SPSS Tutorial

Part I - Part II

- Setting up the data file -

You are going to create a simple data file in SPSS and learn to manipulate the data. This procedure is very step-by-step as not too lose those who have never been this way before.

Let's assume we've completed a survey of twelve people who have completed a weight reduction program. Each person is sequentially assigned an ID number. We've asked them their height, original weight, sex, political party, weight after the weight reduction program, and eight questions from an extroversion questionnaire. First, you'll need to open SPSS from the desktop. It should look something like Figure 1 below. You've got a blank slate. It's always best to plan your data set before you just randomly plug in variables. We're going to enter the data for each person as follows:

Table 1
Since SPSS is rather specific about what you name your variables (variables are limited to certain alphanumeric characters and a length of eight characters), we're going to use the names in paranthesis as our variable names.

Figure 1:


(Note: The numbers are going to coincide with the numbers in the figures so you'll know exactly where you should be as you follow this guide.)
1) Double-click on the "var" at the top of the column. A dialog box will appear like in Figure 2.

2) Change the default text in the field that the arrow is pointing to ("VAR00001") to "id", the first of our variable names.

Figure 2:


3) Click on the "Type" button. This brings up the box in Figure 3.

4) Notice that the type is "Numeric."

5) Change the "Width" to 3 and the "Decimal Places" to 0. Click on Continue for this box. Then click on the OK for the first box. You've now defined the first variable.

Figure 3:


6) (See Figure 1) Click into the first white box under the "id" column. Type "1." This is the ID number of the first subject. Proceed down the column entering ID numbers from "1" to "12."

7) Double click on the top of the next column to the right of id to name it "sex." Under "Type" set the width to 1 and "Decimal Places" to 0. After you're done with that, click on the "Labels" button (see Figure 2); this will bring up a dialog box like the one in Figure 4.

8) Set the "Variable Label" to "Sex."

Figure 4:


9) Under "Value" type a 1, and under "Value Label" type "Male." Click the "Add" button. Now make "Value" 2 and "Value Label" "Female." Click the "Add" button again. Click Continue. Click OK. What we just did here is use numbers to represent the values for sex.

You'll need to put in twelve values under the sex column. Use the following data: 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2.

Now, using what you've learned so far, create the remaining variables with the data given below:
  1. Variable Name: height
  2. Variable Name: before
  3. Variable Name: after
  4. Variable Name: party
  5. Variable Name: e1
  6. Variable Name: e2
  7. Variable Name: e3
  8. Variable Name: e4
  9. Variable Name: e5
  10. Variable Name: e6
  11. Variable Name: e7
  12. Variable Name: e8
Your file should look like Figure 5. You can save your file under the pulldown menu File: Save.

Figure 5:


Go to Part II.