Computing Variables: Julia Hartman

An Interactive Tutorial for SPSS 10.
0 for Windows
Computing Variables
by
Julia Hartman
Next
1
Copyright 2000, Julia Hartman
Computing Variables:
Introduction
According to SPSS Help, the Compute

Variable command:
computes values for a variable based on

numeric transformations of other variables.
Next
2
Introduction
According to SPSS Help, using the Compute Variable
command:
You can compute values for numeric or string (alphanumeric)
variables.
You can create new variables or replace the values of existing
variables. For new variables, you can also specify the variable
type and label.
Next
3
Introduction
According to SPSS Help, using the Compute Variable
command:
You can compute values selectively for subsets of data based
on logical conditions.
You can use over 70 built-in functions, including arithmetic
functions, statistical functions, distribution functions, and
string functions.
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4
Introduction
The sections of this tutorial explain how to:

Compute a new variable by assigning a value
(setting it equal to zero)
Use selective criteria to compute a value
Compute a new variable by using a formula
(multiplying two variables)
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5
Introduction
This tutorial:
creates a new variable, fdummy, with a value of zero
sets fdummy = 1 for females
creates a new (dummy) variable, fgpa, by
multiplying fdummy by the existing variable totcum
(total cumulative undergraduate gpa)
Next
6
Computing a New Variable

To compute a new variable:
In the menu, click

Transform
7

To compute a variable:
In the menu, click

Transform
Point to Compute
8

In the menu, click

Transform
Point to Compute
and click.
9
Computing a New Variable:
Naming the New Variable
To assign a value
to the variable,
you must type the
variable name in
the box labeled
Target Variable.
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10
Assigning a Value
You cant type in this

tutorial, so the name
of the new variable
(fdummy) has already
been entered.
To set the value of

fdummy to zero,
click the 0 button.
11
Assigning a Value
The zero appears in

the box labeled
Numeric Expression,
resulting in the
formula fdummy = 0.
Click the OK button
to complete the
transformation.
12
Computing Variables Selectively
The preceding steps added the variable fdummy

to the data file and assigned a value of zero (0) to
all cases (records).
Next, the value of fdummy will be changed to
one (1) for all females in the dataset.
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13

To compute a new value for an existing variable:
In the menu, click

Transform
14
In the menu, click

Transform
Point to Compute
15
In the menu, click

Transform
Point to Compute
and click.
16
Computing Variables Selectively:
Specifying the Target Variable
In SPSS, you would

type the variable
name in the box
labeled Target
Variable, but that
doesnt work in this
tutorial.
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17
Computing Variables Selectively :
Specifying the Target Variable
In this graphic, the

name of the target
variable (fdummy) has
already been entered.
To change the value

of fdummy for
selected cases, click
the If button.
18
If Cases
To set the
selection criteria,
click the button
labeled
Include if case
satisfies condition:
19
If Cases
To set the
selection criteria
to gender = 1
(female), click
Gender of Student
[gender] in the
variable list.
20
If Cases
Move gender to
the criteria box by
clicking the arrow.
21
If Cases
Move gender to
the criteria box by
clicking the arrow.
Click the button
with the equal sign,
22
If Cases
Move gender to
the criteria box by
clicking the arrow.
Click the button
with the equal sign,
then click the 1
button (value for
female in the file).
23
If Cases
Values will be
changed only if
gender = 1.
Click the Continue

button.
24
Assigning a Value
The condition
gender = 1 is
displayed next
to the If
button.
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25
Assigning a Value
To set the value of

fdummy =1 if
gender = 1, click
the 1 button.
26
Assigning a Value
The 1 appears in the

box labeled
Numeric Expression.
Click the OK button

to complete the
transformation.
27
Assigning a Value
The dialog box

warns that the value
of fdummy will be
changed.
Click the OK button
permit the change.
28
Using a Formula
The preceding steps:

1. Added the variable fdummy to the data file and
assigned a value of zero (0) to all cases.
2. Changed the value of fdummy to one (1) for all
females in the dataset.
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29
Using a Formula
Now we will use the new variable fdummy

and the variable totcum (total cumulative
undergraduate gpa) to create another new
(dummy) variable, fgpa, by multiplying
fdummy by totcum.
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30
Computing Variables Using a Formula:

To compute a new variable:
In the menu, click

Transform
31
Computing Variables Using a Formula :

In the menu, click

Transform
Point to Compute
32
Computing Variables Using a Formula :

In the menu, click

Transform
Point to Compute
and click.
33
Computing a New Variable Using a Formula :
To assign a value
to the variable,
you must type the
variable name in
the box labeled
Target Variable.
Next
34
In this graphic, the

name of the new
variable (fgpa) has
already been entered.
The variable fgpa will

be calculated by
multiplying totcum
by fdummy.
Next
35
Entering a Formula
Scroll down the

variable list to
totcum, which is
labeled
UNDERGRAD GPA,
TOTAL-CUMULATIVE
36
Entering a Formula
Scroll down the

variable list to
totcum, which is
labeled
UNDERGRAD GPA,
TOTAL-CUMULATIVE
and click.
37
Entering a Formula
Click the arrow to

move totcum to the
box labeled
Numeric Expression.
38
Entering a Formula
Click the * button

for multiplication.
39
Entering a Formula
Click the * button

for multiplication.
Then scroll down
the variable list to
fdummy
40
Entering a Formula
Click the * button

for multiplication.
Then scroll down
the variable list to
fdummy
and click.
41
Entering a Formula
Click the arrow to

move fdummy to the
box labeled
Numeric Expression.
42
Entering a Formula
The resulting
formula is:
fgpa =
totcum * fdummy.
Click the OK button

to create the new
variable.
43
An Interactive Tutorial for
SPSS 10.0 for Windows:
Computing Variables
Click one of the following:

Repeat this tutorial
Repeat a section of this tutorial
Return to the list of tutorials
44

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An Interactive Tutorial for SPSS 10.

According to SPSS Help, the Compute

computes values for a variable based on

The sections of this tutorial explain how to:

Computing a New Variable

In the menu, click

Computing a New Variable

In the menu, click

Computing a New Variable

In the menu, click

Naming the New Variable

You cant type in this

To set the value of

The zero appears in

Computing Variables Selectively

The preceding steps added the variable fdummy

Computing Variables Selectively

In the menu, click

Computing Variables Selectively

In the menu, click

Computing Variables Selectively

In the menu, click

Specifying the Target Variable

In SPSS, you would

Specifying the Target Variable

In this graphic, the

To change the value

Click the Continue

To set the value of

The 1 appears in the

Click the OK button

The dialog box

The preceding steps:

Now we will use the new variable fdummy

Computing a New Variable

In the menu, click

Computing a New Variable

In the menu, click

Computing a New Variable

In the menu, click

Naming the New Variable

Naming the New Variable

In this graphic, the

The variable fgpa will

Scroll down the

Scroll down the

Click the arrow to

Click the * button

Click the * button

Click the * button

Click the arrow to

Click the OK button

Click one of the following:

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