If you read my recent interview with Konstantin Krivoruchko and got excited about the multitude of opportunities to use statistics, spatial statistics, and geostatistics in your research, but didn’t know where to start, then check out these free training opportunities.

Integrating SAS Software with ArcGIS [Recorded Training Seminar; 60 minutes]
Integrating SAS and ArcGIS software enables organizations to streamline workflows and improve spatial analysis. The SAS Bridge for ESRI creates a connection between ArcGIS and SAS software, giving users access to spatial, numeric, and textual data through a single interface. With the SAS Bridge for ESRI, ArcGIS users can view SAS tables, geographically display SAS tabular data, symbolize geospatial data with SAS data, and export attribute data to SAS data sets to conduct statistical analyses.

This seminar highlights how ArcMap, the SAS Bridge for ESRI, and SAS software were used to focus the search for debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia. The seminar describes various ways to work with SAS tables and data in ArcCatalog and ArcMap, such as predictive modeling and trend analysis, and also provides other examples of how integrating ArcGIS and SAS software can help users solve real-world problems.

The presenters discuss

• The Space Shuttle Columbia debris recovery effort.
• Working with the SAS Bridge for ESRI.
• Using SAS Enterprise Guide.
• Performing linear and logistic regression in SAS software.
• Using SAS tables in ArcMap and ArcCatalog.
• Predictive modeling using SAS and ArcGIS software.

Regression Analysis Basics in ArcGIS 9.3 [Recorded Training Seminar; 60 minutes]
Regression analysis techniques are used to examine how phenomena vary over space (where things occur), predict where phenomena may occur, and help explain the factors behind observed spatial patterns.

By finding answers to questions such as:

• Where are people persistently dying young in the United States?
• Where are children consistently achieving high test scores?

You can then explore questions such as:

• Why are people dying young?
• What factors contribute to consistently high test scores?

In ArcGIS 9.3, new advanced tools allow you to apply Ordinary Least Squares Regression and Geographically Weighted Regression analysis techniques. This seminar covers the process for building a regression model and explores a typical regression analysis workflow.

The presenter discusses

• When you should use regression analysis and what kinds of questions it can answer.
• Characteristics of a properly specified Ordinary Least Squares model and how to interpret results.
• How to use Geographically Weighted Regression to refine remediation strategies and inform policy.

Understanding Spatial Statistics in ArcGIS 9 [Recorded Training Seminar; 60 minutes]
Spatial statistics tools are exploratory tools that help you measure spatial processes, spatial distributions, and spatial relationships. There are many different types of spatial statistics, but they are all designed to examine spatial patterns and processes.

This training seminar introduces you to the spatial statistics tools included as core functionality with ArcGIS 9. The presenter demonstrates how the tools can easily identify the geographic center of a set of features, determine if a set of features is clustered or dispersed, find hot spots or spatial outliers, and other critical analysis functions.

The presenter discusses

• An overview of spatial statistics.
• Measuring geographic distributions.
• Spatial autocorrelation.
• Hot spot analysis.

Introduction to ArcGIS 9 Geostatistical Analyst [Online Self-Study Course; 3 hours]
With ArcGIS Geostatistical Analyst, GIS users can explore, visualize, and create sophisticated optimal prediction surfaces, as well as statistical surfaces of probability and standard error. This free course introduces some fundamental concepts of geostatistics and teaches how to create and compare interpolated surfaces.