SPSS Syntax Introduction

Duration: 2 days

Overview:

Aspect Training’s SPSS Syntax Introduction course targets those who wish to gain an understanding of the basic structure of SPSS Syntax.

The course provides users of SPSS with the essential skills and knowledge required to begin to become effective and productive users of SPSS Syntax.

By the end of our course you will have learned to:

Open up SPSS files using syntax

Define variables using syntax

Create Compute and Recode variables

Prepare Data for Analysis

Import Data From Excel

Create simple IF statements.

Prerequisites:

Experience of working in the Windows environment and a general understanding of key Windows features. Attendees should also have basic familiarity with SPSS procedures including variable definition, entering and editing data, opening and saving data files, compute and recode procedures, dealing with output and saving output.

Topics:

1 - Introduction:

The Journal – What is it?

How To Set The Journal.

The Log – What is it?

How To Set Log Options.

Syntax Files

The Syntax Editor

Writing Syntax Using The Log

2 - Syntax For Data Entry

Raw Data Entry

Importing From Excel

Opening A SPSS .sav File

Saving Data with Syntax.

Adding Comments

3 - Preparing Data

Renaming Variables

Labelling Variables

Creating Value Labels

Missing Values

Checking Datafile Layout and Variable Content

4 - Amending The Datafile

Extracting To A Smaller Datafile

Adding New Variables

Sorting Cases

Adding New Cases

Changing Variable Format

5 - Using String Variables

Converting Numeric Values To Text

Recoding Variables

Converting Categorical Text to Numeric

Changing The Case Of Text

If Statements

Computing New Values

6 - Using Date And Time Variables

Setting Date Time Formats

Extracting Date Elements

Calculations With Dates

7 - Using Numeric Variables

Deleting Variables

Computing New Values

Creating Categories For Numeric Values

Counting Data Values

8 - Data Exploration

Frequencies

Crosstabs

Explore

Examine Distribution

9 - Sub-sections Of Data

Selecting Parts Of Your Data

Splitting The Datafile

Temporary Command

Select IF Command