This week we got a question from Timo.
Is it possible to use syntax when recoding variables? For example, if I
had a variable that included the following values:
Ladybird
Bluebird
Elm
Butterfly
and I wanted to recode any values that included ‘bird’ into a new value
‘bird’, can I do this with the Recode transformation?
To solve to problem the following syntax is an option:
DATA LIST LIST /var1(A15).
BEGIN DATA
Bluebird
Ladybird
Birdwatcher
Butterfly
Elm
END DATA.
STRING newVar(A15).
DO IF INDEX(UPCASE(var1),”BIRD”) > 0 .
- COMPUTE newVar=”BIRD”.
END IF.
EXECUTE.
Do you also need an answer to your SPSS question, submit your question here.
August 17th, 2006
If you are curious about the latest developments in SPSS, and want to check out the new – still to become available in store – version of SPSS (15.0), visit this page about the See it in SPSS: free seminar exclusively for SPSS customers. Unfortunately for us, only in the US.
August 15th, 2006
andris
The most easy way to present data in a cross table is to use the table function in SPSS. To do this first go to analyze>tables>basic tables. This opens the following screen.
Now we drag the question “what is your sex?†into down and “SPSS lessons†into across. By clicking statistics we will get the following screen.
To get the amount and the row percentage into the crosstable, we drag “row%†and “count†into the right box. Now we click continue.
By clicking ok you will get the following cross table:
Tip: If you want a total percentage or amount in your table, just click on “total” at the basic tables screen, and choose the option “totals over each group variables”.
Files used for this example:
SPSSlog.com example data sheet
SPSSlog.com SPSS file
SPSSLog.com example questionnaire
May 27th, 2006
The most easy way to present data is to create a table. There are different ways in SPSS to create a table. We will describe the most common way of creating table.
The most common way of creating a table is with the descriptive statistics function. To do this first go to analyze>descriptive statistics>frequencies. This opens the following screen:
Now we drag the question “what is your sex?†into the variables. By clicking ok you will get the following tables:
The first table shows how many valid cases there are and how many there are missing.
The second table shows:
- The 1st column: This shows the value names and the total.
- The 2nd column: This show the frequency of the values.
- The 3rd column: This shows the percentage of the values including the missing cases.
- The 4th column: This shows the percentage of the values excluding the missing cases.
- The 5th column: This shows the cumulative percentage; this can be important information.
Files used for this example:
SPSSlog.com example data sheet
SPSSlog.com SPSS file
SPSSLog.com example questionnaire
May 21st, 2006
This example is based on a market research project. In this project a questionnaire went out and we got a lot of data back from our respondents. To have a guideline when filling in your data, using a codebook is very handy. In fact, it is essential if someone else is filling in data for you. Below you can find an explanation on how to make this codebook.
1. Make a copy of your questionnaire document, and name it e.g. codebook.doc (a little obvious, I know).
2. Change the question numbers into variable names. The most logical thing to do is to give question 1 the variable name q1, question 2 the variable name q2, etc.
3. Now start coding the answer categories. If your question has only one possible answer, than you can code the first answer as 1, the second as 2.
4. If your question has multiple possible answers, than you should take a different approach. The most handy one is the following. For each possible answer, you make a new variable. For example, the first possible answer for question 11, you give the variable 11a. The second possible answer, give it variable 11b, etc.
After you have done this, you can start define your variables in SPSS.
Files used for this example:
SPSSlog.com example data sheet
SPSSlog.com SPSS file
SPSSLog.com example questionnaire
May 10th, 2006
andris
Many visitors of our blog are searching for information about the one sample t-test.
From the menus choose: Analyze>Compare Means>Means
Select one or more dependent variables.Use one of the following methods to select categorical independent variables:
Select one or more independent variables. Separate results are displayed for each independent variable.
Select one or more layers of independent variables. Each layer further subdivides the sample. If you have one independent variable in Layer 1 and one independent variable in Layer 2, the results are displayed in one crossed table, as opposed to separate tables for each independent variable.
May 8th, 2006
First refer to Importing data into SPSS. If you have read it, than you can continue below.
Typically, columns of data in an ASCII file are separated by a space, tab, comma, or some other character. SPSS has a Text Import Wizard that will help you import data in an ASCII file format:
1. Select File -> Open -> Data
2. Choose Text as the File Type if your ASCII file has the .txt extension. Otherwise you could choose the option All files
3. Select the file you want to import and click Open
4. The next thing that will pop up is the Import text wizard. First click Next if your file does not match a predefined format. It probably doesn’t, so click Next.
5. In step 2, you can set the first question to Delimited. In the second question you choose wether you have a header row or not (are variables names included in the top of the file). After setting the options right, choose Next.
6. In step 3, set the line where the first case of your data begins (normally on line 1), set how your cases are represented (normally each line represents a case), and how many cases you want to import (choose for yourself, normally you import All of the cases. Click Next.
7. In step 4, set the delimiters of your file (probably comma or space). If your text has quotes (or anything else) around it, than specify this. In most cases you can just set it to None. As you can see, based on the choices you make here, SPSS already formats the file in the small screen in the bottom. There you can check if everything is set correctly. Choose Next when it looks fine.
8. In step 5 you can set the specifications for the variables, but you can just skip it if you have already defined your variables or want to do it later.
9. In step 6 you can just leave all the options as they are, and click Finish. You’re done!
May 3rd, 2006
andris
First refer to Importing data into SPSS. If you have read it, than you can continue below.
Before you start the actual import process, please keep in mind that the Excel file should not be opened in Excel.
1. Select File -> Open -> Data
2. Choose Excel as the File Type
3. Select the file you want to import and click Open
Â
4. The next thing that will pop up is a screen called Opening Excel Data Source. If you use a header row, than tick the option Read variable names from the first row of data. Select the right worksheet you want to import from (the same as the tabs in Excel). If you have no clue, leave it as is. It will probably select the right one automatically. If you do not want to import the whole worksheet, you can use the field Range to define the cells you want to import, otherwise just leave empty. Click OK.
SPSS will automatically determine the type of each variable, so after you clicked OK, you are ready!
May 3rd, 2006
andris
Today Erik from the Netherlands sent us the following question:
What is the diffrence between nominal, ordinal and scale?
In SPSS you can specify the level of measurement as scale (numeric data on an interval or ratio scale), ordinal, or nominal. Nominal and ordinal data can be either string alphanumeric) or numeric.But what is the difference?
Nominal.
A variable can be treated as nominal when its values represent categories with no intrinsic ranking; for example, the department of the company in which an employee works. Examples of nominal variables include region, zip code, or religious affiliation.A variable can be treated as nominal when its values represent categories with no intrinsic ranking; for example, the department of the company in which an employee works. Examples of nominal variables include region, zip code, or religious affiliation.
Ordinal.
A variable can be treated as ordinal when its values represent categories with some intrinsic ranking; for example, levels of service satisfaction from highly dissatisfied to highly satisfied. Examples of ordinal variables include attitude scores representing degree of satisfaction or confidence and preference rating scores.
A variable can be treated as ordinal when its values represent categories with some intrinsic ranking; for example, levels of service satisfaction from highly dissatisfied to highly satisfied. Examples of ordinal variables include attitude scores representing degree of satisfaction or confidence and preference rating scores.For ordinal string variables, the alphabetic order of string values is assumed to reflect the true order of the categories. For example, for a string variable with the values of low, medium, high, the order of the categories is interpreted as high, low,mediumwhich is not the correct order. In general, it is more reliable to use numeric codes to represent ordinal data.
Scale.
A variable can be treated as scale when its values represent ordered categories with a meaningful metric, so that distance comparisons between values are appropriate. Examples of scale variables include age in years and income in thousands of dollars.A variable can be treated as scale when its values represent ordered categories with a meaningful metric, so that distance comparisons between values are appropriate. Examples of scale variables include age in years and income in thousands of dollars.
(Source: SPSS User Guide)
May 3rd, 2006
First refer to Importing data into SPSS. If you have read it, than you can continue below.
1. Select File -> Open -> Data
2. Choose Text as the File Type
3. Select the file you want to import and click Open
4. The next thing that will pop up is the Import text wizard. First click Next if your file does not match a predefined format. It probably doesn’t, so click Next. 
Â
5. In step 2, you can set the first question to Delimited. In the second question you choose wether you have a header row or not (are variables names included in the top of the file). After setting the options right, choose Next.
6. In step 3, set the line where the first case of your data begins (normally on line 1), set how your cases are represented (normally each line represents a case), and how many cases you want to import (choose for yourself, normally you import All of the cases. Click Next.
Â
7. In step 4, set the delimiters of your file (Tab it would be). If your text has quotes (or anything else) around it, than specify this. In most cases you can just set it to None. As you can see, based on the choices you make here, SPSS already formats the file in the small screen in the bottom. There you can check if everything is set correctly. Choose Next when it looks fine.
Â
8. In step 5 you can set the specifications for the variables, but you can just skip it if you have already defined your variables or want to do it later. Choose Next.
9. In step 6 you can just leave all the options as they are, and click Finish. You’re done!
May 3rd, 2006
andris
Next Posts
Previous Posts
