AVP for Institutional
Effectiveness and Director of IR
• Muriel Lopez-Wagner
Assistant Director
• Tanner Carollo
Institutional Effectiveness
Associate
• Joanna Oxendine
Research Technicians
• Allan Taing, David Dysart,
Michael Rose
Administrative Support
Coordinator
• Yamira Murga
Casual Worker
• Salena Soria
Student Assistants
• Lauren Albrecht, Eric Cazares,
• Syntaxes
• Merging Variables
• Merging Cases
• Custom Tables
• Cross Tabs
• How to Save a File
• Hello Everyone!
• First, download the three SPSS files
that are on the ir.csusb.edu
webpage. In the Other Sources
section.
• They are called ‘Dataset1’,
‘Dataset2’, and ‘Dataset3’
• Please open them in the numeric
order they are marked.
• If you are in the workshop, the
three files should already be
opened and ready for you to use.
• First, pull up Dataset3.
• Go to the File Tab -> New -> click on
Syntax.
• A new box will pop up called ‘IBM SPSS
Statistics Syntax Editor.’
• IF you want to add in text that is to not be
run in the actual formula, first write the
sentence you need, then highlight it, after
click this button
and it will add an
asterisk and turn the writing gray, this
then lets SPSS know that the following
sentences are not apart of any formula
just for reference. Or you can just type in
an * and then type the text you want. [you
will see examples of this in pictures for
the syntax sections.]
• A very important area in the syntax
tool bar is the ‘Active:’ section.
This area shows you what dataset
the syntax will run on. Make sure
this is always the right dataset you
want the syntax to run on.
Otherwise, you could accidently
change data in another document
that you did not mean to.
• To see which dataset you want to
use, look at your document’s top
bar, after the file name of the
document there will be the dataset
name in [].
• Lets Start!
• First pull up Dataset3 and go to Variable
View. We will be changing two variable
names in order for them to match to
Dataset1’s names.
• In your syntax box, type in Rename
Variables [when you first type in rename a
drop box will pop up, you can then click on
the formula title you want]. Then continue to
write the formula as you see in the picture
to your right.
• Basic Formula will be written as follows:
• Rename Variables (Variable name 1 [original]
= Variable Name 2 [the name it will change
to]).
Execute.
*Note: the writing in white is what MUST be included
in writing this formula, otherwise SPSS will not run it.
If you have multiple names you want to
change you will not have to add a period after
each (old = new), you only add a period at
the end of the last (old = new). If you do not
add a period after the last group names the
syntax will not run.
• Lets Run the Syntax!
• Now that we have our written formula,
highlight the section you want to run. The
section you highlight is the formula that will
run on the specific dataset you want it to.
This is helpful when you have many
syntax's saved on one file, but do not want
to run them all at once. What you highlight
is the only formula(s) that will run.
• After making sure the syntax box is set to
the right dataset [for this workshop it will be
dataset3] click on the Play button which is
the green triangle on one of the top bars.
Do not press enter, the Play button is the
only button or key that SPSS will recognize
to run the syntax.
• Results!
• After you press the play
button, the variable names of
‘Lvl_2014’ and ‘GPA_2014’
should be changed to
‘ClassLevel’ and ‘GPA.’
• Lets Continue!
• We are now going to make value
labels for the Gender variable in
Dataset3. We want to make 1 =
female and 2 = male. Type in the
formula as shown in the picture to
your right.
• Basic formula will be written as
follows:
• VALUE LABELS
Variable name
# ‘Value Name’
# ‘Value Name2’.
Execute.
Things to remember, there needs to be a
period after the last value name you write,
there must be apostrophes around the
word that you are naming the labels and
Execute with a period must be present at
the end.
• Lets Run it!
• Highlight the value labels
formula only and press the
green play button. Once again
make sure the dataset is for
dataset3.
• Now you will see that where
there was a ‘none’ for values on
Gender there is now the Values
you have created for it.
• In order to merge two files together you
must have the type’s and widths of
variables the same for both datasets in
order for the merge to work.
• Now we will focus on how to change the
size for a numeric variable to match
another in a separate document.
• We will be changing GPA in Dataset3
from 11 width and 0 decimals to 12 width
with 2 decimals.
• Pull up your syntax box and type the
following formula as shown to the right.
• Basic formula:
• FORMATS Variable (F##.#).
• Now highlight the formula in your
syntax box and run it for the dataset
on Dataset3.
• Results:
• After running the Formats formula
you will see that the width and
decimals of GPA has changed to
what you have specified.
Changing the width of a String Variable.
• Lastly we will be doing a syntax for how to
change the width for a string[text] variable.
• This formula can also be used to change
the type as well; from String to Numeric
and vice versa.
• Go to your syntax box and type in the two
formulas shown to your right, for both the
Ethnicity and ID.
• Basic formula:
• ALTER TYPE variable (A##).
• ALTER TYPE variable (F#.#).
*use all syntax’s on the dataset for SPSS2_Doc 3!
Changing the String variable into a Numeric one.
• Highlight the two formulas and
press the play button.
• Results
• Now the ID variable is
Numeric instead of string and
the width for the string
variable Ethnicity is now at
16 instead of 15.
• A helpful tool SPSS has is
merging. This allows you to
bring over variables from Doc B
to Doc A. Today our doc B is
Dataset2 and doc A is Dataset1.
• First! You have to decide which
variable you will be using for the
match. This variable must be
present in both documents you
will be merging [i.e. student
ID’s].
• For today we will be using the
‘ID’ variable for all merging.
• Second, make sure that the ID
variable is Ascending on both
datasets! Otherwise, the merge
won’t work.
• You can do this by right clicking on
the variable you need, in this case
ID and then clicking sort
ascending as was shown in the
first Workshop for SPSS Basics.
• Third, you want to make sure
there are no duplicate cases
in your file. If there are, then
the merge will be stopped by
SPSS.
• You can check this by going
to the Data tab -> Identify
duplicate cases.
• The pop up screen like the
picture to your left will then
show up.
• Click on the ID variable and
bring it into the ‘Define matching
cases by:’ box.
• Next look at the Variables to
Create box, here it is asking if
you want the last case of a
group or the first one to be
flagged as your primary. This is
useful if you have another
category you want the duplicate
cases to be arranged.
• For this workshop we will leave
the, Variables to Create, as is.
• Now click OK.
• You will then get an output screen,
showing you if there were
duplicates and how many or if
there are none.
• Ours shows that there are none.
• This also provides a new variable
named PrimaryLast, this variable is
useful to use if there are
duplicates.
• If you did have duplicates you
could then do a data select of
PrimaryLast =1, in the output box
select delete unselected cases,
then click on OK. It would then
eliminate the duplicate cases.
• This picture on the bottom, shows
what it would look like if there were
duplicate cases.
• Now to merge!
• Pull up Dataset1 file, then go to
Data tab and click on Merge Files
• Select add variables
• A box like the one on the right will
then pop up.
• Choose the document you need for
the merge. For this workshop that
will be Dataset2.
• We will be merging the Ethnicity
variable from Doc 2 to Doc 1.
• Highlight [click] the document you
want, and then click on Continue.
• After clicking Continue you will
get another pop up box like the
picture to your left.
• The ‘excluded variables’ are
those that are in both data sets.
• Those in the ‘New Active
Dataset’ that have an (*) are
variables from doc 1; while
those with (+) are variables from
Dataset2. These are the one’s
you are able to add to Dataset1.
• Now, highlight the ID variable.
• Click the following boxes: ‘Match cases on key
variables’, ‘Cases are sorted in order of key variables
in both datasets’ and ‘Non-active dataset is keyed
table.’
• Then click the arrow toward the Key Variables box
and it will bring over the ID variable to that box.
• Now you have two options, you can click Paste and it
will then paste the formula for the merge in a syntax
or you can click on OK and it will start the merge.
• Clicking paste is handy if you need to merge multiple
times, this allows you to change a few pieces on the
syntax and then run it for another file.
• For this workshop click on PASTE.
• *go to next page when you see the warning box.
• You will then get this warning.
• It is once again letting you know that if your
variables are not ascending then it will not do the
merge.
• We made sure the variable ID was in the
beginning.
• Click OK.
• Since we made sure there were no duplicates and
that both the variables of ID were ascending order,
in Dataset1 and 2, this formula will run smoothly.
• Go to your syntax box, you will now see the
formula for the merge. Highlight that formula [Starts
with Match Files] and then press the play button.
Remember to have the right Active dataset!
• As shown to the left. Ethnicity is now added to the
Dataset 1.
• Now lets say we have a document
from another year or section of
something and we want to add all
the cases in one file to another.
They have the same variables in
both, so we can’t add variables we
need to add cases.
• We will be using Dataset1 and
Dataset3 for this merge. We want
to merge the content on Dataset3
to Dataset1.
• It does not matter if cases are
ascending or if there are duplicates
for add cases.
• First, pull up the Dataset1 file.
• You will once again go to the
Data tab and click on Merge
Files.
• But this time you will click on
add cases.
• You will get the same pop up
box, this time click on
Dataset3 and then click on
continue.
• A pop up box, like the picture to your left, will
come up.
• ‘Unpaired variables’ are variables that are in
both files but are not matching in both files on
either their name, type, width or decimal. It is
important to make sure any variables you
need are not in this section, because they will
be deleted after the merge if left in this box.
• To prevent important variable from being
erased you can click on the variable then use
the arrow to bring it over to the right, or if they
are the same variable. Go to the documents
and make sure that their name, type, width or
decimal are the same and when you try again
the variable should not be in the ‘unpaired
variables’ any longer.
• Though we cleaned our documents through
our syntax's earlier in this workshop the
variable PrimaryLast is in the unpaired
variables. Go ahead and leave it there, it will
be erased from our new file.
• Once again the (*) are the variables that are
the active dataset, and (+) are from the
second file you want to get cases from.
• Okay now for the merge, as you
can see all of our variables
matched correctly, which is shown
by all the variable being placed in
the ‘Variables in New Active
Dataset’ box.
• Now click PASTE.
• Pull up your syntax box, you will
now see the merge cases formula
[starts with Add Files]. It should be
5 lines long. Highlight that formula
then for the Dataset1 dataset,
press the play button.
• Now your cases from Dataset3 are
now added to Dataset1.
• Now lets say you want to see
what the ethnicity % breakdown
is by ClassLevel, you would
then do a custom table.
• First, pull up your Dataset1 file.
• Go to Analyze and click on
Tables then click on Custom
Tables.
• A pop up box like the pic on
your left will then come up.
• Once you have the pop up box,
click on ClassLevel and drag it
over to the rows side. Once the
rows becomes bolded in a red
outline you can then let go of the
variable, and it will be brought
over.
• Now click on ethnicity and drag it
over to the right hand side of
where it shows ‘categor.’ on
ClassLevel.
• You will see a red rectangle
appear, if it is all the way to the
right within that ‘Categor’ box then
you are correct and let go of the
mouse.
• We will now add a percentage
column, since it is currently just
showing Count.
• Highlight [click] Ethnicity and
Look at the ‘Define’ box, on the
bottom left-hand side and click
on Summary Statistics.
• The following box will then pop
up. Under ‘Statistics’ click on
Column N% then bring it over
to ‘Display’
• *go to next slide.
• Now that the correct % is in
the ‘Display’ box, click on
Apply to all.
• You want this option and not
‘apply to section’ because we
have more then one Class
Level, making more then one
Section.
• Your table should now show
the % on the far right.
• Now that we have what we
need, click on PASTE. (You can
also click on OK and it will run
the table you have asked for).
• Go to your syntax box, highlight
the custom table formula and
press play.
• In your Output box, your table
will now be present.
• This table shows the groups of
Class Level and their Ethnicity
percent breakdown.
• Lastly we will be doing Cross
tabs.
• Cross tabs are useful if you
want to see the total count for
each variable by group but also
how many are presently in each
group and subgroup.
• This table is like a multiplication
table, you will be able to select a
group on the X axis [with one
figure] and one on the y and
then if you move till your fingers
meet, you will see a count for
the two groups you were
following.
• First, pull up Dataset1 and go to
Analyze.
• Click on Descriptive Statistics.
• And then click on Crosstabs.
• A new pop up box will appear, as
shown on the left.
• Today is going to be basic, we are
going to place the Ethnicity
variable in the Row section and
ClassLevel in the column section.
• Do not worry about any other
section or button for this workshop.
• In order to add in the selected
variable in the row or column
section, click on the variable and
then click the arrow to the
selected section to bring it over.
Or you can click on the variable
and drag it over to the right box
you want the variable to be placed
in.
• Now click PASTE.
• Pull up for Syntax box and
highlight the crosstabs formula.
Press the Play button and then
look at your output box.
• Results!
• To the right is a picture of what
the output should look like.
• The top box, just shows you if
all the cells in those two
variables were used or if any
were missing.
• The Bottom table is what you
want to use. This now shows
you how many people in each
Ethnicity are in a certain Class
Level.
• Now that we have all our data in a
single file, lets save it!
• Go to the File tab and then click on
Save As.
• For the purpose of this workshop
we will save it on the desktop and
name it Merged.
• We want the ‘Save as type:’ to be
SPSS, though the drop box will
also show you other options, one
being excel.
• Then click on Save. (though there
is also a paste button here as well
if you want to add it to a syntax).
• Look on your desktop, you should
see you saved file presently there.
• Questions/comments?
• Upcoming Workshops:
• January 15: Adobe Illustrator
• February: SPSS Basics –Part 3 [Date
TBA]
• Contact Us
• AD-170
• 909-537-5052
• institutional_research@csusb.edu