SPSS FOR WINDOWS

An Introductory Presentation
on SPSS 16.0 Software

By

Getachew Gobena
Andhra University,
DCMS
Ap, India March,2010
 What is SPSS?
 SPSS is an acronym for “Statistical package for the
Social Sciences”
 SPSS is a software package used for conducting
statistical analyses, manipulating data, generating
tables and graphs that summarize data
 It has broad applications in the field of Research for
statistical data analysis and presentation
 SPSS for windows requires the availability of
computer and computer literacy of the user
 It requires accurate statistical data input and
thoroughly defining variables in order to analyze and
provide accurate output- GIGO
 SPSS also requires separate training sessions and
continuous exercises in order to use it effectively
 Historical Development
and Evolution

 SPSS has been around since the late 1960s.

 Political scientist Norman Nie, who co-authored
The Changing American Voter with Sidney Verba, developed it
 Although originally stood for Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences, but the name has since been changed to
reflect the marketing of SPSS outside the academics
 Originally, SPSS was written like a programming
language.
 Users wrote SPSS syntax (often on a mainframe computer and
even with key-punch cards) that performed the tasks
 It passed through different stage -versions, where by the
higher the version the more valued additions- Lower
Versions & 9.0, 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 13.0 , 14.0, 15.0 to Version 16.0
 Beginning with version 14, you can have multiple datasets
open at one time in the Data Editor
 SPSS Version 9.0
If you are using version 9.0 or earlier of SPSS for Windows,
the file should look like this:
 SPSS Version 10.0
 If you are using? version 10.0, it should look
like this:

The primary differences b/n 9.0 and 10.0 are related to the items circled above.
 Applications of SPSS
 SPSS is one of the most widely available and powerful statistical
software packages.
 SPSS undertakes various Statistical analyses ranging from basic
descriptive statistics, such as averages and frequencies, to advanced
inferential statistics, such as regression models, analysis of variance,
and factor analysis;
 In General: SPSS Can summarize bulk data;
 compute means and standard deviations),
 It determine whether there are significant differences between groups;
 t-tests, analysis of variance, chi square tests
 Examine relationships among variables;
 (e.g., correlation, multiple regression), and
 Graph results (e.g., bar charts, Pie charts line graphs).
 variables, as well as for merging and aggregating datasets
 SPSS also has a number of ways to summarize and display data in the
form of tables and graphs
 It also contains several tools for manipulating data, including
functions for recoding data and computing
 Limitations
 SPSS has two important limitation:

1. SPSS users have less control over statistical

output than, for example, SAS, Stata or Gauss
users.

2. SPSS does not Analyze qualitative data types.

That is why we need to convert qualitative
data in to quantitative before analysis
 Starting SPSS
To start SPSS:
 From the Windows Start menu choose:
 Programs → SPSS for Windows → SPSS 16.0
 Or double-clicking on an SPSS file.
 When you start, you see by default the Data Editor window.
 SPSS for Windows
Data Editor Windows
•Data View: Used to Key in data for analysis
•Variable View: Used to define Variables

Output Viewer Windows

Syntax Editor Windows

Command syntax Windows

 Data Editor Windows

Initial SPSS Data Editor Screen

Output Windows View
Syntax Editor Windows V. 13
Syntax V. 16
 Basic information
File
Windows Function
Suffix
Editor .sav Used to define, enter, and edit your data and to run statistical tests
Output .spo Contains the results of the statistical procedures
This window is activated when you click on the Paste function and records a record
of the operations that are "pasted." Although this is beyond the goals of these
Syntax .sps
lessons, you may want to know that SPSS commands can actually be run from this
window.
 Creating the Data File
Step 1. Notice on the bottom left hand corner of the
screen that you can access either the Data View or
Variable View window.
 For establishing the variables and their characteristics, you
should work in the Variable View window.
Step 2. In the space for Name, type the desired variable
name, which can be no more than 8 characters in length.
 The first character must be alphabetic; the remaining
characters can be alphabetic and/or numeric, and no spaces
can appear in the name.
Step 3. Next press the Tab key and you will notice that
SPSS assigns default values to all of the settings.
 Create a separate line for each case and

 create a separate column for each variable of interest

 Creating Data …
Step 4. Now, you should set up the next variable.
 Click on line 2 of the Name column, on the next variable column
and type “Sex".
 use the codes 1 (F) and 2 (M) to represent females and males,
respectively,
 Next, click on Label -"gender of the participants."

Step 5. You should now define each of the remaining four

variables. After you do this, click on the Data View window
Step 6. Now, type in the data for the first six persons in our
data sheet.
 Start by clicking in the left-most column of the first line and type
the person's number (i.e., "1"), then, press the Tab Key or the right
arrow key and type the first person's gender (i.e., "2").
Step 7. If satisfied with your data file, you should save it.
 Click on File and Save and type in a file name (e.g., "soupkit").
 SPSS automatically adds the ". sav" suffix to your file name.
 Functions of the columns
Change Settings Default Value
Type -- allows you to define the type of variable numeric
Width -- total number of characters 8
Decimals -- number of characters beyond the decimal point 2
Label -- allows you to list a more extensive label for your
variable. Eight character variable names are difficult to
none
remember, and we recommend that you always exercise the
option of listing a more descriptive label.
Value -- allows you to provide labels for the various levels of a
none
variable
none
Missing Values -- enables you to designate certain scores as
missing.

Columns --allows you to change the maximum number of

8
characters in a column.
Align -- allows you to determine the alignment of your column right
Measure -- allows you to determine the kind of scale for that
scale
particular variable

List of the functions of the columns and the default values.

Practical Exercises
 Sources and Organization of Data
A. Type in Data
Example: Sample Survey Study
 The data used in this guide are based on a survey of a

sample of Income. The Questionnaire shown below

1. Age? ____
2. What is the highest education degree you have received?
 Diploma / Bachelor’s degree / Master’s degree / PhD and

Others
3. Income?
 below $8000 / $8000-$15000 / $15001-25000 / above $25001

4. Sex? Female / Male.

 Suppose we have a data set. There are 10 sample rows

of the data below:
 Data set from Questionnaire
Table 1; Raw data set obtained from the Questionnaire
Age Education Income Sex

22 Diplomas $8000-$15000 Male

28 Bachelor’s degree above $25001 Male

25 Others below $8000 Male

28 Bachelor’s degree $15001-25000 Male

30 Master’s degree above $25001 Female

21 Diplomas $8000-$15000 Age

25 Bachelor’s degree $15001-25000 Female

23 Diplomas $8000-$15000 Female

- Others below $8000 Male

35 Master’s degree above $25001 Male

 Coding and Defining Variables
 A coding scheme is a way to associate a particular data code
with a questionnaire response.
 The codes are what you enter into a data file.
 For example, for nominal variables, either coding way is acceptable for
SPSS.
 In question 4 (i.e. Sex) in sample questionnaire, you can define
the “Sex” as two strings value (i.e. f=female, m=male)
 In question 3 (i.e. Income per month) in sample survey, you can
define the “Income” as four numeric value
 (i.e. 1=below $8000, 2=$8000-$15000, 3=$15001-25000, 4=above $25001)
 In question 2 (i.e. Education Level) in sample questionnaire,
you can define the “Education” as four numeric value
 (i.e. 1=Diploma, 2=Bachelor, 3=Master, 4=Others)
 Table 2; Numeric and string variable
Female coding Male
Numeric 1 2
String (alphabetic) “f” “m”
 Label Variables and Values
 Give more detail description but not over 120 characters and “Variable
Labels” are case sensitive
For example:
 Question 1 - You can type “Age” in the Label cell in the row 1.

 Question 2 - You can type “Education” in the Label cell in the row 2.

 Question 3 - You can type “Income per month” in the Label cell in the row

3.
 Question 4 - You can type “Gender” in the Label cell in the row 4.
 Values Label …
 To define a values label, click the Values cell in the row for the
variable, and then click button in the cell.
 When the “Value Labels” dialog box appears, enter the data
value and the descriptive label.
 For example, In question 2 in sample , you can define the
“Education” as four numeric values.
 1=Diploma 2=Bachelor’s degree 3=Master’s degree 4=Others
 Import Data
To Convert Excel file:
1. From the menu, choose File > Open > Data, then the ‘File
Open’ dialog box appears.
2. Choose Excel from ‘files of type’. And then select the drive
and the directory in which your Excel file is located.
3. The ‘Opening File Options’ dialog box appears, check ‘Read
Assume you
 variable have and
names’ Exceltype
file as like as below
“A1:E11” in the Range.
 Importing Data …
B. Importing Data from Excel Files
 Running an Analysis
From the menus choose:
Analyze
Descriptive Statistics
Frequencies...

This opens the Frequencies dialog box

 Defining the variable
Select (click) the variable Income category
 Defined labels for income variable
 Examining Results
 Frequency table of income categories
 Printing the Output
 You can print output file or selected portion.
 To Print output file and charts:
 Make the Viewer the active windows
 From the menus choose File> Print
 Select the print settings you want.
 Click OK to print.
 Examining the Output

ANOVA Output
 Creating Tables for Your Data
 Step 1. Click on Analyze, then Custom Tables, then Basic
Tables.
 Step 2. Move the dependent variable measure ("verbsat")
into the Summaries field.
 Step 3. Move the independent variable ("studygrp") into
the Subgroups Down field.
 Step 4. Click on Statistics and Add the statistics that you
would like to see. For this example, calculate the mean,
standard deviation, and standard error of the mean (S. E.
Mean), and any other statistics that you would like to see.
 Step 5. Click on Continue and then OK. The statistics
should then appear in a table like the one shown below
 Creating Tables

Showing a Table
 Creating a Simple Bar Graph
Step 1. Click on Graphs, then Bar.
Step 2. In the Bar Charts menu, click on Simple and
then Define.
Step 3. In the Define Simple Bar menu, first select
Other summary function (and move it into the
Variable field.
Step 4. Now move the independent variable
("studygrp") into the Category Axis field.
Step 5. If you wish to create a title for your figure, click
on Titles, and type a title.
Step 6. When you are ready, click on OK, and compare
your figure with the one below.
SPSS Simple Bar Graph
Fig. Income versus Education graph of the Respondents
 SUMMARY
 SPSS is an acronym for Statistical packages for the Social Sciences
used in research for statistical data analysis
 It is very helpful to social scientists and social science students,
scholars undertaking quantitative research and undergraduates
working on their senior theses.
 Research has become part and parcel of our daily life; Proficiency
with statistical software packages is indispensible to one and all
 As student of Management we must learn SPSS and make use of it in our
future career.
 It covers a broad range of statistical procedures that allow you to
scientifically summarize and present data;
 SPSS requires separate training and continuous exercises in order
to use it effectively-Training is recommended to all
 It is user friendly software package as a more general guide is provided with
the Windows Help version of SPSS and then click on Tutorials so that you can
access tutorial sessions for yourself.
 For more information on SPSS, you can also log in to the
SPSS Homepage; http://www.spss.com/
Thank You!