SPSS Statistics for Dummies, 3rd Edition

Glossary

add-on:

A utility that can be added to SPSS. Also called a module.

adjusted R Square:

Represents a technical improvement over R Square in that it explicitly adjusts for the number of predictor variables relative to the sample size.

alternative hypothesis:

A hypothesis that states that an effect is present. See also null hypothesis.

ascending:

A sorting order. The cases are ordered so the values range from small to large. See also descending.

B coefficients:

In linear regression, they show how a one-unit change in an independent variable impacts the dependent variable.

base:

The main system of SPSS. Modules can be added to expand SPSS, but the base system is always present.

bell curve:

See normal distribution.

betas:

In linear regression, they are standardized regression coefficients and are used to judge the relative importance of each of the independent variables.

binning:

The process of organizing the values of a variable into groups. Each group is a defined as a specific range of values.

bivariate:

An analysis using two variables.

case:

All the values in a single row. A case is sometimes called a single record.

case summary:

A simple table that directly summarizes values of the cases.

categorical variable:

A type of variable that has values that are qualitatively different, such as gender, eye color, and region of the country. See also ordinal variable and nominal variable.

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