CHAPTER 3

OVERVIEW: STARTING SPSSWIN

In this course you will learn to use SPSSWIN to analyze survey data. This Reader highlights the key
steps in using SPSSWIN. It is in no way intended as a substitute for the extremely detailed manuals
provided by SPSS. The following steps are typical for starting SPSSWIN. Slight differences may exist
depending on the computing platform.
From the Desktop there are two ways to launch SPSSWIN: (a) from the toolbar (if one appears on the
screen) click on the SPSSWIN button, or (b) click on the START Button (lower left of screen). Slide up to
PROGRAMS. Then select SPSS 10.0 for Windows.
When SPSSWIN is launched, the Data Editor "Data View" will appear. This is a "spreadsheet" which
initially contains empty rows and cells. The Data Editor is used to enter data into a new file or work with
an existing data file. If it has not been disabled, a dialog box will appear that asks the user: "What would
you like to do?" Various choices are provided. Cancel out of this dialog box.
To Open An Existing Data File
Choose OPEN from the FILE pulldown menu ("drop down" menu). An Open File Dialog Box will appear.
Double-click on the file name to open the file of interest or click once on the file name and then click on
the Open pushbutton. It may be necessary to change the subdirectory or drive to locate the file of interest.
Only one data file can be open at a time. If you have one data file open and then open a second data file,
the first one is closed. If there were any changes/additions made to the first file, SPSSWIN will prompt
Save Contents of Data Editor to <filename>?.
The contents of the data file will appear in the Data Editor window. The file name will appear at the top of
the Data Editor window.
NOTE: SPSSWIN supplies various "ready-to-use" data files. These appear in the Open File Dialog Box if
the user is in the SPSS folder (subdirectory).
Once a data file appears in the Data Editor, the user is ready to proceed with "transforming" the data,
performing statistical procedures, generating charts, etc. In the following chapter you will go through the
basic steps in performing these procedures as well as look at other essential features of SPSS 10.0 for
Windows.
To Save A Data File
Click on the FILE pulldown menu and then click on SAVE. If it is a new file, you type in the file name you
wish to use. If it is an existing file and you wish to keep the name, simply click on "OK". If you wish to
save the file under another name, click on SAVE AS and name the file. Files are saved in the SPSS
directory (folder) unless the user specifies another location for the files.
To Quit Spsswin
Click on EXIT from the File menu. SPSSWIN prompts the user whether to save various files. The user
responds accordingly. Thereafter, SPSSWIN closes and the user is returned to the desktop.
Try This
Open SPSSWIN 10.0. Open one of the data files supplied by SPSS (e.g., 1991 U.S. General
Social Survey). Exit out of SPSS.