial output, and exporting data. Valuable plug-and-play programming examples are provided throughout. Whether you're a novice seeking an introduction to SAS programming for the pharmaceutical industry or a junior-level programmer exploring new approaches to problem solving, you'll find a wealth of practical suggestions to help you sharpen your skills. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent overview for SAS in Pharma
Not being really familiar with the use of SAS in Pharma, this book was a excellent introduction.
If you are a CRA, CRC or anyone who is doing clinical trials using SAS, this is a good book to read.
Very good explanations and numerous examples.

Its a must read for everyone in Pharmaceutical industry doing SAS
Jack Shostak has done a wonderful job. The content, the language, the examples are exceptional.

Truly a gem of a book.

Excellent
This is the first time I personally bought a book from Amazon and found it extremly satisfying as far as the pricing, quality and the delivery of the product is concerned.

One of the very few good SAS Books
Just love the way this book is written! A must for every SAS user working in the Clinical Trials / Pharma industry!!!

The best book I ever bought...
It is not easy to explain easy things easily, but this author is different. He knows how to say more in few words. I liked this book too much. It is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to follow. Wish we had more writers like him. ... Read more

Product Description
Intended for use as a core text or to supplement any introductory or intermediate level statistics course, this book presents the basics of the SAS system in a well-paced, structured, non-threatening manner.It provides an introduction to the SAS system for data management, analysis, and reporting using the subset of the language ideally suited for beginning students, while at the same time serving as a useful reference for intermediate or advanced users.Students learn the language's power and flexibility with many real-world examples drawn from the author's industry experience.Beginning with an overview of the system, this text shows students how to read data, perform simple analyses, and produce simple reports.More complex topics are carefully introduced, guiding students to manage multiple datasets and write custom reports.More advanced statistical techniques such as correlation, regression, and analysis of variance are presented in later chapters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Not Helpful At All
This book is the least helpful SAS book I've had.This was the first SAS book I used and was required to purchase it for a class.Since then I've been using SAS for about 6 years and this book has never helped answer any of my questions.There are far superior Introductory SAS books out there like SAS Programming by Example and The Little SAS Book, anything else that you need to know you would be better off searching for on the internet.

Excellent beginner's book
I used this book in grad school to refresh my very limited SAS knowledge for a course I was doing. I'd used other books during my undergrad days, but none of them was as helpful as this one. It's a good way for a beginner to ease themselves into SAS without getting tangled in the complexities.

Now, several years down the road with many years of experience as a SAS programmer, I still recommend this book to anyone who asks me to point them in the direction of a good book to use for learning SAS.

For beginners, two books better than one
I suggest getting both a book like this, for its greater comprehensivity, combined with another one (like 'SAS programming By Example') for its more user friendly accessibility, if you are a beginner.Both books can be used as a starting text, and having two books can be better than one, and each one complements the other.

Good for beginners
This is the best introductory SAS book I have seen.It introduces the basic SAS structure and programming statements.A good and detailed explanation is provided for DATA step vs. PROC, a topic that always provesto be difficult to grasp for SAS newbies.

The book starts with SASterminology and logic, i.e., how SAS works its magic.It moves on tosimple tasks such as reading in data, summarizing it, and displaying it. Then there are chapters on SAS programming elements (expressions, logicflows, etc.) as well as intermediate-advanced statements.The MERGEstatement is explained very clearly.

Examples abound, although I feelthat they are presented in a very confusing format -- often you can't tellif a block of text belongs to the main text or an example.Theorganization of the book is also a little confusing, esp. if you want touse it as a reference book (not recommended; stick with SAS manual setinstead).

In short, this book provides an excellent ovewview of SAS. Read the chapters in sequence and you'll soon be on your way to happySAS'ing!

A fabulous introduction to SAS essentials
If you are in need of data management or analysis, SAS is likely big on your list. This book gives extremely clear and useful introductions to how SAS is structured, how to manipulate and organize data, and some basicstatistical procedures (descriptive statistics, ANOVA, OLS models, etc.)are also presented.

Official SAS manuals are usually bulky, complicated,and difficult to understand, particularly if you have little/no experiencewith SAS. This book can take a complete beginner through data set creationand manipulation into substantially more complex and important proceduresand functions. As this is an introduction to the SAS system, the moreadvanced functions in SAS, such as SAS STAT, are not covered in any detail.However, in order to understand how to actually use SAS and manipulate dataso as to employ these higher level procedures, this book is excellent.

This is the absolute best introduction on how to use the SAS system Ihave seen, but it has lots of useful information for people with some basicSAS knowledge as well. It is presented in the style of a textbook,with eachsection concluding with problems (with answers provided) that the aspiringSAS programmer can solve.

If you are just starting to look into SAS, Icannot recommend this book highly enough. 'If I was able to do it, anyonecan.' ... Read more

Product Description
New and experienced SAS users who want to prepare for the Base Programming for SAS 9 exam will find the SAS Certification Prep Guide: Base Programming for SAS 9, Second Edition, to be an invaluable, convenient, and comprehensive resource that covers all of the objectives tested on the exam. Major topics include importing and exporting raw data files, creating and modifying SAS data sets, and identifying and correcting data syntax and programming logic errors. You will also become familiar with the enhancements and new functionality that are available in SAS 9.

Each chapter includes a quiz on the chapter's contents, and the book includes a free CD-ROM with tutorials, practice data, and sample programs to further reinforce and test your SAS skills. This guide and the accompanying CD-ROM provide you with a solid study resource as well as a go-to reference for your library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Decent, but few practice problems
I purchased this book after going through Ron Cody's "Learning SAS by Example."This book is a little lacking in actual practice exercises -- the chapter quizzes are nice, but they don't provide any real experience for a beginning SAS programmer. I would recommend this guide only if you have had experience with SAS and are preparing for the exam. Otherwise, check out a few other SAS books to get some practical experience before tackling this one.

Surprisingly thorough
Most certification books expect that you already have a good basic knowledge on the subject. Not so the SAS Certification Prep Guide Base Programming for SAS 9! It starts from scratch and does not miss any details or the big picture. In other words, it gives you the forest as well as define the trees! Yes, the Little SAS Book is easy reading for the very novice but, with for people with programming skills in other languages, it can be a little too light reading. This book does not assume that you have programming skills, nor does it assume that you have programmed in SAS before. It strikes a good balance. Compared to the Oracle certification book, this is a very refreshing change. I really can't imagine that you won't pass the exam if you read (with understanding, of couse) and do all the exercises from cover to cover.

Amazon Service & Base SAS 9 prep guide
The service from Amazon was really good where the book was delivered promptly
from the USA to New Zealand.

I found the BASE SAS 9 certification prep guide really easy to read and to
understand.... I would highly recommend the BASE SAS prep guide
for anyone going for certification.

Good book but lots of typos
I have had very little experience with SAS. I mostly learned SAS with examples from the internet.

This book helped me a lot with getting my knowledge structured and learn all the little details
that are not so much relevant in real life programming but in the test. The book is easy to read and to understand
and covers 95% of what is relevant in the test. I felt well prepared and had no problem passing the test.

The down side: I found quite a few typos in the book, mostly copy and paste errors that show that the authors spent very little time proofreading (it's the 2nd edition). Although they were easy to detect, they still started bothering me. The book is really expensive and one can expect that the SAS Institute does a better job with putting the book together. Otherwise one gets the impression that their only concern is to get money out of their testing business.

Clear and straightforward
I am planning to get certified and therefore purchased this book. It is very clear and straightforward book. I have some small problems understanding how to use accompanied CD however. Before learning this book i also recommend to read the Little SAS Book, so you are more familiar with the way SAS works.
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Product Description
The SAS Certification Prep Guide: Advanced Programming for SAS 9, Second Edition, prepares you to take the Advanced Programming for SAS 9 exam. Major topics include SQL processing with SAS, the SAS macro language, advanced SAS programming techniques, and optimizing SAS programs. You will also become familiar with the enhancements and new functionality that are available in SAS 9.

Experienced SAS users who want to prepare for this exam will find this guide to be an invaluable, convenient, and comprehensive resource that covers all of the objectives tested on the exam. The text contains quizzes that enable you to test your understanding of material in each chapter. Additionally, solutions to all quizzes are included at the back of the book. Candidates must earn the SAS Certified Base Programmer Credential for SAS 9 before taking the SAS Advanced Programming for SAS 9 exam. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The only book you need for passing the exam
This book covers (almost) 100% of the advanced test material. The book is easy to read and there is no need to buy any other book for the purpose of passing the challenging test. I took the advanced exam just one month after taking/passing the base exam and managed to score 94% thanks to first edition of this book only. For most, 3 to 6 months of serious study will do the trick, I guess. Since passing the test requires scoring 65% or more, if one knows only 50% of the material and answers questions related to that correctly and random guesses the rest, one scould be able to pass after a month or so of studying but I don't recommend that. Try to master the book for fun and high scores will follow as a result.

Now the question comes to minds of many is that is the content of this second edition book much different from the first edition book so that owners of the first edition book can decide on what to do. Since I bought this book to replace my first edition book which was lost/stolen and there I can't compare them side-by-side but so far I can't recollect any differences. Based on my experienced owning the base exam book for SAS and base exam book for SAS9 where I found only a few (3-4) pages different out of about 1000 pages, I think same may be case here. Difference in editions generally mean substantial revisions but in case of SAS I am not that sure.

A CD would have been nice so that one could load this book on their computers for the purpose of studying at most locations but that is not the case.

Finally, this book makes a fairly decent reference for SAS SQL, macros and advanced techniques like optimization.

Good luck to all planning to take the test. ... Read more

Product Description
The classic work that defined the SAS programming field, thoroughly revised and updated for a network-connected world. Key distinctions, strategies, and tips that anyone can use to deliver professional-quality results in SAS. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This Book Lives Up to Its Name
Each chapter in this small book (90 pages) addresses a different topic, all of which are advanced and novel. The author, Phil Holland, is an internationally known SAS consultant and frequent presenter at SAS conferences. The book oozes with expertise. Holland emphasizes the use of inexpensive, commonly available tools instead of expensive special-purpose products. Topics include efficient SAS coding, data warehouses, passing data and results between SAS and R, using Perl instead of SAS/IntrNet to create web applications, distributing organization charts without SAS/IntrNet, and using Enterprise Guide for clinical trials. Obviously, that is a lot to cover in 90 pages, so the book is not an exhaustive introduction. Instead Holland shares the best and most interesting tips that he has found.

This book is not for beginners. Some of the chapters (such as the one on R) contain more code than explanation so you have to know something about the topic to understand. Less advanced SAS users should consider Holland's other book, Saving Time and Money Using SAS, which is more intermediate in level. However, power users will likely feel that the book is well worth its modest price.
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Product Description
New and updated for SAS Enterprise Guide 4.2!In this pragmatic, example-driven book, author Neil Constable demonstrates how you can use SAS code to enhance the capabilities of SAS Enterprise Guide. Designed to help you gain extra value from the products you already have, SAS Programming for Enterprise Guide Users contains tips and techniques that show you a variety of features that cannot be accessed directly through the task interfaces. In all cases, techniques are shown with examples that you can try and test, plus additional exercises are included to give you more practice. The end result is more efficient and resilient use of SAS Enterprise Guide in a wider variety of business areas.Included is a discussion of the following subject areas: the Output Delivery System advanced formatting macro variables and macros advanced reporting using PROC REPORT highlighting in reports hyperlinking between reports and graphs data manipulation using SQL data manipulation using the DATA step extended graphicsBy adding small amounts of code in key areas, SAS Enterprise Guide users can get more out of the product than the tasks reveal. Users should be familiar with the SAS Enterprise Guide user interface and tasks. No programming experience is necessary. ... Read more

Product Description
In this pragmatic, example-driven book, author Neil Constable demonstrates how you can use SAS code to enhance the capabilities of SAS Enterprise Guide. Designed to help you gain extra value from the products you already have, this book contains tips and techniques that show you a variety of features that cannot be accessed directly through the task interfaces. In all cases, techniques are shown with examples that you can try and test, plus additional exercises are included to give you more practice. The end result is more efficient and resilient use of SAS Enterprise Guide in a wider variety of business areas.

Included is a discussion of the following subject areas:

• the Output Delivery System
• advanced formatting
• macro variables and macros
• advanced reporting using PROC REPORT
• highlighting in reports
• hyperlinking between reports and graphs
• data manipulation using SQL
• data manipulation using the DATA step
• extended graphics

By adding small amounts of code in key areas, SAS Enterprise Guide users can get more out of the product than the tasks reveal. Users should be familiar with the SAS Enterprise Guide user interface and tasks. No programming experience is necessary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A good book for EG ver 3.0
This is a good book.It is clear with good examples and easy to use. If you have Enterprise Guide version 3.0 you should read this first.

When you get sick of clicking get this
This book is an excellent addition to your library if you are using Enterprise Guide and want to automate tasks or if you hit the limit on what you can do with the point and click system with EG. The writing is easy to understand and not too dense (but very informative).It covers issues like tweaking your projects so that they will run on multiple variables chosen from a pick-list (think macro variables made super easy if you know SAS code), exploring the code that EG writes for you and adding functionality that you can not get using the point and click system.The discussion of the SQL code written by the query tool is very well done and extremely useful if you want to understand then expand on the queries and filters that EG writes.

If you are a SAS programmer and get asked to help somebody learn EG this book will be very helpful because it makes it easy to track down the SAS code procedures within the EG graphical user interface.

I would highly recommend this for people who have read The Little SAS Book for Enterprise Guide 4.1 The Little SAS Book for Enterprise Guide and who want to go beyond the basics in that book. ... Read more