Produce Descriptive Statistics Using SPSS

This lesson will demonstrate how to take the filtered data from Excel and generate statistics using SPSS.

Launching SPSS and Opening Data

Image of SPSS with the File Menu open, with instructions to click on 1. File, 2. Open, and 3. Data.

Launch SPSS from your program list.  When SPSS opens, click on (1) File, (2) Open, (3) Data.

Selecting Data to Open, Part 1

Image of the Open file dialog box with the following annotations: 1.Files of Type: Use the drop down menu to the set the "Files of Type" to Excel2.Look in: Select the location on your computer that contains the Excel data e.g. Desktop or Documents.3.Locate the file you wish to use and select that File. 4.Click Open to open the selected file.
  1. Files of Type: Use the drop down menu to the set the "Files of Type" to Excel
  2. Look in: Select the location on your computer that contains the Excel data e.g. Desktop or Documents.
  3. Locate the file you wish to use and select that File.
  4. Click Open to open the selected file.

Selecting Data to Open, Part 2

Selecting Data to Open, Part 2

You will be prompted with the following dialog box.  Leave the dialog box information as is, and press the OK button.  The SPSS Spreadsheet will now populate with the data from Excel

Analyzing Data, Part 1

Image of SPSS with the analyze menu open with the following annotations: 1.Select Analyze from the menu bar.2.Select Descriptive Statistics3.Select Descriptives

To analyze the data:

  1. Select Analyze from the menu bar.
  2. Select Descriptive Statistics
  3. Select Descriptives

Analyzing Data, Part 2

Image of the Descriptives dialog box with the following annotations: 1.Select all the data items in the left column (Use shift+click or control+click to select all items)2.Press the arrow button to move the items into the right column3.When finished, click the OK button additionally, text within the Variables box on the left indicates that the data selected will appear here after clicking the arrow button.
  1. Select all the data items in the left column (Use shift+click or control+click to select all items)
  2. Press the arrow button to move the items into the right column
  3. When finished, click the OK button

SPSS will generate a report with the mean and standard deviation.

Exporting Data

Image of the File menu in SPSS with the following annotations: To export the data, click on (1) File and select (2) Export.

To export the data, click on (1) File and select (2) Export.

Saving Export Data to PDF

Image of the Export Output dialog box with the following annotations: 1.Use the dropdown menu to select the format to export the data.2.Click the Browse button to select the folder you would like to save the file to.3.Click OK to export the file. When the export process is complete, you can go to the folder and view the file.
  1. Use the dropdown menu to select the format to export the data.
  2. Click the Browse button to select the folder you would like to save the file to.
  3. Click OK to export the file. When the export process is complete, you can go to the folder and view the file.