Introduction to SPSS: Defining Variables and Data Entry
You will be on this page after SPSS is started Click Cancel
Choose variable view by clicking this button
Type the name of the variable here
Lets assume our first variable is Gender The variable name Gender has been typed
Click Type (1) Press OK (3) (2) Choose Numeric
Type a label for this variable, e.g. Gender of Respondent* *Note: It is not necessary to provide a label for the variable. It serves to remind the researcher about the variable if a label is provided
1. Click Values 2. Click this sign to assign the Value Labels of the variable 4. Click add 3. Type 1 here, then Male here Assuming we have the following coding scheme for Gender 1.Male 2.Female
After Add is pressed the value label 1 = Male is transferred here
1. Type 2 3. Press Add 2. Type Female
2. Press OK to execute the process 1. The value label 2 = Female is now here
The process of defining the first variable Gender is now completed. Press the 1 st column of the 2 nd row to define the 2 nd variable Lets say the 2 nd variable is Age
Type Age
Under the Label type Age Group of Respondent
Assuming we have the following coding scheme for Age 1. 20 25 years 2. 26 30 years 3. 31 35 years 4. 36 40 years 5. 41 years and above
2. Type 1 for Value 1. Press here to define the value labels 4. Click Add 3. Type 20-25 years for Value Label Repeat Steps 2, 3, 4 for the remaining value labels: Value 2 ; Value Label 26 30 years Value 3 ; Value Label 31 35 years Value 4 ; Value Label 36 40 years Value 5 ; Value Label 41 and above
Press OK after all the value labels for Age have been defined
The process of assigning the value labels for Age is completed
Lets move to the third variable. Assume that the next item in the questionnaire asks respondent to indicate his/her degree of agreement to the following statement: I enjoy my Business Research Methods class 1. Strongly Disagree 2. Disagree 3. Undecided 4. Agree 5. Strongly Agree
I have chosen BRM1 as the variable name to indicate that it is the first question related to Business Research Methods. It is arbitrary, we can also use other names.
Under the Label give a short descriptive label for the variable, e.g. Enjoy BRM
1. Press here to define the value labels for BRM1 3. Press Add 2. Type 1 for Value, and type Strongly Disagree for Value Label
B Press OK to execute A Repeat the process for the remaining value labels of BRM1, i.e. 2. Disagree 3. Undecided 4. Agree 5. Strongly Agree
The variable BRM1 and its value labels are now defined
Now let us practice some data entry with SPSS Assume we have received ten completed questionnaires from our respondents. Respondent 1 with the following responses: Female (2) 26 30 years (2) Agree (4) Value labels for Male and Female in variable Gender Respondent 2 with the following responses: Male (1) 31 35 years (3) Disagree (2) Respondent 3 with the following responses Female (2) 31 35 years (3) Strongly Agree (5)
Now let us practice some data entry with SPSS Assume we have received ten completed questionnaires from our respondents. Respondent 1 with the following responses: Female (2) 26 30 years (2) Agree (4) Value labels for Age Groups in variable Age Respondent 2 with the following responses: Male (1) 31 35 years (3) Disagree (2) Respondent 3 with the following responses Female (2) 31 35 years (3) Strongly Agree (5)
Now let us practice some data entry with SPSS Assume we have received ten completed questionnaires from our respondents. Respondent 1 with the following responses: Female (2) 26 30 years (2) Agree (4) Value labels for the degree of agreement in variable BRM1 Respondent 2 with the following responses: Male (1) 31 35 years (3) Disagree (2) Respondent 3 with the following responses Female (2) 31 35 years (3) Strongly Agree (5)
Respondent 4 Male (1) 41 years and above (5) Agree (4) Respondent 5 Female (2) 31 35 years (3) Strongly Agree (5) Respondent 6 Male (1) 20 25 years (1) Disagree (2) Respondent 8 Female (2) 20-25 years (1) Strongly Agree (5) Respondent 9 Male (1) 31 35 years (3) Disagree (2) Respondent 10 Female (2) 26 30 years (2) Agree (4) Respondent 7 Male (1) 26 30 years (2) Agree (4)
To start entering data, we need to switch to the Data View Switch to the Data View by pressing this button
Type the values of the responses for Respondent 1 (Row 1) for the three variables (Gender, Age, and BRM1) Respondent 1 with the following responses: Female (2) 26 30 years (2) Agree (4)
Respondent 2 is in Row 2 Respondent 2 Male (1) 31 35 years (3) Disagree (2)
Respondent 3 Female (2) 31 35 years (3) Strongly Agree (5) Respondent 4 Male (1) 41 years and above (5) Agree (4) Repeat the process for all the remaining respondents. Respondent 9 Male (1) 31 35 years (3) Disagree (2) Respondent 10 Female (2) 26 30 years (2) Respondent 5 Female (2) 31 35 years (3) Strongly Agree (5) Respondent 6 Male (1) 20 25 years (1) Disagree (2) Agree (4) Respondent 7 Now, the data entry process for Male (1) 26 30 years (2) the 10 respondents is completed. Agree (4) Don t forget to save our work before we logoff. Respondent 8 Female (2) 20-25 years (1) Strongly Agree (5)
1. Click File, 2. Then Save As.. 5. Press Save 3. Choose your folder 4. Type in the name that you want for this file, e.g. practice
Descriptive Analysis
Opening an SPSS Data File
1. File 2. Open 3. Data
Choose the folder where your SPSS data is saved
1. Select the SPSS data file you want to open for analysis 2. Press Open
PERFORMING DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS
1. Analyze 2. Descriptive Statistics 3. Frequencies
1. Select the variable(s) to analyze 2. Click this arrow to bring the selected variable(s) to the right
The selected variable is now brought to the Variable(s) box
Select all the variables you want to analyze
3. Press OK to execute 2. Press Continue 1. Choose Charts if you also want to have the frequencies to be displayed in charts. I have selected Pie charts
SPSS OUTPUT
Frequencies N Valid Missing Statistics AGE MARITAL GROUP OF STATUS OF RESPOND RESPOND ORGANISATI LENGTH OF ENT ENT ONAL TYPE SERVICE 30 30 30 30 0 0 0 0 Frequency Table The number of respondents AGE GROUP OF RESPONDENT Valid 25 YEARS AND BELOW 26-35 YEARS 36 YEARS AND ABOVE Total Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent 4 13.3 13.3 13.3 24 80.0 80.0 93.3 2 6.7 6.7 100.0 30 100.0 100.0 The % of respondents for each group
MARITAL STATUS OF RESPONDENT Valid MARRIED SINGLE Total Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent 26 86.7 86.7 86.7 4 13.3 13.3 100.0 30 100.0 100.0 ORGANISATIONAL TYPE Valid SEMI-GOVT ORGN Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent 30 100.0 100.0 100.0 LENGTH OF SERVICE Valid 3 YEARS OR LESS 4-6 YEARS 7-9 YEARS 10-12 YEARS Total Cumulative Frequency Percent Valid Percent Percent 6 20.0 20.0 20.0 8 26.7 26.7 46.7 7 23.3 23.3 70.0 9 30.0 30.0 100.0 30 100.0 100.0
AGE GROUP OF RESPONDENT 25 YEARS AND BELOW 26-35 YEARS 36 YEARS AND ABOVE
LENGTH OF SERVICE 3 YEARS OR LESS 4-6 YEARS 7-9 YEARS 10-12 YEARS