The Statistics and Methods (SAM) Lab is a resource for students enrolled in degree programs through the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences in Arizona State University’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences. Our core mission is to help students build a strong understanding of the quantitative and qualitative methods used in social science research and develop proficiency with the tools needed to conduct high impact research within social and behavioral science disciplines. The lab is equipped with computer workstations with a range of software packages and tools for carrying out all stages of research, a team of graduate-level consultants with expertise in statistics and diverse research methods, and state-of-the-art technology for face-to-face and online tutoring sessions and workshops.

We're in Room B12 in the Faculty and Administration Building on the ASU West Campus. You can access the ground floor through the stairs in the East Lobby.

To view our current hours, click here

Students may utilize the SAM Lab printer in order to print statistics and/or methods homework assignments.

Students may not remove textbooks or manuals from the SAM Lab. They can, however, visit the SAM Lab as often as they like to utilize our resources.

There are a few situations where you would have to book an appointment:

• You want to receive support online.
• You need more than 5 minutes of help over the phone.
• You intend to visit the SAM Lab on a Saturday.

Otherwise, there is no need to book an appointment if you wish to visit the lab.

To book an appoointment, click here. Alternatively, you can book your appointment over the phone by calling 602.543.6045 during our business hours.

No. All online appointments must be scheduled at least one day in advance.

Absolutely! Due to limited building access on the weekend, students may not be able to enter the FAB. By calling the SAM Lab to schedule a same-day Saturday appointment, you let our consultants know to expect you and, consequently, ensure your entry into the building.

We do not allow double-bookings. It has been our experience that, on average, the majority of students have their needs met in less than an hour; for this reason, appointments last approximately 45 minutes. If you require additional assistance after your session, your consultant can help schedule a follow-up appointment.

No. Each semester, ASU offers a vareity of statistics and metholodology courses, each with multiple sections. As such, we do not allow students to book multiple appointments at a time; this helps ensure that all students have equal access to tutoring services. For this reason, we recommend students book appointments as needed.

Over the weekend, the Faculty and Administration Building (FAB) has limited access—in other words, you're locked out. Scheduling an appointment allows our consultants to let you in the building.

By all means! If you have a simple question that you would like like to address over the phone, feel free to give us a call at (602) 543-6045. However, if you require extended assistance (more than 5 minutes), we recommend booking an appointment.

You can cancel your appointment by clicking the cancellation link at the bottom of your appointment confirmation email. Alternatively, you can contact us via phone or email to let us know you can't make your appointment. For more information, see our cancelation policy.

Online tutoring, in-person assistance, explaining statistical and/or methodological concepts, hosting workshops, as well as providing access to reference materials and cutting-edge statistical software for students currently enrolled in statistics and/or methods courses at ASU. If you're unsure whether or not the SAM Lab can help you, please either send us an email or call the lab. If we cannot meet your needs, we may at least be able to point you in the right direction.

We cannot help you complete your assignment or check your homework. Not only would this be unfair to other students, but we cannot guarantee that our recommendations meet your professor's specific requirements. However, we can answer specific questions pertaining to methodology/statistical analyses. For example, while you may not ask us whether you used the correct t-test in your assignment, you can ask us to explain the difference between independent and paired samples t-tests. We provide you with the tools; you choose how to use them.

Most certainly; this is what the SAM Lab does best! Our job is to help you understand the exciting world of statistics and methodology.

Absolutely! Our consultants can help you find your bearings as you navigate statistical output, and can orient you as to what individual sections represent.

Yes and no. We can make sure that your statistical write-ups are properly formatted; we cannot, however, proof-read papers or check citations/references. For this, we recommend you contact one of the ASU Writing Centers.

Yes and no. We are here to provide you with a basic working knowledge of the software packages we provide, and most SAM Lab consultants have a good working knowledge of the most common statistical programs. In particular, our consultants are well-versed in SPSS, familiar with R, and currently learning Stata.

From time to time, the Sam Lab will offer more comprehensive training workshops which delve deeper into particular software packages. Check out our events page to see our upcoming workshops.

Please note, however, that we do not have expertise in the full range of programs that are offered at this point in time. If you are curious as to whether the SAM lab can help you with a particular program, please send us an email or give us a call. If we cannot meet your needs, we may at least be able to point you in the right direction.

No. The SAM Lab is here to empower students so that they can confidently perform analyses on their own; were we to perform these tasks in your stead, we would be denying you the opporutnity to learn and grow.

Software installed on all or a subset of SAM Lab computers include SPSS, NVivo, Stata, R and R Studio, SAS, EQS, MPlus, LISREL, MathType, Camtasia Studio, and Adobe Captivate.

To download the home version of SPSS, go to myapps.asu.edu.
For a step-by-step video tutorial, click here.

To download R, click here.
To download R Studio, click here.
For a step-by-step video tutorial, click here.

Though we are happy to help with some basic troubleshooting, technical support is not our expertise. We recommend contacting the ASU Help Desk if you are experiencing difficulty with software installation.