PAST 4.03 review by Francesco Frattarelli (May 11, 2021)
Intuitive, easy to use, extraordinarily complete for being a free software
PAST 4.03
Scientific statistics, analysis and plottingPAST is a free scientific data analysis program for researchers and students. It combines data manipulation, plotting and a wide range of statistical methods, including univariate and multivariate analysis. Users can transform values, calculate basic indicators, fit linear or polynomial models, and create plots such as 3D scatter charts. It also includes tools for ecological analysis, time series, spatial analysis, morphometrics and stratigraphy. Interpreting results requires statistical experience.
PAST 4.03 details
| Author: | Oyvind Hammer |
| License: | Freeware |
| Price: | FREE |
| Released: | Jun 2, 2020 |
| File size: | 8.30 MB |
| Downloads: | 1762 |
| Keywords: | PAST software, scatter, statistical function, data analysis, Windows 10 compatibility, 3D scatter, paleontology, analysis, paleontology analysis software, paleontological data processing, scientific data analysis, 3d scatter plot tool, ecological data analysis, x64 architecture, statistical analysis software, statistical analysis tool, analyze, Oyvind Hammer, multivariate statistics |
| Author URL: | http://folk.uio.no/ohammer/past/ |
PAST Awards
PAST for Windows 10 - Full description
PAST is a free scientific data analysis program for researchers and students working with datasets in fields such as paleontology, ecology and other quantitative sciences. It combines data manipulation, statistical methods and plotting in one desktop application. Its broad range of techniques supports both straightforward summaries and more specialized analyses, though interpreting results requires familiarity with statistical methods and the subject being studied.
Data can be transformed before analysis, including by subtracting the mean, converting values to base-10 logarithms or applying a Box-Cox transformation to help normalize a distribution. For basic summaries, PAST calculates measures such as the mean, median and standard deviation. These can help users inspect a dataset and understand its general patterns before choosing a more detailed statistical method.
The program includes univariate and multivariate statistics, with methods such as analysis of variance, intraclass correlation and canonical correspondence analysis. It can fit linear and polynomial models, examine diversity and calculate geometric correlations. Plotting tools include 3D scatter plots, while additional capabilities cover time series, spatial analysis, morphometrics and stratigraphy. The available methods address different kinds of data and research questions, so users need to select techniques appropriate to their study rather than treat the output as an automatic conclusion.
PAST can be used to explore and summarize measurements, compare groups, investigate relationships among variables or prepare visualizations of scientific data. Ecological analyses, stratigraphic work and morphometric studies are among its more specialized applications. Keeping data transformation, statistical analysis and plotting in the same program can make it practical for moving from an initial dataset to an exploratory analysis and its accompanying graphs.
PAST is freeware and is offered for Windows, including Windows 10. Its scientific focus makes it most useful to people comfortable with data analysis and statistical interpretation; the range of available methods may require users to consult statistical references when selecting or assessing an analysis. The program is intended for analyzing scientific datasets rather than serving as a general-purpose spreadsheet or a substitute for expert interpretation.
PAST for Windows 10 - Users' reviews
PAST 4.02 review by Jovin Kint B. Villalba (Apr 28, 2020)
Easy TO USE