Chapter 4
Entering and Defining Data
In This Chapter
Considering your choices when defining a variable
Defining variables
Entering numbers
Making sure that you’re using the right measurement type
To process your data, you have to get it into the computer. Entering data has been a problem with computers since the beginning. No matter how you decide to get your numbers into SPSS, at some point someone has to type them (unless they come from some form of automatic monitoring). These days, it feels like we spend half of our time entering data into online forms, which saves some analyst from typing on the other end. SPSS can read data from other places. You can also type directly into SPSS — and, if you want, copy the data to places other than SPSS later.
Entering data into SPSS is a two-step process: First, you define what sort of data you’ll be entering. Then you enter the actual numbers. This may sound difficult, but it isn’t so bad. When you see how data entry works in SPSS, you’ll discover you have some pretty nifty software to help you.
You organize your data into cases. Each case ...
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