SPSS:

An Introduction
SPSS stands for
Statistical
Package for the
Social
Sciences

SPSS is a computer software that

automates data summarization and
computation

SPSS: The Basics

SPSS:
• stores data
• summarizes data in tabular form
• computes summary values such as
means and percentages
• requires raw data

Functions and Requirements

Raw data are classified in SPSS into
three classes called variables:
• Nominal variable
• Ordinal variable
• Numeric (or Scale)variable

Variable Classification
 • Nominal variable
Ordinal variable
examples possible raw data
names Juan, Dexter, Agnes, Marife, …
Numeric variable
Examples
baranggay
birth name
possible
Tetuan,
order first,
raw data
Labuan,
second, Zone
third, III,…
last, San Jose, …
monthly
household salary
examples
number possible
001, raw data
below002, 003,
Php1000, 004, …
Php1000 to Php4999, …
bracket
type of work
age vendor,
35, farmer,
19, 27, 43, …fisherman, teacher, …
educational primary level, secondary level, tertiary level,
weight
attainment deep
64 kg,well, bottled
73 kg,
doctorate, water,
… 167 lb, 155 NAWASA,
kg, … river
water source
water, …
numberfamily class
of children A, B, 3,
1, 2, C, 4,
D,… …
kind of illness fever, cough, sore eyes, colds, …
monthly pension
awareness to Php6000, Php9500, Php4500, Php5200, …
yes, no
treatments
Sex male, female
types of CR sealed, septic, latrine, others, …
Status married, single, widow, …

Variable Classification
 labels for VARIABLES are entered here

RAW RAW RAW RAW RAW RAW RAW RAW RAW

DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA DATA
are are are are are are are are are
entered
entered
entered
entered
entered
entered
entered
entered
entered
here here here here here here here here here

The Interface
Nominal variable
examples possible raw data codes SPSS entries
awareness to treatments “0” = no, “1” = yes 0, 1
sex of family head “0” = female, “1” = male 0, 1
type of CR “0” = none, “1” septic, “2” = sealed, …0, 1, 2, …
current illness “0” = fever, “1” = dengue, “2” = TB, … 0, 1,
2, …
water source “0” = deep well, “1” = NAWASA, … 0, 1, 2, …

Ordinal variable
examples possible raw data codes SPSS entries
birth order “1” = first, “2” = second, “3” =third, … 1, 2, 3, …
monthly salary bracket “1” = < P 1000, “2” = P 1000 - P 4999, … 1,
2, 3, …
educational attainment “1” = elementary, “2” = high school, … 1,
2, 3, …
class of family “1” = A, “2” = B, “3” = C, “4” = DEF 1, 2, 3, 4
high school year “1” = freshman, “2” = sophomore, … 1, 2,
3, 4

Note that the numerical designation of the data are

Coding Variables
to the discretion of the user and will not imply any
other interpretation.
Consider ten households with the
following information:
COMMON
HOUSEHOL SEX OF SALARY OF WORK OF
BARANGGA ILLNESS
D I.D. FAMILY HOUSEHOL FAMILY
Y EXPERIENC
NUMBER HEAD D HEAD
ED
001 Tibanga male cough Php 1500 fisherman
002 Tibanga male fever Php 800 carpenter
003 Tibanga female colds Php 2000 fisherman
004 Tibanga male colds Php 2500 fisherman
005 Tibanga female cough Php 3000 laborer
006 Tibanga male toothache Php 1100 vendor
stomachac
007 Tibanga male Php 5000 laborer
he
008 Tibanga male cough Php 8000 others
009 Tibanga male fever Php 3000 laborer
010 Tibanga male fever Php 2000 vendor

Entering data
For the first set of data (Househld I.D.
Number), data codes are nominal. [In
SPSS, specify the variable as “string.”]
HOUSEHOL
D I.D.
NUMBER
001
002


003
004
005
006
007
008
009
010

Entering data
For the second set of data
(baranggay), values are also nominal.
Say that Tibanga is coded as “1” in
SPSS,
HOUSEHOLthe data are entered as:
D I.D.
BARANGGA
Y
NUMBER
001 Tibanga
002 Tibanga
003 Tibanga


004 Tibanga
005 Tibanga
006 Tibanga
007 Tibanga
008 Tibanga
009 Tibanga
010 Tibanga

Entering data
Sex is also nominal. If the user codes
“1” for male and “2” for female:
HOUSEHOL SEX OF
D I.D. FAMILY
NUMBER HEAD
001 male
002 male
003 female


004 male
005 female
006 male
007 male
008 male
009 male
010 male

Entering data
Data values for illnesses are also
nominal. We designate “1” for cough;
“2” for fever; “3”, colds; “4”,
COMMON
toothache,
HOUSEHOL and; “5” for stomachache.
ILLNESS
D I.D.
EXPERIEN
NUMBER
CED
001 cough
002 fever
003 colds
004 colds


005 cough
006 toothache
stomachac
007
he
008 cough
009 fever
010 fever

Entering data
The family’s salary can be expressed
as a numerical value. The data can be
entered as is:
HOUSEHOL SALARY OF
D I.D. HOUSEHO
NUMBER LD
001 Php 1500
002 Php 800
003 Php 2000


004 Php 2500
005 Php 3000
006 Php 1100
007 Php 5000
008 Php 8000
009 Php 3000
010 Php 2000

Entering data
On the other hand, if the user has set salary
brackets, the data becomes ordinal. Say the
brackets are set up as “1” = below Php 1000; “2” =
Php 1000 to Php 2999; “3” = Php 3000 to Php 6999;
HOUSEHOL
“4” = Php 7000SALARY
andOFabove, the data are entered in
D I.D. HOUSEHO
SPSS as
NUMBER follows: LD
001 Php 1500
002 Php 800
003 Php 2000


004 Php 2500
005 Php 3000
006 Php 1100
007 Php 5000
008 Php 8000
009 Php 3000
010 Php 2000

Entering data
Finally, for the family head’s work
(which are nominal), let “1” =
fisherman; “2” = carpenter; “3” =
HOUSEHOL WORK OF
laborer;
D I.D. “4” = vendor; “5” = others
FAMILY
NUMBER HEAD
001 fisherman
002 carpenter
003 fisherman


004 fisherman
005 laborer
006 vendor
007 laborer
008 others
009 laborer
010 vendor

Entering data
Final Output
Frequency Distribution of
Manufacturer
Revisit: Skewness and Kurtosis
• Two sets of data may have the same
mean and standard deviation but
they vary on shape.
• +/-2 is acceptable for both skewness
and kurtosis
• Rule of Thumb:
less than -1 or greater than 1, the
distribution is highly skewed
between -1 and -1/2 or between ½
and 1, the distribution is moderately
skewed
between -1/2 and ½, the distribution