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SPSS Procedures for Chapter Examples
Chapter 2: Frequencies
In this module, we will learn to run a Frequency descriptive analysis with SPSS. We will use the data set we
saved as hsb500R.
Step 1. Start
a. Click on SPSS icon to launch the program.
b. From File menu, choose Open. You will see the Open File dialogue box. From Look in box, click on
the drive where you saved the data file (e.g., here from the Removable Disk, the zip disk).
c. Click on the file hsb500R, it will appear in the File name box. Click on Open button.
d. Now, you have the data in the Data Editor window. Make sure the window is in the Data View mode.
Step 2. Run Frequency analysis
a. From Analyze menu, choose Descriptive Statistics, and then Frequencies.
b. You will see the Frequency dialogue. Now, we need to select the variables we want to analyze. The
left box shows a list of variables. Click on Gender, then click on the arrow button to move the
variable Gender to the Variable box
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c. Repeat step b to move the following variables into the Variable box (with the same order):
Gender (already moved)
Algebra 1 (alg1)
Algebra 2 (alg2)
Geometry Enrollment (geo)
Trigonometry (trig)
Calculus (calc)
Mother’s education (maed)
Father’s education (faed)
Mother’s education (maednew)
Fateher’s education (faednew)
Math grades (mathgr)
Reported grades (grades)
d. Click on OK. SPSS will run the output shown as: (Output 1 SPSS Viewer screen)
Step 3. Save the outputs
a. In the output window, from File menu, choose Save As. In the Save in box, find the place you save
the output. Here, we save it in a folder 2frequency.
b. Type a file name, e.g., “freqcyout” in the File name box.
c. Make sure the Save in type box shows Viewer Files (*.spo). Click on Save.
Step 4. Print the output for further use
You also need to print out a hard copy for you to prepare the analysis summary/report.
a. From File menu, choose Print.
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b. Make sure the Printer Name box shows the default printer in your system. Click on OK.
With the output, now, you can continue the next step as in the Instruction Page.
By Leping Liu