Top tips for using SPSS

Soon, you might be thinking about analysing your data. If you have quantitative data, you probably need to use software to help you with statistical analysis, which will be SPSS. You’re might know quite a bit about SPSS, or you might feel dread and fear in the pit of your stomach – either way, we’re […]

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SPSS, part 6: Regressions

Regression can be used to predict variables: IV: x axis (predictor) DV: y axis (criterion / outcome) Analyze -> Regression -> Linear  move variables into corresponding boxes ensure “Method = Enter” in SPSS raw equation: DV = (B [slope] x IV) + constant [intercept] standardised: ZDV = β [beta] x ZIV (standardised variables to Z scores) […]

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SPSS, part 5: Correlations

Bivariate = linear relationship between TWO variables. Pearson correlation = r = parametric, assume normal distribution (more powerful) Spearman’s = ρ (rho) = nonparametric ranked data Analyze -> Correlations -> Bivariate Move variables into box on right Tick “Pearson” or “Spearman” In output look at the 2 numbers that are the same and significant. Scattergram: to […]

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SPSS, part 4: Graphs and tables

Chart Builder – doesn’t calculate mean scores for ordinal variables, so you have to change “measure” to “scale”, but it is easier to use quickly. Graphs -> Legacy Dialogs -> (choose graph) Simple Bar Chart: tick “summaries of separate variables” Right-click on chart in output, click “Edit content” Can add title (above the chart), footer […]

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SPSS, part 3: Frequencies

% frequencies may look big, but they depend on the number of participants, so always look at the normal frequency to compare. Analyze -> Descriptive Stats -> Frequencies move variables into box on right click “Statistics” to choose only the descriptives and percentiles you want along with the frequencies click “Charts” to choose histograms (continuous […]

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SPSS, part 2: Descriptive stats

Descriptive stats distribution (skew, kurtosis) central tendency (mean, median mode) dispersion (SD, variance, range) Analyze -> Descriptive Stats -> Descriptives move variables into box on right click “Options” and choose the descriptives that you want click “OK” you can split the file beforehand to look at (eg) gender separately Skew may affect analyses because we […]

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SPSS, part 1: Define the variables

Define the variables – indicate the type of data, and whether the values represent something more than numbers. Data view = actual data: scores, ratings, gender … variables in columns (participants are across rows, variable is each column Variable view = shows info about variables: names, types … no spaces or punctuation in variable names […]

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