Summary

This book provides a guide to get you up and running with PRIMER version 8. For a more comprehensive look at the many new features in PRIMER 8 that distinguish it from PRIMER 7, see the following resource:

Anderson, M.J. (2026) "What's New in PRIMER 8". PRIMER-e Learning Hub. PRIMER-e, Auckland, New Zealand. https://learninghub.primer-e.com/books/whats-new-in-primer-8.

If you are looking for help on getting started with PRIMER version 7, see the following resource:

Anderson, M.J. (2024) "A Quick Guide to PRIMER 7". PRIMER-e Learning Hub. PRIMER-e, Auckland, New Zealand. https://learninghub.primer-e.com/books/a-quick-guide-to-primer-7.

Overview

Getting example data

Opening example data

Importing data from Excel

Post-import data checks

Save your data & workspace

An analysis of biotic data

Step 1: Transformation

Step 2: Resemblance

Step 3: Cluster

Step 4: Ordination

Step 5: ANOSIM test

Summary of the pathway

Basic multivariate analysis

Matrix display

Overview

A three-factor hierarchical design

Steps in a PERMANOVA analysis

Step 1: Data selection

Step 2: Jaccard resemblance

Step 3: Specify the design

Step 4: Run PERMANOVA

Step 4 (continued): Key additional details about PERMANOVA in PRIMER

Step 5: Ordination of centroids

Summary of the PERMANOVA analysis

Help & support

Further reading

Summary