Quantitative Research Techniques

with SPSS
 Week-2: Objectives

 Getting Started with SPSS

 Creating a data file & entering data
 Screening & cleaning data
 Descriptive statistics

 Choosing appropriate technique

 Research objective
 Types of variables
 No: of IV & DV

 Practice

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Setting Up a SPSS File

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 Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS v. 18
2. Create your new SPSS FILE and define the
attributes of your variables
Make sure to follow the ground rules you have
established in your coding scheme. That is, to
designate:
A. Variable Names

B. Variable Labels

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 Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS v. 18

B. Value Labels (e.g., for variable gender, 0=Male,

1=Female this is especially important for
categorical variables.)
C. User-Missing Values
D. Variable Types (i.e., numeric or string)

E. Variable Formats (maximum number of digits and

decimals required for coding the values)
F. Column Formats (column width used to display a
variable on the screen)

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 Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS v. 18

3. Code the data into your SPSS file following the

ground rules established in your coding scheme
and observed when creating your SPSS file.
4. Reverse code your reverse items--only after all
the coding is completed (Menu Bar: Transform,
Recode into a new var.)
5. Compute and print summary/descriptive
statistics--e.g., mean, std. dev., min., and max. for
metric variables; and frequencies, min., and max.
for categorical variables
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 Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS v. 18

6. Examine the data and summary statistics (e.g.,

frequencies, min. & max. values) to spot and correct
coding errors.
7. Calculate reliability ONLY for each of your
summated multi-item scale and, (a) identify items
detracting from reliability, and (b) refine the scale
accordingly (we will readdress this topic in EFA)
8. Create a composite/summated variable for each
summated multi-item scale
(Menu Bar: Transform, Compute--Target Variable = a
mathematical expression) (we will readdress this topic in
EFA) 7
 Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS v. 18

9. Compute Descriptive Statistics for different

subgroups separately
(Menu Bar: Data, Split File, Organize Output by Groups--specify the
grouping variable) OR (Menu Bar: Analyze, Compare Means, Means,
Dep. List, Indep. List, Select Options, OK)
10. Save and print your SPSS data file (Menu Bar: File,
Save As…)
11. Analyze the data (Menu Bar: Analyze--select analysis options)
“ For additional help read part 2 & 3 of SPSS Survival Manual, 4th edition”

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Choosing Appropriate
Statistical Technique

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 Selecting Appropriate Statistical Technique

 Research Objectives
 Group Comparison
 Relationship Exploration

 Type/Nature of IV & DV
 Categorical
 Continuous

 Number of IVs & DVs

 Univariate
 Bivariate
 Multivariate
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 Research Objectives

PCV

Male/
Female Group Comparison

Distrust

PCV
H+

PCB (G)
By org
Relationship Exploration
H+

Distrust

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