Here are the basic operations in SPSS and Jamovi.
Open new data file: File->New->Data
Open SPSS .sav file: File->Open->Data->Select .sav file
Import file: File->Open->Data->Select Excel in “Files of type”->Open the file
In some cases, SPSS would complain that your data file is empty when you try to import an Excel file downloaded from Google Form. In that case, you can import the data file as CSV instead. This is also the recommended way for Mac users. Alternatively, if you are using a Windows version of Excel, you can try the following:
Save Excel file using UTF-8 encoding
Useful when the data file contains non-English characters.
Open the Excel file in Excel. Then choose Save as->Tools->Web Options->Encoding->Save this document as->Choose Unicode (UTF-8). This will convert the encoding of the data file into UTF-8, which can then be properly read by SPSS.
Import file into SPSS
In SPSS, click File->Open->Data->Select Excel in “Files of type”
Select the Excel file and follow the instructions.
Data view vs. variable view
Rows as cases and columns as variables
Splitting the data view (Window->Split or just drag from the sides)
Inserting and deleting single case
Inserting and deleting single variable
Sort cases:
Right-click on column header, or
Data->Sort cases, or
Drag on row manually
Sort variables:
Drag on column manually, or
Drag on row in Variable View
Select cases:
Toolbar shortcut->Select Cases, or
Data->Select Cases
Split data by group variable:
Data->Split File
Select Organize output by groups, and then put the grouping variable into the “Groups Based on” box.
Choose “Sort the file by grouping variables”. Note that after this operation, the records in your data will be reordered. You can resume the original order later if you have a sequence number or a timestamp in the data set.
Click OK. The lower-right-hand corner should indicate “Split by” followed by the name of the grouping variable. From now on, every other analysis you do will be carried out to these groups separately.
To cancel the splitting, return to the dialog box and choose “Analyze all cases, do not create groups”.
Recall recently used dialogs / Run descriptive statistics / Insert case / Insert variables / Split file / Select cases / Value labels
Shows the outputs of all the analysis results
Click “Paste” in any dialogue and the code will be pasted to the Syntax Editor.
This is an advanced feature and will not be covered here.
SPSS works slightly differently than Excel.
Excel can store both data and non-data information, e.g. formulas, formatting.
SPSS only stores data and variable specifications.
There is no in-cell formula.
You cannot change the formatting (except for some variable settings)
You cannot update cell values automatically.
SPSS require you to define the variable settings.
This makes SPSS more efficient computational-wise although less user-friendly.
Open new data file: ☰->New
Open or import data file: ☰>Open->Select the data file (Jamovi recognizes many popular data file formats, including CSV, Excel, and SPSS.)
Rows as cases and columns as variables
Inserting and deleting single case (row)
Inserting and deleting single variable (column)
Sort cases (Function not available in Jamovi)
Sort variables (Function not available in Jamovi)
Select cases (filter):
Data->Filters->Enter the formula for the criteria. E.g., To select cases with Q1 equal to 3, type =Q1==3 in the formula box.
Split data by group variable:
This shall be done by assigning “split-by” variables or grouping variables in the corresponding analyses procedures.
Setting the number of decimal places in the output, along with other stuff:
Click the three-dots icon on the right hand side of the top menu bar, and choose the number formats under Results.
Jamovi supports installation of modules to extend the functionality of the software.
To install new modules, go to the Analyses tab and click the Modules button on the right hand side. Then click Jamovi library.
Here are a few useful modules:
Statkat: This tool will help you find an appropriate statistical method! Strongly recommended!
scatr: produces several types of explorative plots such as scatter plots and Pareto charts.
Rj: Editor to run R code inside Jamovi. This is useful if you want to use R in Jamovi.
semlj: Conduct a structural equation modelling based on lavaan (the R library)