Combining categories

[Seb Bau]

Hi People,

My question is when can I Combine categories together?

satisfaction | Freq. Percent Cum.
---------------------------+-----------------------------------
0 not satisfied | 24 0.45 0.45
1 | 17 0.32 0.76
2 | 48 0.90 1.66
3 | 77 1.44 3.10
4 | 133 2.48 5.58
5 | 369 6.88 12.46
6 | 378 7.05 19.51
7 | 952 17.76 37.27
8 | 1,989 37.10 74.37
9 | 824 15.37 89.74
10 total satisfied| 428 7.98 97.72
. | 122 2.28 100.00
---------------------------+-----------------------------------
Total | 5,361 100.00
Is it in the given example because of the small Observation number ok, to put categories 0-3 together as one?


Job Change Intention (thoughts) | Freq. Percent Cum.
------------------------+-----------------------------------
every day | 80 1.51 1.51
some times per week | 198 3.71 5.22
sometimes per month | 446 8.34 13.56
sometimes per year | 1,178 21.99 35.55
never | 3,265 60.90 96.46
. | 197 3.54 100.00
------------------------+-----------------------------------
Total | 5,350 100.00

is it here ok to put the first two categories together as one because of the Observation number smaller than 100 ?

[Marcos Almeida]

Hello Seb,

Welcome to the Stata Forum / Statalist.

Please take a look at the FAQ.

There, you will find how to share data and command, among other important information.

With regards to you first question:

. sysuse auto
(1978 Automobile Data)

. tab rep78

     Repair |
Record 1978 |      Freq.     Percent        Cum.
------------+-----------------------------------
          1 |          2        2.90        2.90
          2 |          8       11.59       14.49
          3 |         30       43.48       57.97
          4 |         18       26.09       84.06
          5 |         11       15.94      100.00
------------+-----------------------------------
      Total |         69      100.00

. recode rep78 (1/3 = 1), gen(newrep78)
(38 differences between rep78 and newrep78)

. tab newrep78

  RECODE of |
      rep78 |
    (Repair |
     Record |
      1978) |      Freq.     Percent        Cum.
------------+-----------------------------------
          1 |         40       57.97       57.97
          4 |         18       26.09       84.06
          5 |         11       15.94      100.00
------------+-----------------------------------
      Total |         69      100.00

With regards to your second question, yes, in general, but that will depend on the grouping as well as the rationale of the study.