The SPSS Library: Bitesize SPSS for Beginners
Welcome to our series of SPSS tutorials.
Whether you are new to SPSS or looking to refine your skills, these tutorials will guide you through the essential functions and some of the more advanced features of the software.
The tutorials are organised in alphabetical order, however if you are looking for something more specific, use 'Ctrl + F' to speed up your search.
Tutorials
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Bar or Line Chart of Means
Bar or Line chart of means in SPSS (with optional error bars)
How to use SPSS to create a bar or line chart of means, including how to add error bars and confidence intervals.
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Change the code (recode) of the same Variable
Change the coding of a variable using 'Recode into same variable' in SPSS
This video explains how to change the coding of a categorical variable in SPSS using the 'Recode into same variable' option.
This replaces the existing data with the new coding rather than create a new variable.
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Chi-square Test
Chi-square test using SPSS, interpretation and significance (assumptions NOT violated)
This video explains how to use SPSS to compute a chi-square test for 2-way tables and interpret the output (including coefficient, effect size and corresponding p-value).
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Clustered Bar or Line Chart of Means
Clustered bar or line chart of means in SPSS (with optional error bars)
This video explains how to use SPSS to create a clustered bar or line chart of means, including how to add error bars and confidence intervals.
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Compute a Mean Score
This video explains how to compute a new variable which is the mean of two or more variables combined.
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Compute a Total Score
The video explains how to compute a new variable which is the sum of two or more variables combined.
This sum is called a total score.
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Compute Pearson's r Correlation
Compute Pearson's r correlation using SPSS
This video explains how to use SPSS to compute Pearson's r correlation coefficient and interpret the corresponding P-value.
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Compute Spearman's rho Correlation
Compute Spearman's rho correlation using SPSS
How to use SPSS to compute Spearman's rho correlation coefficient and corresponding p-value.
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Compute Z-scores for Variables
Compute z-scores for variables in SPSS
This video explains how to use SPSS to compute z-scores for a variable.
Choose one of two available methods.
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Create dummy variables from an existing categorical variable
Create dummy variables from an existing categorical variable in SPSS
This video explains how to use SPSS to dummy code categorical variables. Often, this is required if you want to use the variable in regression, but it has more than 2 categories.
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Cronbach's Alpha
This video explains how to run Cronbach's alpha reliability test in SPSS.
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Crosstab Tables
This video explains how to create a crosstab table in SPSS with two or more variables.
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Define the Level of Measurement of Data
Define the level of measurement of data in SPSS
In SPSS, data is either nominal, ordinal, or scale. It is important that you know the difference between these options and choose a statistical test that is most suitable for your data.
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Edit Charts: Clustered Bar Chart
Edit SPSS charts: Example using a clustered bar chart
This video explains how to use the SPSS chart editor to adjust the size, colours, labels, etc. of your chart.
This example uses a clustered bar chart.
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Edit Charts: Scatterplot
Edit SPSS charts: Example using a scatterplot
This video explains how to use the SPSS chart editor to adjust the size, colours, labels, etc. on your scatterplot.
This example uses a scatterplot.
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Enter Data and Define Variables
Enter data and define variables in SPSS
This video provides a general overview of how to define variables and enter data into SPSS.
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Enter data from a questionnaire: Single response
Enter data from a questionnaire, Example 1: Single response
This video provides an overview of how to enter data to SPSS, from a questionnaire in which respondents had to choose one option (e.g. Gender, Age group, etc.).
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Enter data from a questionnaire: Single response Likert scale
Enter data from a questionnaire, Example 2: Single response Likert scale questions
This video provides an overview of how to enter data to SPSS, from a questionnaire in which respondents had to choose one option from a Likert scale.
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Enter data from a questionnaire: Multiple response questions
Enter data from a questionnaire, Example 3: Multiple response questions (tick all that apply)
This video provides an overview of how to enter data to SPSS, from a questionnaire in which respondents can choose more than one option for a question.
For example, 'tick all that apply'.
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Enter data from a questionnaire: Ranked response questions
Enter data from a questionnaire, Example 4: Ranked response questions
This video provides an overview of how to enter data to SPSS, from a questionnaire in which respondents rank a series of options.
For example, 'rank in order or importance the following...'.
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Format tables in SPS output
This video demonstrates how to format tables in an SPSS output file.
Additional Bitesize Tutorials
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Grouped scatterplot with trend lines
Grouped scatterplot with trend lines
This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to create a grouped scatterplot and add separate trend lines for each group (a linear trend line is sometimes referred to as a regression line).
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Interpret Cronbach's alpha output
Interpret Cronbach's alpha output in SPSS
This video demonstrates how to interpret output from a Cronbach's alpha in SPSS.
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Interpret SPSS output for a paired t-test
Interpret SPSS output for a paired t-test
This video demonstrates how to interpret SPSS output for a paired t-test, including the interpretation of the P-value and confidence intervals for the mean difference.
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Interpret SPSS output for an independent t-test
Interpret SPSS output for an independent t-test
This video demonstrates how to interpret SPSS output for an independent t-test (also known as a two-sample t-test).
Includes Levene's test for homogeneity of variance, P-value, and confidence intervals for the mean difference.
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Interpret SPSS output for Pearson's r correlation
Interpret SPSS output for Pearson's r correlation
This video demonstrates how to interpret SPSS output for Pearson's r correlation, including the correlation coefficient and corresponding P-value.
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Interpret SPSS output for Spearman's rho correlation
Interpret SPSS output for Spearman's rho correlation
This video demonstrates how to interpret SPSS output for Spearman's rho correlation, including the correlation coefficient and corresponding P-value.
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Missing values in SPSS
This video guides you on how to use SPSS to replace missing data with a code and then define it in the variable view.
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Recode a scale variable into categories
Recode a scale variable into categories in SPSS
This video shows you how to create and define groups or bands for a scale variable in SPSS using 'recode into different variable'.
This changes the level of measurement from scale to ordinal.
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Reduce the number of groups of a categorical variable
Reduce the number of groups of a categorical variable in SPSS
This video explains how to reduce the number of groups of a categorical variable in SPSS using 'recode into different variables'.
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Repeated measures bar or line chart of means
Repeated measures bar or line chart of means in SPSS (with optional error bars)
This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to create a bar or line chart of means with repeated measures data, including how to add error bars and confidence intervals.
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Repeated measures clustered bar or line chart of means
Repeated measures clustered bar or line chart of means in SPSS (with optional error bars)
This video guides you on how to use SPSS to create a clustered bar or line chart of means with one repeated measure, including how to add error bars and confidence intervals.
It is not possible to create a clustered chart of means with two repeated measures using the chart builder in SPSS. However, you can create a line chart of means for two repeated measures by running a two-way repeated measures ANOVA.
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Reverse the coding of a variable
Reverse the coding of a variable in SPSS
This video explains how to use 'recode into different variables' to reverse the coding of a variable in SPSS.
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Run a paired t-test
This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to run a paired t-test.
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Run an independent t-test
Run an independent t-test in SPSS
This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to run an independent two sample t-test.
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Scatterplot with trend line
Scatterplot with trend line in SPSS
This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to create a scatterplot and add a trend line (a linear trend line is sometimes referred to as a regression line).
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Select a random sample of data or range of cases to analyse
Select a random sample of data or range of cases to analyse in SPSS
This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to select a random sample of cases to analyse from your data set.
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Select specific cases to analyse
Select specific cases to analyse in SPSS
This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to select specific cases (i.e. rows of data) to analyse.
This can be an individual case selection or groups of cases (e.g. select all males/females).
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Use 'Split file' to analyse groups separately
Use 'Split file' to analyse groups separately in SPSS
This video demonstrates how to use 'Split file' to analyse groups separately in SPSS.
By using the Split file tool, SPSS will analyse groups of a categorical variable separately (e.g. split your file by gender to analyse males and females separately).
This will not physically split your file, all your data stays in the same place.
Remember to unsplit your file afterwards.