Basics of SPSS Assignment
Overview
In this short task you are going to log into SPSS, create specific variables, code the variables correctly given the types of each variable, input data, and run descriptive statistics to demonstrate your ability to do these basic essentials of data entry, refinement, and analysis. You will submit your output and the data file to Dropbox.
Step-by-Step Tasks
- Log into the virtual server
- Start up the SPSS program
- Create a new/blank data sheet
- Create the variables listed below and code them appropriately for the following columns in Variable View: (a) Name, (b) Type, (c) Label, (d) Values, and (e) Measure – you can do the others if you would like but they are not required
- Input the data on the second page
- Run descriptive statistics overall
- Run descriptive statistics after splitting the data file by chosen major (Major)
- Create a graph that you think is helpful in presenting some relevant descriptive statistics and a short one paragraph (max) narrative explaining the visual and what it represents regarding your data set
Variables to Include
You will create variables for each of the following types of information:
Name – the participant’s name
Gender – the participant’s biological sex
Race – the participant’s race
(Options: American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic, White, Other)
High School GPA – the participant’s GPA from their high school transcript
AP Credits – the number of AP credits earned by the participant during high school
Freshman Year GPA – the grade point average of the student during their first full year on campus
Major – the participant’s selected major
(Options: History, English, Computer Science, Biology, Education, Other)
Logic Training – the participant’s experience in taking courses/training in logic offered by the university as part of their first year encouraged opportunities
(Options: Lots, Some, None)
** Hint: in SPSS your “Name” category cannot use spaces so you have to code each variable and are encouraged to use the “label” category to specific exactly what the variable is **
Submission Requirements
- Create a Word document that includes copied output data for tasks #6, 7, and 8 in an organized fashion
- Save your dataset and submit it (this will be a type “SPSS Statistics” .sav file)
| Name | Gender | Ethnicity | HS GPA | AP Credits | Freshman GPA | Major | Logic Training |
| Akbar | M | Black | 2.78 | 0 | 3.20 | Comp Sci | None |
| Benito | M | Hispanic | 2.99 | 0 | 2.80 | Education | None |
| Chan | M | Asian | 4.00 | 9 | 4.00 | History | Lots |
| Danisha | F | Black | 3.62 | 3 | 3.60 | Other | Lots |
| Everly | F | White | 3.65 | 9 | 3.20 | Education | None |
| Fred | M | White | 3.22 | 0 | 2.00 | English | None |
| Gabriel | M | Hispanic | 3.31 | 0 | 3.45 | Biology | Some |
| Heather | F | White | 3.40 | 0 | 2.25 | Education | None |
| Ian | M | White | 3.12 | 0 | 3.25 | History | Some |
| Juanita | F | Hispanic | 2.67 | 0 | 3.40 | English | Lots |
| Kyeong | F | Asian | 3.87 | 9 | 3.40 | Education | None |
| Larry | M | White | 3.15 | 0 | 1.60 | Comp Sci | None |
| Meredith | F | White | 3.65 | 6 | 4.00 | Education | Some |
| Naomi | F | Black | 3.20 | 3 | 1.75 | English | None |
| Olivia | F | White | 3.33 | 0 | 3.30 | History | Some |
| Paddington | M | White | 3.10 | 0 | 3.20 | Comp Sci | Some |
| Quinton | M | Black | 2.95 | 0 | 3.55 | Comp Sci | Lots |
| Rachel | F | White | 3.55 | 0 | 4.00 | Biology | Some |
| Sampson | M | White | 2.90 | 0 | 3.10 | History | Some |
| Tomas | M | Hispanic | 2.75 | 0 | 3.60 | Comp Sci | Lots |
| Uther | M | White | 3.70 | 6 | 3.60 | Biology | None |
| Victoria | F | Asian | 3.65 | 6 | 3.55 | Other | Some |
| Wilma | F | White | 3.08 | 0 | 3.15 | Biology | Some |
| Xerxes | M | Amer Ind | 2.75 | 0 | 3.80 | Comp Sci | Lots |
| Yolanda | F | Hispanic | 3.72 | 6 | 3.00 | Education | None |
| Zachariah | M | White | 3.68 | 3 | 3.60 | Other | Some |
