SPSS is very similar to Microsoft Excel in layout. There is a menu and a tool bar option at the top of every window and some of its functions are just like an Excel. It is very easy to use and best studied by doing. I suggest the use of Tutorial that can be found in Help menu. Following notes are some preliminary comments and instructions to help you know the basics of SPSS for your better understanding.



Windows

SPSS interface uses two windows: one is Program Editor and second is Viewer. A Program Editor is where the data files are seen and manipulated. A Viewer is where an output of the statistical analyses is seen and manipulated. Select the Window menu to go back and onward between a Viewer and a Program Editor windows.

Data Files

There are two types of basic files. First is the data file (.sav). This is the place where all data for your analyses exists. While you open up the data file, it will emerge in Program Editor window. Format is same like a spreadsheet with grid of rows and columns. Columns symbolize variables and rows symbolize observations. You can also place the cursor on column heading to acquire a lengthier description of every variable. To get total information on variable, go to Utilities menu and then click on variables.

The data can be entered physically or imported from the database, spreadsheet, or else text file. For Marketing Management class, data files exist, so it is just a matter of opening the files.

One significant distinction between usual spreadsheet files and the SPSS data files is the formulas will not be entered straight into the sheet. In order to enter the formulas in SPSS, then go to Transform menu and choose compute. This permits you to compute a new variable.

Output files

Second type of file is the output file (.spo) and when a statistical process is run, output is created. Viewer window automatically will open to display the production. The left side pane will have an outline view of an output. The right side pane will have the contents of an output that include charts, tables, and text. There are some book icons in outline view subsequent to various objects of output. If book is open, it specifies that the output is noticeable. If book is closed, then it is hidden. There are lots of ways to control objects (moving, modifying charts, hiding, text, and so on) in the output. I suggest going to "Working with output" in tutorial to become familiar with this.

Statistical Procedures

There are several statistical procedures, which can be run against data. The basic procedure is to choose your procedure by using the Analyze menu, pick up the variables, which you wish to analyze and then run the procedure, and examine the results. For each and every procedure there are certain default settings for the statistics as well as output, which can be modified by picking Options in a dialog boxe.