Assignment 01_EN First Steps with SPSS
T 01
MSc Business Administration
Research Methods II
Quantitative Research Methods
Applied Data Analysis (with SPSS)
Tasks Assignment 01: First Steps with SPSS
Prof. Dr. Jürg Schwarz Carlota de Miquel
Dr. Heidi Bruderer Enzler Viviane Pfluger
Fe
uary 2018 XXXXXXXXXX
Task 01: An Example of a Descriptive Analysis _______________________________ 1
Task ...................................................................................................................... XXXXXXXXXX1
Syntax ................................................................................................................... XXXXXXXXXX1
Descriptive Analysis .............................................................................................. XXXXXXXXXX1
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ XXXXXXXXXX3
Additional Information .......................................................................................... XXXXXXXXXX3
Task 02: A Descriptive Analysis ____________________________________________ 4
Task ...................................................................................................................... XXXXXXXXXX4
Divertimento ___________________________________________________________ 5
Task ...................................................................................................................... XXXXXXXXXX5
Appendix ______________________________________________________________ 6
How to Copy SPSS Output into Word .................................................................... XXXXXXXXXX6
Assignment 01_EN_2018 First Steps with SPSS, p. 1
Task 01: An Example of a Descriptive Analysis
Task
Data set: Data_01.sav (On Ilias: … » Lectures » Lecture 01 Introduction » Data Resources)
Description: "Data_01.xls"
This file contains a partial sample from a marketing survey. Ca
y out an analysis of the data. Are there
any outliers? Are there any other unusual features?
Hints: Please note the meaning of the variables. The variables are described in "Data 01 Example.xls".
Use key figures, frequencies and histograms.
Syntax
FREQUENCIES
VARIABLES= gender age attitude1 attitude2 attitude3 educ income
/STATISTICS=STDDEV MINIMUM MAXIMUM MEAN MEDIAN SKEWNESS SESKEW KURTOSIS SEKURT
/HISTOGRAM
/ORDER=ANALYSIS.
Descriptive Analysis
Note: Mean, median, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis are not very meaningful as far as gender is
concerned, while Missing, Minimum etc. are useful.
Sample size N = 198. No missing values. Mean and median are different: some distributions seem to be
skewed to the left or right. Perhaps there are some outliers. Certain minimum and maximum values
suggest this.
Hint: Copy the entire required syntax to the beginning of your solution.
See "How to copy SPSS output..." in the appendix to this document.
Hint: Copy the relevant parts of the output into your solution as pictures.
Assignment 01_EN_2018 First Steps with SPSS, p. 2
There is an inco
ect category "3" while according to the information
provided there should only be "1" (male) and "2" (female).
The number of men and women is about equal.
Maximum age = 82 is not impossible. There is a peak at 20 to 25 years.
This may indicate a sampling problem. Was a disproportionate number
of young people included?
This distribution is right-skewed (skewness = .701; mean (37.93) >
median XXXXXXXXXXThe kurtosis XXXXXXXXXXdoes not differ meaningfully
from 0.
The value 0 could be a typo because 0 is not an element of the scale.
This distribution is right-skewed (skewness = .135; mean (3.48) >
median XXXXXXXXXXThe kurtosis XXXXXXXXXXindicates a slightly flat
distribution.
This distribution is left-skewed (skewness = -.064; mean (3.80) <
median XXXXXXXXXXThe kurtosis XXXXXXXXXXindicates a slightly flat
distribution.
This distribution is right-skewed (skewness = .360; mean (3.05) >
median XXXXXXXXXXThe kurtosis XXXXXXXXXXdoes not differ appreciably from 0.
The value 7 is chosen rarely or not at all for all three items even though
the value 6 is often chosen for attitude1 and attitude2. How is the
wording of the items and possible responses?
Is the 7th response option too extreme?
educ is left-skewed (skewness = -1.095; mean (5.44) < median (6.00)).
This may indicate a sampling problem. Education is more or less
normally distributed within the population. Why is the distribution
distorted? Is this a sample of individuals who have gone through higher
education?
Assignment 01_EN_2018 First Steps with SPSS, p. 3
The minimum income is 25.3 and seems very far removed from the
est of the sample. Although this kind of income is possible (e.g. part-
time work), this value could also be false. Is it an input e
or?
This distribution is also right-skewed (skewness = .493; mean
XXXXXXXXXX) > median XXXXXXXXXXFurthermore, the kurtosis (1.956)
indicates a peaked distribution.
Conclusion
This seems to be a sample of adults in which young adults are represented disproportionately. The sample
also seems to be highly educated.
Additional Information
This section provides additional information on how to use SPSS in practice.
It is not relevant to the exam.
Some other interesting analyses:
GRAPH
/SCATTERPLOT(BIVAR)=age WITH
attitude3
/MISSING=LISTWISE .
age and attidude3 ("readiness to take risks"):
Older people are less willing to take risks.
TEMPORARY.
SELECT IF gender < 3.
EXAMINE VARIABLES=income BY gender
/PLOT=BOXPLOT
/STATISTICS=NONE
/NOTOTAL.
On average, women seem to have a lower
income. However, the boxplot shows that the
difference is probably not significant.
Hint: Sometimes there is a red "information" icon in the suggested solution. In this case, you will
find additional analytical steps or further information next to the same icon in the section
"Additional Information".
Hint: Position the conclusion at the end of your
solution under the heading "Conclusion".
Assignment 01_EN_2018 First Steps with SPSS, p. 4
Task 02: A Descriptive Analysis