SPSS-PC Cue Sheet

 

This cue sheet, based on SPSS-PC Version 7.0, only covers the basic functions for survival only. To fully utilize the powerful functions of the SPSS-PC program, you should explore the different option under each menu.

THE SIX STEPS TO USE SPSS-PC

TO ANALYZE DATA

  1. Create a new data file

    2. 1. Click the SPSS icon in Windows.

    2. Under FILE menu, click NEW, then click DATA.

    3. Enter variable name by clicking the VAR cell. Fill in the name of the variable in the box VARIABLE LABEL, e.g., "age." A good habit is to start your first variable as the case ID.

    4. Click change settings if your variable is not numerical or if you need to specify missing values.

    5. To display the variable name and value labels in the output, click the LABEL box under change settings, enter the name in the box VARIABLE LABEL, e.g., age, and the value label, VALUE=1, VALUE LABEL=under 20 in separate boxes, click ADD after each entry. Finish your entry of all variable names before entering data.

    6. Enter data by starting each case on a new row from the left to right after the VAR row. Type one datum in one cell only.

  2. Save data file

    3. Open FILE menu and click SAVE. Save the file with an extension ".sav." e.g., research.sav. Save your file after typing every five to ten minutes to avoid any accidental loss of data.

  3. Check data
  1. Under STATISTICS menu, click SUMMARIZE, click the CASE SUMMARIES option.
  2. To check which case has errors in data entry, pick some variables that have only two possible values such as "gender" and list "ID" with "gender".
  3. Highlight the variable ID and hit the arrow button.
  4. Highlight the variable GENDER and hit the arrow button.
  5. Click OK. You will see an output like this:

ID

Gender

1

1

2

1

3

2

4

5

5

1

 

From this table you can see that case 4 has an error in data entry because "5" is not a possible value. Go back to case 4 and check for the correct value. You should make sure the file is free from data entry before starting any statistical analysis.

IV. Editing data

If you need to create a new variable based on the variables in the file, use COMPUTE command under the TRANFORM menu. e.g., STATUS = income+education

Under the EDIT menu, you should be able to perform all the editing function such as cut, copy and paste.

Under the DATA menu, you can edit the data such as adding cases and variables.

V. Statistical Analysis

  1. Under the STATISTICS menu, choose SUMMARIZE, then the FREQUENCIES option for frequency distribution/percentages. In the FREQUENCIES box, chick the STATISTICS button, check the statistics that you want to be displayed in the output.
  2. To create two-way tables, under the STATISTICS menu, choose SUMMARIZE, then the CROSSTABS option for cross-tabulations.
  3. Click the STATISTICS button to display statistics that you need.

VI. Handling SPSS Output

 

You either print or save the output after it appears on the screen. To print the output, under FILE menu, click PRINT. To save it, click SAVE AS and save the file under a separate name from the data file (otherwise, you'll overwrite the data file with the output file which contains no data). The general practice is to save the file under extension *.lst.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Updated: July 05, 1997
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