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Unit 2 Getting to know SPSS

Course Intended Learning At the end of the unit, the students are expected.
Outcomes
1. identify and describe functions of SPSS windows, menu choices, and dialogue box buttons;
2. recognize procedures in starting SPSS; and
3. demonstrate procedure in running data set using SPSS.
Essential Questions What are the functions of SPSS windows, menu choices, and dialogue box buttons; and
How to run data Using SPSS
Overview
SPSS for Windows (Now called IBM SPSS Statistics) allows you to store data, perform data transformations
and analysis. You can produce tables, charts, and graphs of results. In a fashion like Microsoft Excel, data are
entered into a spreadsheet, but unlike in Excel, results are displayed in a separate output window. The data file
as well as the output can be saved independently of each other. The output can be exported to a word
processing application such as Microsoft Word, Adobe PageMaker, or Corel WordPerfect for inclusion in
papers or reports.

Learning Targets At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
- describe functions of SPSS windows, menu choices, and dialogue box buttons and demonstrate
procedure in running data set using SPSS.

Compared to some other statistical programs, SPSS is user-friendly,still, there often is a steep learning
Activation of Prior curve that prevents users from using the program effectively. The SPSS manual, like most software manuals, is not
Knowledge the easiest thing to read. Many will not be bothered to read them. Researchers and students all too often take their
works to so-called experts who just churn out statistics that are irrelevant and inaccurate.
Presentation and
SPSS is software for editing and analyzing all sorts of data. These data may come from basically any source:
development of
Concepts scientific research, a customer database, Google Analytics or even the server log files of a website. SPSS can open all file
formats that are commonly used for structured data such as
 spreadsheets from MS Excel or OpenOffice;

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 plain text files (.txt or .csv);

 relational (SQL) databases;

 Stata and SAS.

After opening data, SPSS displays them in a spreadsheet-like fashion as shown in the screenshot below

SPSS contains all basic statistical tests and multivariate analyses such as
 t-tests;
 chi-square tests;
 ANOVA;

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 correlations and other association measures;

 regression;
 nonparametric tests;
 factor analysis;

 cluster analysis.

Access the following curated contents to be able to actively participate in our synchronous and asynchronous discussions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zFBUfZEBWQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bapuGcjwiLQ

Learning Task 2.

Application the In a group, gather the data of your ages and determine the mean and standard deviation using SPSS. Record through video
generalized concepts the process of the activity.

Assessment This test consists) a multiple-choice question section Read each question-and-answer choice carefully and choose the ONE
correct answer
Part 1.

1. Which of these statements is true about SPSS? 4. Which statistical measure of central tendency is used for Non Parametric
a. The data view contains participant data, the variable view has information test
on our variables a. Mean

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b. Each row in the data view contains information on one variable b. Median
c. The data view contains information on our variables, the variable view c. Mode
contains our participant data d. Range
d. You are allowed to create variables names with spaces
5. Which of the following must you NOT do in SPSS?
2.  In SPSS, to conduct a Chi-square test with more than one variable, we a. Create variable names with no spaces
would need to go to: b. Copy and paste SPSS tables directly into reports
a. Analyse -> Non-parametric tests ->Legacy dialog -> Binomial test c. Save and/or export your SPSS files and outputs
b. Analyse -> Non-parametric tests -> Legacy dialog -> Chi-square test d. Give unique names to each of your variable
c. Analyse -> Descriptive statistics -> Crosstabs
d. Analyse -> Descriptive statistics -> Frequencies 6. How would you print a bar chart that you have just produced in SPSS?
a. In Output Viewer, click File, Print, select the bar chart and click OK
3. In testing for the difference between two populations, it is possible to use b. In Variable Viewer, open bar chart, click File, Print, OK
a. Mann Whitney c. In Chart Editor, click Descriptive Statistics, Print, OK
b. Kruskal Wallis d. In Data Editor, open Graphs dialog box, click Save, OK
c. Wilcoxon
d. None of the above

7.Why might you tell SPSS to represent the "slices" of a pie chart in different
patterns?
a. Because the program tends to crash if you ask it to use colour
b. Because the patterns form symbolic visual images of different social
groups
c. In order to make full use of the facilities that SPSS can offer
d. If you do not have a colour printer, it makes the differences between the
slices clearer

8. How is a variable name different from a variable label?

a. It is shorter and less detailed
b. It is longer and more detailed
c. It is abstract and unspecific
d. It refers to codes rather than variables

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9. In SPSS, what is the "Data Viewer"?

a. A table summarizing the frequencies of data for one variable
b. A spreadsheet into which data can be entered
c. A dialog box that allows you to choose a statistical test
d. A screen in which variables can be defined and labeled

10. What is the advantage of using SPSS over calculating statistics by

hand?
a. This is how most quantitative data analysis is done in "real research"
nowadays
b. It reduces the chance of making errors in your calculations
c. It equips you with a useful transferable skill
d. All of the above

Key Points to Ponder

 PSS is a widely used program for statistical analysis in social science. It is also used by market researchers, health researchers, survey companies,
government, education researchers, marketing organizations, data miners, and others. The original SPSS manual (Nie, Bent & Hull, 1970)  has been
described as one of "sociology's most influential books" for allowing ordinary researchers to do their own statistical analysis. In addition to statistical
analysis, data management (case selection, file reshaping, creating derived data) and data documentation (a metadata dictionary is stored in
the datafile) are features of the base software.
 The many features of SPSS Statistics are accessible via pull-down menus or can be programmed with a proprietary 4GL command syntax language.
Command syntax programming has the benefits of reproducible output, simplifying repetitive tasks, and handling complex data manipulations and
analyses. Additionally, some complex applications can only be programmed in syntax and are not accessible through the menu structure. The pull-
down menu interface also generates command syntax: this can be displayed in the output, although the default settings have to be changed to make
the syntax visible to the user. They can also be pasted into a syntax file using the "paste" button present in each menu. Programs can be run
interactively or unattended, using the supplied Production Job Facility.

Additional Readings

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http://jumed15.weebly.com/uploads/5/8/7/5/58753271/getting-to-know-spss.pdf