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

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.

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.

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).

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.

Compute a Mean Score

Compute a mean score in SPSS

This video explains how to compute a new variable which is the mean of two or more variables combined.

Compute a Total Score 

Compute a total score in SPSS

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cronbach's Alpha

Cronbach's alpha in SPSS

This video explains how to run Cronbach's alpha reliability test in SPSS.

Crosstab Tables 

Crosstab tables in SPSS

This video explains how to create a crosstab table in SPSS with two or more variables.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.).

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.

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'.

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...'.

Format tables in SPS output

Format tables in SPSS output

This video demonstrates how to format tables in an SPSS output file.

Additional Bitesize Tutorials

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Missing values in SPSS

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.

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.

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'.

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.

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.

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.

Run a paired t-test 

Run a paired t-test in SPSS

This video demonstrates how to use SPSS to run a paired t-test.

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.

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).

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.

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).

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.

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