Labels

Start with the expanded example for each command. Open the variants for options and alternative R approaches. Read the qualifications before adapting the code.

`decode`

Turn labelled values into text

Stata

decode x, generate(str_x)

R Package:tidystata

mutate(data, str_x = decode(x))

Stata reference · R reference

`encode`

Turn text into labelled categories

Stata

encode str_x, generate(x)

R Package:dplyr

mutate(data, x = factor(str_x))

Differs from Stata factor() creates integer level indices with an R class; encode creates numeric codes with a separate value-label definition. Collation can change code ordering.

Stata reference · R reference

`label`

Label every value of a categorical variable

Stata

label define gender 1 "male" 2 "female"

R Package:dplyr

mutate(data, gender = factor(gender, levels = 1:2, labels = c("male", "female")))

In R a labelled categorical variable is usually a factor. Give levels explicitly so each code gets the right label.

Stata reference · R reference

Remove value labels

Stata

label drop yesno

R Package:haven

mutate(data, x = haven::zap_labels(x))

Stata reference · R reference

Show the categories of a variable

Stata

label list x

R Package:base

levels(data$x)

For labelled data read with haven, use haven::print_labels(data$x).

Stata reference · R reference

Attach a value label to a variable

Stata

label values x yesno

R Package:haven

mutate(data, x = haven::labelled(x, yesno))

Define the labels once, as yesno <- c(No = 0, Yes = 1), then attach them to any variable; factor() is the usual R alternative.

Stata reference · R reference

Label a variable

Stata

label variable x "Variable name"

R Package:labelled

labelled::set_variable_labels(data, x = "Variable name")

Labels read from Stata files are kept; variables() and codebook() display them.

Stata reference · R reference

1 more examples and alternatives

Label some values only

Stata

label define x 9 "Unknown" 10 "Refused"

R Package:haven

mutate(data, x = haven::labelled(x, c(Unknown = 9, Refused = 10)))

Partial value labels are rare in R; haven keeps them so they survive a round trip to Stata. tab() and codebook() show them.

Stata reference · R reference

`notes`

Attach a note to a variable

Stata

notes x: Collected in wave 2

R Package:base

attr(data$x, "note") <- "Collected in wave 2"

R has no notes system; an attribute or a comment in the script is the usual substitute.

Stata reference · R reference