Module 1: Introduction to SPSS - Study Notes

1. Overview of SPSS

SPSS stands for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. It is used for data management, advanced analytics, and multivariate analysis.

2. Key Windows in SPSS

  • Data Editor (.sav): Where data is entered and stored.
    • Data View: Rows are cases (respondents), columns are variables.
    • Variable View: Where you define the characteristics of your variables (Name, Type, Label, etc.).
  • Output Viewer (.spv): Shows the results of statistical analyses and charts.
  • Syntax Editor (.sps): Used to write and run command scripts.

3. Defining Variables (Variable View)

  • Name: Must start with a letter, no spaces, no special characters (except underscores).
  • Type: Numeric (default), String (text), Date.
  • Label: A longer description of the variable (appears in reports).
  • Values: Used for coding categorical data (e.g., 1 = Male, 2 = Female).
  • Measure:
    • Nominal: Categories with no inherent order (e.g., Hair Color).
    • Ordinal: Categories with a logical rank (e.g., Satisfaction level: Low, Medium, High).
    • Scale: Continuous data (Interval or Ratio) (e.g., Age, Weight, Income).

Practice Exam

Section A: Multiple Choice (20 Questions)

  1. What does the acronym SPSS stand for?
    1. Statistical Program for Social Science
    2. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
    3. Scientific Program for Statistical Studies
    4. Social Package for Statistical Software
  2. Which file extension is used for SPSS Data files?
    1. .spv
    2. .sps
    3. .sav
    4. .csv
  3. In the “Data View” window, what do the rows represent?
    1. Variables
    2. Values
    3. Cases/Observations
    4. Categories
  4. Which column in “Variable View” allows you to assign text labels to numeric codes?
    1. Label
    2. Type
    3. Values
    4. Measure
  5. Which of the following is an invalid variable name in SPSS?
    1. Gender_Group
    2. 1st_Participant
    3. Income2023
    4. Test_Score
  6. Which measurement level should be used for “Weight” measured in kilograms?
    1. Nominal
    2. Ordinal
    3. Scale
    4. String
  7. To see the results of a frequency analysis, which window should you check?
    1. Syntax Editor
    2. Data Editor
    3. Variable View
    4. Output Viewer
  8. Which property allows you to describe a variable in detail without name restrictions?
    1. Name
    2. Label
    3. Align
    4. Columns
  9. Which “Measure” is most appropriate for a variable like “Education Level” (High School, Bachelors, Masters)?
    1. Scale
    2. Nominal
    3. Ordinal
    4. Numeric
  10. What is the default data type for new variables in SPSS?
    1. String
    2. Date
    3. Numeric
    4. Currency
  11. How can you toggle between Data View and Variable View?
    1. Pressing F5
    2. Clicking the tabs at the bottom left
    3. Using the “File” menu
    4. Right-clicking any cell
  12. In Variable View, the “Missing” column is used to:
    1. Delete empty rows
    2. Define codes for data that is unavailable or not applicable
    3. Calculate the mean of missing values
    4. Hide variables from the Data View
  13. What happens if you try to type text into a cell defined as a “Numeric” type?
    1. SPSS converts it to a number
    2. The cell will remain empty or show a period (.)
    3. The program crashes
    4. It automatically changes the type to String
  14. Which menu is used to generate Frequencies and Descriptives?
    1. Transform
    2. Analyze
    3. Graphs
    4. Utilities
  15. What is the “Syntax” window used for?
    1. Viewing charts
    2. Storing command code for reproducibility
    3. Entering raw data
    4. Deleting outliers
  16. Which measurement level is used for “Religion” (Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, etc.)?
    1. Scale
    2. Ordinal
    3. Nominal
    4. Ratio
  17. In SPSS, a “period” (.) in a data cell usually represents:
    1. The end of a sentence
    2. A decimal point
    3. A system-missing value
    4. Zero
  18. What is the purpose of the “Width” column in Variable View?
    1. To set the number of characters/digits allowed
    2. To change the font size
    3. To set the number of decimal places
    4. To adjust the width of the printed page
  19. If you want to change the number of decimal places displayed, which column do you use?
    1. Columns
    2. Decimals
    3. Type
    4. Measure
  20. Which of these can be imported into SPSS?
    1. Excel files (.xlsx)
    2. Text files (.txt)
    3. CSV files (.csv)
    4. All of the above

Section B: Matching (5 Items)

Match the SPSS term in Column A with its correct description in Column B.

Column A Column B
1. .spv A. Measurement for ranked categories.
2. Scale B. File extension for the Output Viewer.
3. Ordinal C. Measurement for continuous numeric data.
4. Value Labels D. Used to automate tasks and keep a record of steps.
5. Syntax E. Mapping numbers (e.g., 0) to words (e.g., No).

Section C: Direct Questions (3 Questions)

  1. Explain the primary difference between “Data View” and “Variable View.”
  2. List three rules you must follow when naming a variable in the “Name” column of the Variable View.
  3. Why is it important to define “Values” for categorical variables instead of just typing the words directly into the Data View?

Answer Key

Section A: Multiple Choice

  1. b | 2. c | 3. c | 4. c | 5. b | 6. c | 7. d | 8. b | 9. c | 10. c
  2. b | 12. b | 13. b | 14. b | 15. b | 16. c | 17. c | 18. a | 19. b | 20. d

Section B: Matching

1 - B | 2 - C | 3 - A | 4 - E | 5 - D

Section C: Direct Questions

  1. Data View is used for entering and viewing the actual data values for each case, while Variable View is used for defining the metadata (rules) for each variable, such as its name, type, and measurement level.
  2. Rules: (1) Cannot start with a number; (2) Cannot contain spaces; (3) Must be unique (no duplicates).
  3. Defining values (e.g., 1=Yes, 0=No) allows for faster data entry, ensures consistency (prevents typos like “Yess”), and allows SPSS to perform mathematical calculations that require numeric input. ```