Chapter 2
Finding the Best SPSS for You
IN THIS CHAPTER
Deciding which version of SPSS is most cost-effective for you
Understanding some of your choices when choosing SPSS
In this chapter, we discuss the surprising variety of options in acquiring your own copy of SPSS, with a focus on the different ways of licensing SPSS. If you have your own copy of SPSS or have access to it through work or school, you may safely skip this chapter. However, if you either need to secure a copy or simply want to better understand what’s out there, this chapter will help you find the best version of SPSS for you. Licensing is not the only choice, but it is the first big choice you have to make.
Four licensing options are available:
- Free trial
- Campus editions
- Subscription plan
- Commercial editions
Let’s get the easiest choice out of the way first. If you want a way to practice the exercises in this book and you haven’t had a trial version of SPSS within the last year, you’ll want to start with the free trial. The rules of the trial differ from year to year, but typically the length of the trial is either 14 days or 30 days. The only other choice you’ll have to make is the operating system: Windows or Mac.
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