Statistical & Qualitative Data Analysis Software: About SAS and SAS OnDemand for Academics

What is SAS?

SAS is a command-driven software package used for statistical analysis and data visualization. It is available only for Windows operating systems. It is arguably one of the most widely used statistical software packages in both industry and academia.

Why use SAS?

• Enormous array of statistical methods and algorithms, especially for advanced statistics.
• Highly customizable analysis options and output options.
• Publication-quality graphics with ODS.
• Widely used in many fields, including business and medicine.
• Large, active online community.

What file types are typically associated with SAS?

• *.sas - A SAS script.
• *.sas7bdat - A SAS data file.
• *.sd7 - SAS Version 8.2 dataset.
• *.sd2 - SAS Version 6 for Windows dataset.
• *.ssd01 - SAS Version 6 for Unix dataset.
• *.xpt - Transport file.

What version of SAS does Kent State currently use?

As of August 2021, Kent State uses SAS 9.4. Note that SAS is only compatible with Windows operating systems.

What is SAS OnDemand for Academics?

SAS OnDemand for Academics is a cloud-based version of the SAS software that SAS, Inc. offers at no charge for students. It can be accessed on any computer (Windows, Mac, or Linux) with an internet connection through your browser, and does not require any software to be installed on your computer. If you are a student with a Mac or Linux computer, SAS OnDemand for Academics is the easiest way to use SAS. It's also a great option for students with Windows computers who do not have enough free hard drive space to install SAS, or for anyone having difficulty installing "desktop" SAS.

SAS OnDemand for Academics is free to use for students, but you must register for an account.You can check out our tutorial on how to start using SAS OnDemand for Academics, or check out the official SAS OnDemand for Academics website.

Limitations

For most users, SAS ODA will be sufficient; however, it does lack some specialized statistics available in the version of SAS 9.4 licensed by Kent State. Additionally, SAS ODA accounts have 5 GB of storage space, which may present challenges for students working with large datasets.

What about SAS University Edition?

SAS University Edition was a version of SAS that could run on a virtual machine, which made it possible to use a version of SAS on Windows, Mac, or Linux computers. The software was discontinued in July 2021; SAS, Inc. advised users of SAS University Edition to migrate to SAS OnDemand for Academics. Individuals who have previously used SAS University Edition will find SAS OnDemand for Academics to have a near-identical interface.

Why use SAS OnDemand for Academics?

• Can be used on any computer with internet access (Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebooks, etc.)
• Does not require installing any software: if you are a Windows user but do not have the necessary 10 GB+ of free hard drive space needed to install SAS, SAS OnDemand for Academics is a great alternative.
• Most SAS scripts and datasets created in "desktop" SAS can be used in SAS OnDemand for Academics with little to no modification.
  • Note: In our experience, the main changes you will need to make are related to file paths. Check out our tutorial on importing data into SAS OnDemand for Academics.

What file types are typically associated with SAS OnDemand for Academics?

In general, all files associated with "desktop" SAS are compatible/usable in SAS OnDemand for Academics.

• *.sas - A SAS script.
• *.sas7bdat - A SAS data file.
• *.sd7 - SAS Version 8.2 dataset.
• *.sd2 - SAS Version 6 for Windows dataset.
• *.ssd01 - SAS Version 6 for Unix dataset.
• *.xpt - Transport file.

What version of SAS OnDemand for Academics does Kent State currently use?

SAS OnDemand for Academics is free to use for all students (Kent State or otherwise). Kent State's licenses for the "desktop" version of SAS are independent of SAS ODA.

Kent State University maintains a university-wide, limited seat license for SAS. All currently-employed faculty and staff, as well as currently-enrolled students are eligible to request a copy of SAS at no charge. The Division of Information Technology currently distributes SAS 9.4 software and licenses. SAS licenses must be renewed yearly. Note that SAS is only available for Windows operating systems.

University-Owned Computers

Please contact your local support person to receive a copy of the software or to renew your existing license.

• Kent campus departments - local desktop support contacts
• Regional campuses - local desktop support contacts

Personally-Owned Computers

Faculty/Staff/Currently enrolled students

Visit software.kent.edu to download a copy of the software or renew your license.

If you encounter problems while installing SAS, you may bring your computer to the Tri-Towers Tech Help desk. Please see the Tech Help Desk Services and Hours before visiting.

For Mac Users

Mac users who do not wish to use virtualization software to run the Windows operating system on their Macs may be interested in SAS OnDemand for Academics. SAS OnDemand for Academics is free, but is not distributed by the university. Individuals wanting to use SAS OnDemand for Academics should follow the instructions on the SAS website to create their account and begin using the platform.

Several of the library's subscription databases offer research-quality datasets in SAS format.

SAS Tips

• If you're looking for help using a specific SAS procedure (such as PROC REG), use the search terms "sas proc reg". This will usually retrieve tutorials geared towards that specific procedure.
• If you know the statistic or method you want but aren't sure what SAS procedure to use, try searching for "SAS" and the name of the statistical method (e.g. "SAS linear regression", "SAS mixed models", "SAS descriptive statistics").
  • In some cases, there may be more than one procedure that can perform a certain analysis.

Recommended Tutorials

Recommended Books

SAS Documentation

Customer Support