STAT 141: Statistical Software – SPSS
Fall 2013
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Steve Johnson
Office: 54 Bacon
Office Phone: 436-3592
E-mail: JOHNSOSD@Oneonta.edu
Website: http://www.oneonta.edu/stats
Office Hours: M & W ~3:15-3:45; T & TH
~1:30-3:30; by appointment; or just stop by
Course: STAT 141-01; CRN 1061
Course Time & Dates: Monday 4-6:30; Sept. 2,
9, 16, 25, 30
Course Location: Milne 305
Course Credit & Attributes: 1 Semester Hour
General (LA), Key Dates and Deadlines: Add
course: Sept. 2; drop course Sept. 18.
Software Availability: SPSS 21.0 is available in
all campus labs including residence halls.
8
Monday
9
10
Tues day
STAT101-09
In tro Stat
8: 00-9: 30
Wednes day
STAT101-10
In tro Stat
10: 00-11: 20
11
Thurs day
STAT101-09
In tro Stat
8: 00-9: 30
STAT101 10
In tro Stat
10: 00-11: 20
12
1
2
3
4
5
6
PHED186-01
Mt. Biking
1:00 - 2:40
Office Hours *
~3: 15 - 3: 45
STAT141-01
SPSS
Office Hours **
~1: 30-3: 30
PHED186-01
Mt. Biking
1:00 - 2:40
Office Hours **
~1: 30-3: 30
Office Hours *
~3: 15 - 3: 45
Probably on cam pus until 4:30 T-W-Th
4: 00-6: 30
NOTES: *M office h ours en d at m id-term ; W h rs m ov e to ~1: 30-2: 30
** Th e office h our s tart tim es (~) are approx im ate. I s h ould be h ere +/- th at tim e.
GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
Statistical Software is an introductory course in the use of a statistical software package for data analysis. The course is
intended for students planning to take a research methods course, statistics course, or in need of a data analysis package.
Topics covered will be selected from among the following: entering, editing, and coding data; manipulating data through such
commands as recode, if, and compute; selected descriptive and inferential statistics; developing tables, charts, and graphs;
preparing output for reports. No previous computer or statistical background is required.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will learn how to make use of a statistical software package for the analysis of data. As a result of participation in
this course, students will be able to:
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
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code data for entry
enter/access data for analysis
manipulate data for selected analysis
obtain descriptive and comparative statistics
prepare descriptive and graphical output for report presentation
transfer output to other programs, such as a word processor
College Catalog Description: STAT 141 Statistical Software
Instruction in the use of a statistical software package for data analysis. Intended for students planning to take a research
methods course or in need of a data analysis package. Topics covered will be selected from among: data entry, editing, and
coding; recode, if, compute, and similar statements; descriptive and inferential statistics; tables, charts, and graphs; report
preparation. No previous computer or statistics background is required. The statistical package in most cases will be one of
the following: SPSS, SAS, or MINITAB. May be taken for credit more than once provided that the statistical package or level
is different each time. Open to all students. (LA)
TOPICS TO BE COVERED: SPSS

Course Introduction/Overview: Statistical software overview: SPSS; Accessing the statistical software in the
SUNY Oneonta computer environment

Data Entry: Data Dictionary/Codebook; Coding raw data; Entering data for analysis; Opening existing data
files; Accessing external data files; Saving data and output files; Merging data files

Data Preparation/Maintenance: Variable names & Labels; Defining Value Labels; Missing Values; Data
Types

Data Manipulation: Recode; Compute; Select Cases; Split File, Restructuring data files, etc.

Statistical Measures: Descriptive Statistics - Frequency Distributions (Tables), Crosstabs, Mean, Std.
Deviation, etc.; Correlation, Regression, t-tests, etc.; Confidence Intervals; Hypothesis tests (one sample)

Graphical Presentation: Creating and editing of graphical representations of data via Chart Builder and
Legacy Graphs methods

Report Preparation: Printing data and output files from SPSS; Transferring data to a word processor for report
presentation
Additional topics as time allows. Order of topics will vary from above listing.
TEXT & MATERIALS
Required Text: None.
Reference Text: There is an online reference text based on an older version of the software that may prove useful in
addressing some topics: SPSS@Oneonta: Selected Statistical and Data Manipulation Procedures. Gordon & Johnson;
online at http://www.Oneonta.edu/stats.
E-mail: You must provide a valid e-mail address. If you do not have one, see me.
Disk: Data files to be used are stored on a server. You may need to download files to your own flash drive or P: drive.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING
Grading will be based upon 240 total points, distributed among lab assignments, quizzes, and a final project. At any point in
time one can determine his/her grade by dividing accumulated points by the total number of points to date. Baseball has
curves, roads have curves, but this course does not. The following listing outlines the grade ranges.
95-100 = A
77-79 = C+
60-62 = D-
90-94 = A73-76 = C
0-59 = E
87-89 = B+
70-72 = C-
83-86 = B
67-69 =D+
80-82 = B63-66 = D
The above are the minimum grades one might receive based upon the assignments and examinations. Grades do not
automatically round upward (e.g. 79.8 = 79, not 80). The instructor reserves the right to review borderline grades and make
an upward adjustment based upon class participation.
Lab Assignments: 100 points. As this is an applications course, a series of in-class and weekly laboratory assignments
designed to provide practice with the topics covered will be the basis for the course grade. For weeks one-four, Each week
there will be a 25-point data project, begun in class and due three days later (on Thursday). All assignments are due on the
date noted. Generally these dates occur BEFORE the next class. As this is a course with only five meetings, this
assignment timeline allows for both the return of materials at the beginning of the next class and time to review resulting
questions before moving on to new topics.
NOTA BENE: LATE SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS: Assignments submitted after the due date will be
subject to a penalty equal to 20% of the item’s original value per day and no credit will be given for items
submitted beyond the next class day.
Quizzes: 80 points. Four quizzes (MC, T/F, short answer/fill-in, problem completion) covering material to date.
Statistical Procedures Pages: 20 points. Development of two, one page guides for the use of specified statistical procedures
using SPSS version 21. These pages may be placed online for others to reference. Topics will be randomly assigned.
Final Project: 40 points. The final class period, or a portion thereof, will be used to test your ability to use SPSS to prepare
and analyze a set of data and respond to a series of questions about the data. The exercise will incorporate skills learned
throughout the course.
MISCELLANEA
Academic Dishonesty: Do not do this as it places both of us in an unacceptable situation. Students caught cheating will
receive a grade not to exceed zero for the assignment and may be referred to the Disciplinary Review Board.
Attendance Policy: Flagrant non-attendance, as defined by missing 25% or more of the classes to date, may result in a review
of the student’s attendance by the academic dean and subsequent involuntary withdrawal. This withdrawal policy is valid
through to mid-term after which normal withdrawal policies apply. The general attendance policy for a course is left to the
instructor to establish. Attendance in this course is important to your success.
 For this course, daily attendance will be taken.
 Medical or other legal documentation will be taken into consideration, as appropriate, for absences.
 Students who do not attend a class meeting, for whatever reason, will be responsible for the material covered.
 A student not in attendance by the second class meeting will be administratively withdrawn from the class.
 A student may be administratively withdrawn after the add/drop period once he/she has missed 25% of the classes.
Assignments: As noted previously, late assignments incur a penalty equaling 20% of the initial item value per day (or as
noted in the grading section). No credit will be given for assignments received after the next class date. This penalty may be
waived if an officially recognized absence or a medical situation has occurred. Documentation may be required.
Completion of Assignments: It is expected that you will work on your own to complete the assignments.
Examinations and Quizzes: There is only one “examination” for this course (fifth class meeting). Only legally recognized
excuses will result in the availability of the final assignment at a later date. Quizzes must be made up within 24 hours of the
quiz date. It is your responsibility, not mine, to arrange a time to make up these assignments.
Food & Other Items: You are responsible for following posted regulations regarding food items in the labs. Anything you
bring into the classroom. Please respect the facility and clean up after yourself at the end of class.
College Policies: Students are responsible for a familiarity with the college’s academic rules and regulations (e.g. attendance,
cheating) as presented in the Student Handbook and/or the Undergraduate Catalog.
ADA: All individuals who are diagnosed with a disability are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such, you may be entitled to certain accommodations within this class. If you are diagnosed with a
disability, please make an appointment to meet with Student Disability Services (SDS), 209 Alumni Hall, ext. 2137. All students with the
necessary supporting documentation will be provided appropriate accommodations as determined by the
Infrastructure
SDS Office. It is entirely your responsibility to contact SDS and concurrently supply me with your
Invest
accommodation plan, which will inform me exactly what accommodations you are entitled to. You will
only receive accommodations once you provide me with an SDS accommodation plan. Any previously
recorded grades will not be changed. Further information is available at:
http://www.oneonta.edu/development/sds/faculty_resources.asp.
Emergency Evacuation/Shelter-in-Place Procedures: In the event of an emergency evacuation
(i.e., fire or other emergency) classes meeting in Milne Library reassemble in the Chase Gymnasium.
Complete details of the College’s emergency evacuation, shelter-in-place and other emergency procedures
can be found at http://www.oneonta.edu/security.
Tempus Fugit.
Carpe Diem.
stat141_SPSS_syllabus_F2013.doc
Tempus Fugit. Carpe Diem.
STAT 141: Statistical Software – SPSS
Course Dates, Topics, and Assignments Fall 2013
N.B: the following schedule is approximate and subject to change. Assignments are due as noted.
Date
Sept. 2:
Topics: Basics
 Accessing SPSS on campus
 Introduction, quick tour of SPSS
 SPSS Editing Windows
 Intro. to Data Files: Understanding the layout of data
 Entering data
 Building a Survey Key
 Data Maintenance: Variable Names, Labels, Value Labels, etc
 Saving data files and output
 Statistics: Obtaining Frequency Tables and Graphs
Assignment: Lab #1 (Due: Thursday, Sept. 5)
Sept. 9:
Quiz #1
Topics: Data Maintenance
 Delimited and Fixed format data
 Entering Excel, .txt, or .dat files
 Merging files
 Editing Tables
 Transferring SPSS tables to Word
 Statistics: Descriptive Statistics, Correlation (bivariate), Regression (linear)
Assignment: Lab #2 (Due: Thursday, Sept. 12)
Sept. 16:
Quiz #2
Topics: Tables and Charts
 Pivot Tables
 Graphs & Charts
 Contingency Tables
 Statistics: t-test, compare means, confidence intervals
Assignment: Lab #3 (Due: Thursday, Sept. 19)
Statistical Procedure Page: #1 Assigned Chart (Due: Thursday, Sept. 19)
Sept. 23:
Quiz #3
Topics: Data Manipulation
 Recode
 Restructuring Files
 Compute
 Sort Cases/Variables
 Split Files
 Select Cases
 Selecting Random Samples
 Syntax files (maybe)
 Statistics: Multiple Response; Hypothesis tests (one sample)
Assignment: Lab #4 (Due: Thursday, Sept. 26)
Statistical Procedure Page: #2 Assigned Procedure (Due: Thursday, Sept. 26)
Sept. 30:
Quiz #4
Topics: Putting it all together via a final data project
 Open Lab for Final paper (Due: Monday, Sept. 30)
f: stat141_spss_syllabus_F2013.doc
STAT 141: Statistical Software – SPSS Course Topics
TOPICS TO BE SELECTED FROM THE FOLLOWING AREAS

Course Introduction/Overview
Statistical software overview: SPSS
Accessing the statistical software in the SUNY Oneonta computer environment

Data Entry
Data Dictionary/Codebook
Coding raw data
Entering data for analysis
Opening existing data files
Accessing external data files
Saving data and output files

Data Maintenance
Variable names & Labels
Defining Value Labels
Missing Values
Data Types

Data Manipulation
Recode, Compute and similar statements

Statistical Measures
Descriptive Statistics: Frequency Distributions (Tables), Crosstabs, Mean, Std. Deviation, etc.

Graphical Presentation
Creating and editing of Bar Charts and other graphical representations of data

Report Preparation
Printing data and output files from SPSS
Transferring data to a word processor for report presentation
Additional topics as time allows. Order of topics may vary.