Excel - easy to use for basic data analysis. Provides good charting and graphing. Even if you plan to use another tool for statistical analysis, Excel can provide an easy way to enter your data.
SPSS (or the freeware version PSPP) - has a graphical user interface. It is somewhat like Excel, but provide buttons and widgets to do basic and advanced statistics. Procedures can be saved as scripts and used with additional datasets
Stata- statistical analysis with enhanced data and matrix manipulation. In between SPSS and SAS in difficulty of use.
SAS - combines data management with statistical programming. It is good for complex datasets, but may be challenging for beginners.
R - free statistical programming language. Very popular in many fields.
MATLAB (or the free version Octave) - statistical programming language with good graphic output. Also used in engineering and other sciences.
Minitab - general purpose statistical software for easy interactive use and basic instruction
Amos - estimates structural equation models for manifest and latent variables.
NVivo - qualitative analysis software that handles data that is not numeric such as text documents, audio files and pictures.
ArcGIS - a tool for geographic analysis. Available (free) for student computers and at several labs around campus.
ERDAS - suite of remote sensing analysis tools. Includes IMAGINE and LPS.
Data can be evaluated the same way that articles are evaluated.
The CRAAP test is a five part tool to help you determine if a source of data is worth using.
Currency: the timeliness of the information
Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs
Authority: the source of the information
Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content, and
Purpose: the reason the information exists
The CRAAP test was developed by librarians at California State University, Chico.