Entering Data in SPSS

When SPSS programme opens in the computer, the screen appears with two Windows programs. Two windows available are: the data input window and the output widow. When SPSS first comes up, it is ready to accept new data. To begin entering data, look at the menu options across the top of the screen as follows:

File   Edit   View     Data    Transform    Analyze    Graphs    Utilities    Window     Help

Clicking on one of these options opens a menu of related options, many of which will not be available until enough information has been provided to allow the procedure to run. To begin the process of data entry, click on the Data option, then click on Define Variable. This will open an input window that allows you to define the first variable by giving it a name and other information that will make it easier to use the variable in statistical analysis and interpret the output. When this window is opened the default name for the variable is displayed and highlighted. For example, the first variable in the above example could be called respname, a name that gives a good indication of the nature of the variable (respondent's name). It is also useful to have more information about the variable and this can be done by clicking on the Labels... button, which appears at the bottom of the window. This button opens another window, which allows you to add more information about the variable, including an extended label, such as name of the respondent interviewed. You can also add what are called value labels using this same window. Value labels allow you to give names to particular values of a nominal or categorical variable. For example, most studies have a variable called Sex that can take on two values, 1 = Female or 2 = Male. The value labels option allows you to have these labels attached to all the output from statistical analysis which simplifies interpretation and reporting. Entering value labels also means you don't need to remember how the variable was coded (i.e., whether males were coded 1 or 2) when you view the output. After entering a variable name and value labels for the first variable, close the Labels... input window by clicking the Continue button. Then click the OK button on the Define Variable window. The next step is to use the mouse and left mouse button or the arrow keys to reposition the cross to the first cell in the second column of the data input spreadsheet. Then define the second variable using the same process. Continue defining variables until all the variables have been defined.  At the bottom of the SPSS window have two tabs, Data View and Variable View. Clicking on the Variable View tab and another spreadsheet will appear. This spreadsheet contains detailed information about each variable. To enter new information double-click on the first box in the "Name" column and type in the name you are assigning to the variable. Other information about the variables can be entered by adding or changing the information in the other columns. An extended, more informative, variable label can be added to the "Label" column and value labels can be added using the "Values" column. To enter value labels, click on the box corresponding to the variable and then click the gray button. A window for adding variable labels will then appear.

Once the variables have been defined, the data can be entered into the spreadsheet. To begin, make sure the cursor is flashing at the top of the spreadsheet window and that the upper left cell of the spreadsheet is highlighted. To highlight a cell use the mouse to move the cross to the desired cell of the spreadsheet and click the left mouse button. The arrow keys also work well to navigate around the spreadsheet. Now we can start entering data by typing the first piece of data. After entering all the data for the first column, use the mouse or arrow keys to highlight the first cell in the second column and begin entering the second column of data using the same technique. If a piece of data is missing, simply hit <ENTER> when the input cell at the top of the spreadsheet is empty. This will cause a dot to appear in the spreadsheet cell, which is interpreted by SPSS as missing data. SPSS has very flexible options for handling missing data. Usually, the default or standard option is the best one to use.

In larger studies with a lot of variables, it may be more convenient to go across or horizontally, entering all the data for the first participant followed by all the data for the second participant, continuing until all the data have been entered. In order to do this it will be necessary to make more frequent use of the mouse and left button or the arrow keys to highlight the next cell going across. When data for a large study is being entered, it is best to work with a partner. One person can read the data and the other can type. This greatly increases speed and accuracy.