MWSTAT: A MODULATED WEB-BASED STATISTICAL SYSTEM

ABSTRACT In this paper we present the development of a modulated web based statistical system, hereafter MWStat, which shifts the statistical paradigm of analyzing data into a real time structure. The MWStat system is useful for both online storage data and questionnaires analysis, as well as to provide real time disposal of results from analysis related to several statistical methodologies in a customizable fashion. Overall, it can be seem as a useful technical solution that can be applied to a large range of statistical applications, which needs of a scheme of devolution of real time results, accessible to anyone with internet access. We display here the step-by-step instructions for implementing the system. The structure is accessible, built with an easily interpretable language and it can be strategically applied to online statistical applications. We rely on the relationship of several free languages, namely, PHP, R, MySQL database and an Apache HTTP server, and on the use of software tools such as phpMyAdmin. We expose three didactical examples of the MWStat system on institutional evaluation, statistical quality control and multivariate analysis. The methodology is also illustrated in a real example on institutional evaluation. A MWStat module was specifically built for providing a real time poll for teacher evaluation at the Federal University of São Carlos (Brazil).