SPSS

SPSS (" Statistical Package for the Social Sciences") is a Logiciel used for the analysis Statistique. It is also the name of the company which resells it (SPSS Inc).

Program Statistics

The first version of SPSS was put on sale in 1968 and belong to the programs most largely used for the statistical analysis in Social sciences. It is used by researchers in economy, science of health, by companies of studies, by the government, of the researchers of state education, and well of others. In addition to the statistical analysis, the management of the data (selection of case, reformating of file, creation of derived data) and documentation of the data (a dictionary of metadata is safeguarded with the data) are two other characteristics of the software.

The many characteristics of SPSS are accessible via the pull-down menus or can be programmed with a language in line of order called 4GL (license owner). The programming by lines of order has the advantages of the reproducibility and the handling and the analysis of complex data. The interface of the pull-down menus also generates a syntax of orders, although, by defect, it is invisible with the user. The programs can be launched in an interactive way or a way not supervised by using the " Production Job Facility" provided. A language the macro one can be used to write routine S and an extension for the language python gives access information in the data or the dictionary of the data and to build programs in syntax of line of dynamic ordering of way. This extension of programming Python, introduced into the version 14, replaced scripts less functional SAX BASIC for the majority of the needs, although SaxBasic remains available. Depis the version 14, SPSS can be controlled outside by using a program in Python or VB.NET by using the " Plug-in s" provided.

SPSS imposes constraints concerning the internal structure of the files, the types of the data, the data processing and the files of correspondence, which put units simplifies the programming considerably. The sets of data of SPSS have a structure in two-dimensional board where the lines represent the cases typically (such of the individuals or the hearths) and where the columns represent measurements (such as age, sex, or returned of the hearth). There are only two definite types of data: numbers or character strings. All the data processing proceeds in a sequential way the cases after from/to each other in the order of the file. The files can be compared one by one, a back the others, but not several of blows towards the others.

Various versions of SPSS exist for Windows, Mac OS X and Unix. The version for Windows is updated more frequently and has more characteristics than the versions for the others Operating systems. SPSS Inc. announced that the marketing of version 15.1 of SPSS in 2007 will turn in a native way on Mac computer provided with processor Intel x86.

SPSS can read and write data to be left and in textual files in characters ASCII (including the hierarchical files), other parcellings statistical, worksheets and databases (of the basic tables of external relational data via ODBC and SQL).

Statistical exports are done in a format owner (files *.spo, accepting the dynamic tables cross) for which, in addition to the bill-poster of the software, an independent bill-poster is provided. One can as ask as exports be forced in format text (readable with a text editor) or are captured as data (by using order WHO) with the format text, text delimited by separators, HTML, XML, packages of data SPSS or a variety of formats of images (JPEG, png, Bitmap and EMF).

Statistical functions include in the basic software:

Statistical descriptive: Cross-country races tabulation, Frequency S, Descriptive, Explores, Descriptive Ratio Statistics
bivariée Statistique: Average S, test T, ANOVA, Correlation (bivariée, partial, distances), tests nonparametric
Prediction for numerical outcomes: linear Regression
Prediction for identifiers groups: Analysis of factor, Analysis of group (two steps, average K, hierarchical), discriminating Analysis (in marketing)

Modules can be added to increase the possibilities of the software. The modules available are:

extension of programmability SPSS (" SPSS Programmability Extension" (added in the version 14) which allows the programming in Python to control SPSS.
validation of data SPSS (" SPSS Dated Validation") (added in the version 14) which allows the programming of the control of the logic of the data and the report/ratio of the suspect values.
models of regression SPSS (" SPSS Models" Regression; - Logistic regression, ordinal regression, multinomial logistic regression, and Mixed models (model multilevel).
advanced models SPSS (" SPSS Advanced Models" - Multivariate GLM and repeated measures ANOVA (removed initial version in the version 14).
the module of the trees of classification SPSS (" SPSS Trees" Classification;) who creates trees of classification and decision for the identification of groups and the forecast of behaviors.
tables SPSS (" SPSS Tables"), which makes it possible to control the manner of carrying out exports of data for the reports/ratios.
exact tests SPSS (" Exact SPSS Tests") allowing the statistical test on small samples.
categories SPSS (" SPSS Categories")
SPSS Trends™
SPSS
analysis of missing value SPSS (" SPSS Missing Been worth Analysis") who is a simple charge containing regression.
SPSS Map
the module of complex samples SPSS (" SPSS Complex Samples") (added in version 12) which carries out adjustment for the stratification and the grouping and other skews of choice of sample.

SPSS Server is a version of SPSS with an architecture client/server which has characteristics nonavailable in the versions for fixed PC. An example is the function of Score.

SPSS Inc.

Program SPSS is sold by SPSS Inc., a company which markets a large variety of software intended for the analysis of Marché, with the studies Statistiques and the statistical analysis. This other software includes AMOS (" Analysis off Structures" Moment;) for the modeling of structural equation, SamplePower for the analysis of being able, AnswerTree used for the study of the market segmentation, SPSS Text Analysis for Surveys to code opened answers, Clementine for the Exploration of data (" mining" dated;) and other parcellings for GLOSS and studies on line. The head office of the company is with Chicago in the Illinois.

Other versions

Version 13.0 of SPSS for Mac OS X is not for the moment not compatible with the Macintosh computer with processor Intel, owing to the fact that the software Rosetta of emulation generates errors in calculations. According to SPSS Inc., version 15.1 of SPSS will be perfectly compatible with all the Macintosh computers, even those with Intel processors. According to the Web site of SPSS, the version 15.1 will be put on sale during the summer 2007.

See too

PSPP, a free software which can carry out orders of transformation resulting from SPSS and can produce descriptive statistics, frequencies, examines, crosstabs, test T and analyzes one-way variance.

References

SPSS 15.0 Syntax Command Refers 2006, SPSS Inc., Chicago Ill.
Raynald Levesque, SPSS Programming and Dated Management: With Guide for SPSS and SAS Users, Fourth Edition (2007), SPSS Inc., Chicago Ill. Pdf

External bonds

SPSS Inc homepage - includes a consultable database of solutions (to be connected by using " guest" like identifier and password)
Raynald Levesque' S SPSS Tools - library of solutions worked for programmers SPSS (FAQ, synthaxe of the orders; macros; scripts; python)
Files off SPSSX-L Discussion - active discussion forum SPSS since 1996. Discussions on the programming, the statistics and the analysis
UCLA ATS Resources to help you learn SPSS - Resources to learn how to use SPSS
UCLA ATS Techical Carryforwards - report/ratio 1 compares the strong points and weaknesses of Stata, SAS and SPSS
Using SPSS For Data Analysis - Tutoriel on SPSS coming from Harvard
SPSS Developer - Customer support for the developers from applications using SPSS, including sample programs in Python
SPSS Wiki - a wiki treating statistics by using SPSS (existing since December 2005)
SPSS Log - a Blog bringing answers with quqtions relating to SPSS (existing since March 2006)
SPSS - Profiles of six experts in SPSS of the whole world
comp.soft-sys.stat.spss - newsgroup Usenet on SPSS via Google Groups

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