SPSS

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Statistical analysis tool for data

SPSS is a trialware that you can use to record and then analyze data. While the original developers of the statistical tool are SPSS Inc., IBM acquired the software, which is now called IBM SPSS Statistics. The SPSS software is highly customizable to let you enter the exact data that you need, like variables and numbers.

SPSS has a user interface that looks like Microsoft Excel as the UI is set up as a spreadsheet. MatLab, Minitab, Power Bi, Stata, MySQL, and Tableau are data management alternatives to SPSS. All programs are suitable for professional use.

What does SPSS stand for?

While the letters in SPSS used to stand for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, now the name is only an acronym. SPSS was originally made for researchers in the social sciences like sociology, psychology, and additional services.

SPSS expanded into a variety of fields that went beyond the social sciences, especially after the IBM acquisition. While the actual name is now IBM SPSS Statistics, the functions of the software remain largely unchanged.

Is SPSS free?

While SPSS is not free to use, the SPSS offers a free trial before you buy. The SPSS package is available for Apple Mac and Microsoft Windows PC operating systems. The trial gives you access to the entire suite of features for 30 days. You will need to log into the SPSS software with your IBMid.

SPSS has a one-time package and subscription plans, aside from the free trial. An academic version for students and faculty members is available too. The data manager supports multiple languages like Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Korean, Spanish, etc.

What is better SPSS or Excel?

SPSS is a popular statistics program because of its data management capabilities and user-friendly interface. The UI is both praised and critiqued for its simplicity. While the user interface looks like Excel, the user experience is different.

What is IBM SPSS Statistics used for?

SPSS is used for data analysis by researchers in a myriad of fields. You perform predictive analytics to predict future outcomes and set up your user interface in a manner that supports your research. Since the interface can be customized, you can collect and analyze your data with ease.

SPSS lets you save and share data files as reports in a variety of file formats. There are two main modes that you can toggle between, ‘Data View’ (default mode), and ‘Variable View.’ A line of icons is at the top of the interface to let you save, print, go back and forward, etc.

What is SPSS?

The Data View features numbers along the vertical axis that represent cases, participants, and subjects. The variables on the horizontal side let you input the measurements and variables that you use during your studies. The cells in between the numerical and variable axes are blank until you fill in the missing values. SPSS automatically sets the properties and variable names of each column after you input the values.

A yellow pop-up appears when you hover above the variable cells to let you know the properties, like name, type, and measurement. The Variable View lets you change the names and properties of the variables in your data analysis. This gives you the variables on the vertical axis and the properties on the horizontal.

The properties are name, type, width, decimals, label, values, missing, columns, align, measure, and role. While the name of your variables must start with a letter and use underscores instead of spaces, the label property lets you use spaces to describe your variables in more detail. You can tap on a cell under the ‘Type’ category to customize your variable type.

While the default type is set to Numeric, a list of alternative data types will appear like Comma, Dot, Date, Dollar, and more. Another important property is the measure section, which lets you determine the scale of the measurement, like Scale, Ordinal, and Nominal. The Scale system of measurement in SPSS covers the interval and ratio measures that are found in standard scales of measurement.

The width property is meant to determine how wide a string variable is and the decimal section specifies the number of decimal spaces. The columns segment lets you adjust the size of the columns that your data will appear. The UI lets you drag and drop the sections to make the columns either more wide or narrow.

Is SPSS hard to learn?

Both views are set up as spreadsheets to let you easily survey data analyses. Users find that the simple interface makes using SPSS easy. The Data View and Variable View automatically sync together when you make changes in either tab. Therefore, the adjustments that you make in the Data View spreadsheet will populate into the Variable View sheet.

Considering SPSS is highly customizable, you can make custom tables that appeal to you. The labels make SPSS easy to use for both beginners and experts. SPSS lets you perform structural equation modeling and use SPSS syntax to code in case you want an advanced user experience.

Industry standard for statistical analysis

SPSS is a software for data management that is used in both the academic and professional markets. The Data View is the window that lets you input your data values, while the Variable View is the sheet that lets you define your variable properties. SPSS lets you personalize your already easy user experience with variable labels and property types.

What’s new?

While the original SPSS program was released in 1968, IBM took over in 2009. The software receives updates on a regular basis to stay up to date with new requirements and improvements.