Survey Analysis Workshop 				Copyright © 2010    John F Hall

Detailed guide to SPSS tutorals							[6 Dec 2010]

Links on page 1 are to blocks on the site,  links to block contents are on pages 2 - 5

The tutorials and exercises are arranged in four main blocks, following the  usual research sequence of data capture, data processing and data analysis, with occasional (cynical, wise and experienced) comments thrown in from time to time on problem formulation, research design and survey practice as well as on how SPSS works (or sosmetimes not!). 

All exercises and examples relate to SPSS/PASW 18, but they all work with SPSS 15 (and probably also SPSS 11).    Only the screenshots are different.  There's a pencil and paper exercise for you to complete at the beginning, but after that, all tutorials and exercises use actual data from real (major)  surveys.

Files in *.doc format are set in 11-point Arial and optimised for printing on European A4 sheet size (297 x 210 mm).  They are legible even if printed two pages to a sheet.
 
Block  1: From questionnaire to SPSS saved file
    1.1:   The language of survey analysis
    1.2:   How do data relate to questionnaires?
    1.3:   Reading raw data into SPSS
    1.4:   Completing your data dictionary
    1.5:   Utilities [still in preparation]

Block 2:  Analysing one variable 
    2.1:   Nominal and ordinal variables 
    2.2:   Interval scale variables
    2.3:   Data transformations

Block 3:  Analysing two variables (and sometimes three) 
    3.1:   Contingency tables
    3.2:   Three variables
    3.3:   Multiple response
    3.4:   Comparing means
    3.5:   Conditional transformations

Block 4:   Hypothesis testing 
[Still in preparation: provisional contents]

   4.1  Hypothesis testing
   4.2a  t-test and one way anova
   4.2b  Testing differences between three or more means
   4.3  Chi-square
   4.4  Regression and correlation
   4.5  Association, structure and cause

Data sets and files used in tutorials and exercises 

This a collection of raw data, SPSS syntax and SPSS saved files for you to download as and when needed and store on your own computer or on a CD.  Facsimile questionnaires are not included here, but extracts and links are provided in tutorials as and when necessary.

Statistics notes to accompany course

These notes were originally written by Jim Ring, expressly for students (mainly, but not exclusively, in the social sciences) who found computers and statistics daunting: they will also be helpful for those teaching or advising such students.  They are not intended to replace recommended textbooks, and should be used in conjuction with the explanations included in SPSS help.  They were written long before the appearance of the original and much sought-after SPSS Guide to Data Analysis (Norusis, 1987 -1990, for SPSS-X 3 and 4)  Later editions relating to SPSS13 onwards for Windows are less helpful for beginners using syntax.
Block 1 - From questionnaire to SPSS saved file

1.1:  The language of survey analysis

1.1.1  Questionnaire on pre-course interests and experience    (Print up and complete, with up to 9 of  your 							           fellow students and/or colleagues)
1.1.2  Introduction to survey data         				(Essential reading)
1.1.3  Introduction to the use of computers in survey analysis      (Highly recommended reading)

1.2:  How do data relate to questionnaires?

1.2.1   Data transfer sheet   					 (Print up, then write in the coded data 									  from your completed questionnaire(s)
1.2.2   Preliminary data exercise           				(Type data from your transfer sheet into a 								  *.txt file and save it)
1.2.3   First look at real data from a major survey           		(British Social Attitudes 1986)
1.2.4   Second look at data from a major survey           		(British Social Attitudes 1989)

1.3:  Reading raw data into SPSS

1.3.1   Conventions for Naming Variables in SPSS           	(Highly recommended reading)
1.3.2   Cumulative data from pre-course questionnaire           	(Raw data file used in tutorials and 									 exercises.  Download and save to a 									 folder on your own computer or to a CD)
1.3.3.1   Preparing the ground  					(Tutorial: carefully follow the instructions 								  to create space on your computer 									  for  the files you will need.)
1.3.3.2   Introduction to SPSS syntax  
1.3.3.3    First shot at writing SPSS syntax   			(First exercise in writing SPSS syntax)
1.3.3.4    First shot at running SPSS     				(Exercise to run SPSS for first time)
1.3.3.5    Checking your data  
1.3.3.6    Tutorial SPSS for real - my first saved file  [
1.3.3.7    Exercise SPSS for real - my first saved file  
1.3.3.8    Checking your data (again)  
1.3.3.9    Some general advice on file building in SPSS  

1.4:  Completing your data dictionary

1.4.1  Labelling your variables in SPSS  
1.4.2  Labelling your values in SPSS  
1.4.3  Missing values - a note  

Block 2:	Analysing one variable

2.1		Nominal and ordinal variables

These tutorials and exericises use data from the precourse questionnaire
                                                          
2.1.1     myclass3.sav  (SPSS saved file for pre-course self-completion questionnaires)
2.1.2.1 Tutorial - Frequencies for nominal and ordinal variables      
2.1.2.2  Exercise - Frequencies for nominal and ordinal variables      

These tutorials and exercises use data from the British Social Attitudes surveys

2.1.2.3  Questions and data for nominal and ordinal variables     
2.1.2.4  Reading in data for nominal and ordinal variables       
2.1.2.5  Extending your data dictionary         
2.1.2.6  Checking your file contents     
2.1.2.7  Frequencies for nominal and ordinal variables    
2.1.2.8  Housekeeping  [necessary to avoid clutter on your desktop]      
2.1.2.9  Homework exerciise for nominal and ordinal variables      
2.1.2.10  Specimen answer for homework exercise 1         
2.1.2.11 Checking the contents of mybsa89_1.sav          
2.1.2.12  Specimen answer for homework exercise 2         

2.2		Interval scale variables

This tutorial and exericise uses data from the precourse questionnaire
                                                          
2.2.1.1  [myclass]  Frequencies for interval variables 

The following tutorials and exercises use data from the British Social Attitudes surveys

2.2.1.2  [bsa86]  Exercise - Reading in data for interval variables   
2.2.1.3  [bsa86]  Extending your data dictionary    
2.2.1.4  [bsa86]  Exercise - Frequencies for interval variables
2.2.1.5 [bsa86] Specimen answer for frequencies exercise   
2.2.1.6  [bsa89]  Homework exercises     
2.2.1.7  [bsa89] Specimen answer for homework exercises    

2.3		Data transformations

Selecting variables for analysis, changing the names of variables, changing the values of variables.  Creating new variables from existing ones.  Selecting cases for analysis as a transition from analysing one variable to analysing two or more variables.  All links below are to files which are still drafts.

2.3.1.1  Data transformations   (Tutorial)

Temporarily withdrawn for major revision and resequencing:

2.3.1.2  Exercise for data transformations
2.3.1.3  Specimen answer for data transformation exercise
2.3.1.4  Conditional frequencies tutorial
2.3.1.6  Specimen answer for conditional frequencies exercise

Block 3:  Analysing two variables ( and sometimes three)

A number of  files for Block 3 are still in their original 1990 or 1991 format (ie WordStar 4, VMS, EDT and with syntax for interactive SPSS-X 4 on a Vax cluster: all the output is in  lineprinter format)  It's interesting to see how the syntax and output formats  have changed.  Some sample output is from SPSS -X 4 on the Vax mainframe and all jobs need re-running with SPSS 18.  This is very time-consuming, but I'll get them converted and uploaded as quickly as I can.  The numbering system for the files below is subject to change, but the numbers in the downloaded document titles may be different.  Don't worry: the links are to the correct files.

3.1:	Two variables

Joint frequency distributions of two variables displayed in contingency tables.  Dependent and independent variables: rules for percentaging. (CROSSTABS var1 BY var2)

3.1.1  Introduction to tabulation  	(Recommended reading)
3.1.2   Analysing two variables	(Preliminary reading: progressionfromfrequency counts via conditional 					frequency counts to joint frequency counts [contingencytables])
3.1.3 Tutorial- Contingency tables from SPSS

The following materials are in preparation.

3.1.4 Exercise for contingency tables
3.1.5 Specimen answer for contingency tables exercise

3.2	Three variables

Introducing a third variable. Controlling for test variables. Elaboration. 
(CROSSTABS var1 BY var2 BY var3) 

The following materials are in preparation.

3.2.1  Tutorial - Elaboration 
3.2.2  Exercise for elaboration 
3.2.3  Specimen answer for elaboration exercise 

3.3:	Multiple response

Explanation of multiple response questions, examples from real surveys, and exercises in analysis using SPSS.

3.3     Multiple response  [Header page]
3.3.1  Multiple response and SPSS: an introduction 
3.3.2  Multiple response: British Social Attitudes 1986  
3.3.3  First exercise in multiple response

3.4:	Conditional data transformations (IF and DO IF)

3.4.1  Tutorial - Conditional transformations  [doc: 0.05 mb]
[No exercises yet]

3.5:	Derived variables (COUNT and COMPUTE)

Set of tutorials with fully worked examples on the use of COUNT and COMPUTE to construct scores on simple attitude scales using data from a real survey of 15 year-olds.  [NB: Numbering system within the documents is retained from previous tutorials for SPSS 15 until I get time to change them and re-upload]

   3.5.1     An introduction to COUNT and COMPUTE                                   [Header Page]  
   3.5.2     Teenage Attitudes (Tutorials)                                                        [Header Page] 
   3.5.2.1  COUNT and COMPUTE - Preliminary notes  
   3.5.2.2  Data checks 1 - Status quo    
   3.5.2.3  The COUNT command 1 - Attachment to status quo    
   3.5.2.4  The COMPUTE command 1 - Attachment to status quo  
   3.5.2.5  Data checks 2 - Sexism  
   3.5.2.6  The COUNT command 2 - Sexism   
   3.5.2.7  The COMPUTE command 2 - Sexism   

Block 4:  Hypothesis testing

 [Provisional contents, not necessarily in this order]

4.1  Hypothesis testing
4.2  Two means (t-test) 
4.3  Three means (one way anova)
4.4  Chi-square (for contingency tables)
4.5  Regression and correlation
4.6  Association, structure and cause (modelling)