1. Understanding SPSS II
Workshop Series
July 19, 2017

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4. What is SPSS? Statistical analysis software
Descriptive statistics and frequencies
T-Tests, ANOVA, correlations, etc.
Tabulated reports, graphs, and charts.
Can also be used for data management

5. SPSS or Excel? Some benefits of using SPSS over Excel include:
Quick and easy access to descriptives
Variety of charts and graphs
Flexible pivot tables
Easy to create subsets
Easy value labeling
User friendly with output that is easy to understand

6. Today’s Topics SPSS Syntax Merging Datasets Custom Tables
How to Save a File

7. Syntax Syntax can be used as an alternate to Point-and-Click.
Effective for repetitive tasks.
Useful for creating reports multiple times.
Same syntax can be used for different datasets.

8. Syntax: Rename Variables
To rename a specific variable, use the following syntax:
RENAME VARIABLES variable name = new name. EXECUTE.
Using Dataset 1, rename TotalGradePointAverage to TOTGPA.
Highlight your syntax and click the run arrow
You can also use Ctrl+R as a shortcut.
Be sure your active dataset is the one you want to run the syntax on.

9. Syntax: Value Labels Enter value labels for Gender where
1 = Female
2 = Male
The syntax to create value labels:
VALUE LABELS Gender 1 ‘Female’ 2 ‘Male’. EXECUTE.
To add value labels to a string variable, put quotes around the value:
VALUE LABELS Gender ‘1’ ‘Female’ ‘2’ ‘Male’. EXECUTE.

10. Syntax: Formats
To change the current format of a variable, use the FORMATS syntax.
Round TOTGPA to 2 decimals by adjusting its format:
FORMATS TOTGPA (F3.2). EXECUTE.
The length of string variables can also be adjusted:
FORMATS variable name (A#). EXECUTE.

11. Syntax: Alter Type
We can alter and adjust the format of variables using ALTER TYPE.
Change Gender from a numeric variable to a string with a width of 1.
ALTER TYPE Gender (A1). EXECUTE.
To alter from string to numeric:
ALTER TYPE variable name (F#.#).

12. Syntax: Compute (with IF statements)
New variables can be computed using a specific value or from pre- existing variables.
Create a numeric variable called ‘Honors’ that flags students with a TOTGPA greater than or equal to 3.5.
First, compute the Honors variable to equal 0. Second, flag those with TOTGPA greater than or equal to 3.5.
COMPUTE Honors = 0. IF TOTGPA >= 3.5 Honors = 1. EXECUTE.

13. Syntax: Compute (with IF statements) cont’d
To create a new string variable, the variable itself must be created before its values are computed.
Create a string variable called ‘Class_Standing’ that flags Freshmen and Sophomores as 1 for Lower Division and Junior and Seniors as 2 for Upper Division.
STRING Class_Standing (A1). COMPUTE Class_Standing = ‘1’. IF Level = ‘Junior’ OR Level = ‘Senior’ Class_Standing = 2. EXECUTE.

14. Syntax: ANY Statement
Instead of using the OR statement, we can use the ANY statement.
ANY is more compact and efficient.
Going back to the last example, let’s use the ANY statement in the last example instead of OR.
STRING Class_Standing (A1). COMPUTE Class_Standing = ‘1’. IF ANY(Level, ‘Junior’, ‘Senior’) Class_Standing = 2. EXECUTE.

15. Syntax ANY Statement Cont’d
In general, the ANY statement has this format:
ANY(variable, value1, value2, value3,…)
Translation: IF variable = value1 OR variable = value2 OR variable = value3 …
ANY(value, variable1, variable2, variable3,…)
Translation: IF variable1 = value OR variable2 = value OR variable3 = value …

16. Syntax: Apply Current Syntax to Dataset 2
Select Dataset 2 to be your active dataset.
High all syntax (Ctrl+A) and press the run icon.
If no syntax is highlighted, the entire syntax is run by default.

17. Merging Datasets
We can merge two datasets together by adding cases or variables.
There are two ways to merge datasets in SPSS. Using the top ribbon select Data -> Merge Files ->:
1. Add Cases
2. Add Variables

18. Merging Datasets: Add Cases
First we will add cases with Dataset 1 being the active dataset.
Select Dataset 2 to add cases from.
Check to make sure variable names, types, and widths are the same.
Unpaired variables are variables that are not in both datasets or do not match name, type, or width.

19. Merging Datasets: Add Variables
Before merging two datasets together by adding variables, there should not be duplicate cases in the second dataset.
First, identify duplicate cases in Dataset 3:
Data - > Identify Duplicate Cases
Since there are no duplicates, we can proceed with the merge.
An error message will appear in the output if there are duplicate cases in the keyed table.

20. Merging Datasets: Add Variables
We can add variables to our current dataset by merging Dataset 3 into number 1 by ID.
Key variables are used to match cases within one dataset to another.
Check match cases on key variables and move ID to the key variables section.
The keyed table does not have duplicate key variable values.

21. Custom Tables
Custom Tables can be used to create more complex outputs than Descriptive Statistics. Drag and drop variables similar to an Excel Pivot Table.
Analyze -> Tables - > Custom Tables
Create a table that breaks down STEM and non-STEM majors by Gender and Class_Standing.
Next, add Level to the table.

22. Custom Tables cont’d Click on STEM and open Summary Statistics.
Add Column N % and Layer N %
Categories and Totals
Change the order of values, add totals and subtotals
Paste Syntax for later use:

23. Saving a File File -> Save As
Save file in different formats (.txt, .xlsx, .csv, SAS, STATA, etc.)
Variables – Select specific variables you want to keep.

24. Thank You! Questions/comments? Contact Us AD-170 909-537-5052