SPSS Statistics for Dummies, 3rd Edition

Chapter 13

Using Descriptive Statistics

In This Chapter

Defining levels of measurement

Looking at frequencies for categorical and continuous variables

Using the descriptives procedure to summarize continuous variables

Summaries of individual variables provide the basis for more complex analysis (as you see in the next few chapters). They also help establish base rates, answer important questions (for example, the percent of satisfied customers), allow users to check sample size and the data for unusual cases or errors, and provide insights into ways in which you may combine different groups. Ideally, you want to obtain as much information as possible from your data. In practice, however, given the measurement level of the variables, only some information is meaningful.

In this chapter, we begin by discussing level of measurement. Next, we run the frequencies procedure to obtain summary statistics for both categorical and continuous variables. Finally, we use the descriptives procedure to summarize continuous variables.

Looking at Levels of Measurement

The level of measurement of a variable determines the appropriate statistics, and graphs that can be used to describe the data. ...