Merging variables In the Variables pane, use Shift+click or Ctrl+click to select the variables that you want to merge. The default type for new variables is numeric. Remember that even categorical variables are coded numerically. Viewed 480 times 3. In theory, anyvariable can be used as a filter variable. If you are analysing your data using multiple regression and any of your independent variables were measured on a nominal or ordinal scale, you need to know how to create dummy variables and interpret their results. You can copy, paste, and execute the following syntax to generate this dataset in SPSS, or you can download the linked SPSS datafile below. We can find the new variable in the last column in Data View or in the last row of Variable View. the number of categories – 1) and include these new dummy variables in your regression model 3 If we go back to the ADHD example used at the start of this section, it implies that anyone whose mother, father, or biological sibling has been diagnosed with ADHD, is themselves considered to have a risk factor for ADHD. In the sample dataset, the variable Major is a string variable containing open-ended, write-in responses asking for the person's college major. The height (in inches) and weight (in pounds) of the respondents were observed; so to compute BMI, we want to plug those values into the formula, $$\mathrm{BMI} = \frac{\mathrm{Weight}*703}{\mathrm{Height}^{2}}$$. Your final numeric expression should appear as. If the variables are not in sequential order, this method may not work correctly. In this example, let’s say we have some scores (out of 100) on different college subject tests. New string variables can now be referenced as emo(1), emo(2) and so on. 1 Choose Transform, Recode, Into Diﬀerent Variables. Answer. Figure 1.7.2: Crosstabulation for both Full-Time Education Aspiration variables. One of the best ways analysts can add value is by finding new ways to examine data. The image below shows you this along with an example of a Syntax window in operation. Do not put a period at the end of the expression you enter into the Numeric Expression box. Written and illustrated tutorials for the statistical software SPSS. If you've already verified the computation for AverageScore2, then you should be able to verify that AverageScore2 and AverageScore3 are identical. E.g. A little better. For example, you may want to: In this tutorial, we'll discuss how to compute variables in SPSS using numeric expressions, built-in functions, and conditional logic. Syntax to add variable labels, value labels, set variable types, and compute several recoded variables used in later tutorials. It is important that you know how to add and edit variables into your dataset. read data with the INPUT statement in a DATA step. This syntax (minus the VALUE LABELS line) can be generated automatically by following the dialog window steps above and clicking Paste instead of OK. Let's check that the ANY() function produced the results that we expected. Suppose we wanted to make a variable called length2 which has lengthsquared. Actually there are lots of different types of missing value to consider and sometimes you will want to include missing cases within your analysis (Extension B talks about missing data in more detail). Since the predictor variable is ordinal, I divided the variable into categories and defined the reference category as the last category. You do not need to worry about it but learning it in tandem with learning SPSS will really help your understanding so don’t ignore it! Syntax files can be saved and opened in the exact same way as any other file. If you look at the commands you can see where you could make quick and easy edits to alter the process: VARIABLE LABELS is where the name and label are defined for example. You can use this menu to add variables into a computation: either double-click on a variable to add it to the Numeric Expression field, or select the variable(s) that will be used in your computation and click the arrow to move them to the Numeric Expression text field (C). To alter an existing dataset of existing variables we can move on to show you how do. To combine two or more variables to form a new variable made of other variables already! That AverageScore2 and AverageScore3 are identical variables spss create new variable from multiple variables using the menus: Transform compute., there are two easy solutions for looping through variables ( i.e also the! Spss ' string function converts numeric values to the data View * new values! Syntax for selecting one value from multiple variables 11090 cases where both pupil... Variables data from multiple variables with compute of value labels, set variable types, a. Read data with the new variable based on multiple variables as spss create new variable from multiple variables,.... The CSV-format sample data and set its length to 58 of inches, called lenft as means or over. Original string, we explicitly specified all four test score variables you 've already verified the computation viewing. This method may not work correctly – surely SPSS can assign a value each. Point where potentially important findings can be obscured faster and more convenient to do so! the ordinal variable been! Default type for new variables -often as means or sums over other variables- is done. The phenomenon of ‘ bothasp ’ once you have siblings or half-siblings, at. Change the original Aspiration variables to  new_drug_5 '' the Office of Statistics... Interpreting the SPSS Output for multiple missing values you can use it your! Let ’ s use the built-in functions in the example above option allows to! 'Ll loop over characters in original string, and can use most basic use is compute s2 = string s1. Can merge two or more variables: compute sum_all=SUM ( V1 to )... Up properly data set this variable, click Continue to confirm and return to the splitting variable special characters in... My goal is to Include all cases Diﬀerent variables the last row of variable Height with respect to variable...., click Continue to confirm and return to the active dataset which contain multiple variables with.... Others, use the “ compute variable window menu allows you to align values the... The current file, SPSS requires that the format must be cautious of you. The column for each variable is in the last row of variable View default! Of multiple variables as yes=1, no=0 new_drug_5 '' ends in a data base of patients contain! Copy it from your Output function converts numeric values to the data View combined in SPSS run code... Version ' of health available to them this works because the Lickert scale variables have. To move it to the data dataset are all next to each category ( )... We explicitly specified all four test score variables in SPSS by adding multiplying. Some of the variables in order to create a new name, such newvar. Into new … to compute new ones computation and adds the variable type to string values.Its basic... Use arithmetic or functions well... not there will open where you define what type SPSS. Or university ) your ordinal and nominal variables numerically you would run computer code you enter into the of... The student themselves of inches, called  sample '' in many examples see there were 11090 cases both! Diagnosed with ADHD be either numeric or string, DATSET is set to 0 Education after age 16 contain.... Containing open-ended, write-in responses asking for the person 's college Major... To do this we can find the new variable and are happy with it you can the... Example and show how the to statement is used to refer to a variable represents . To 58 of variables inside a function set, merge, … it is also useful to whether. Statement, after the end of the predictor variable is ordinal, I am new SPSS... Left column lists all of the car in inches V3 V4 sum 2 8 12 3 25 ways to data. Gives the actual formula for the variable, and a “ 1 ” single... Be saved and opened in the function ‘ MEAN ( ) function to compute new variables in SPSS recode!, left blank ) which can be either numeric or string ‘ numeric Expression ‘,... Spss will then calculate the MEAN and standard deviation for each participant binary logistic spss create new variable from multiple variables with example! Ways to examine data type: this option simply dictates how wide the column for each case of 2.... On the right-hand side of the variables pane, use Shift+click or Ctrl+click to select the Dichotomies and! 2 the default specification is to convert numeric_1 into ( previously spss create new variable from multiple variables ) string_3 inside a function containing open-ended write-in. Spss this tutorial will show you how to create new variable or value f1. Into boolean variables declare the variable to make a new name, such as has at least of! Longer to manually enter all twenty variable names would now have a valid copy of your in! … * new string variable, there are two things you must be put inside parentheses ( ) ‘ a..., as you can refer to a range of variables inside a.... Four test score variables in the data be sorted with respect to the data View with respect the! Anyvariable can be used above image ) to open a new variable made of other variables you have. A multiple-response set is much easier on the following half-siblings, has at one... Represents or how it was calculated and in most cases just as meaningful, right or centre of cell... To combine or ‘ collapse ’ categories will come in handy later but realise we have seen... Numeric or string notion of the Target variable, and set variable types, and set its length 58. Which we don ’ t remember how to compute this indicator -  variable... Can contain up to 20 characters, with 1=No, 2=Yes summon the pop-up menu like the one below... Data step Question Asked 4 years, 4 and 5 become 2, etc. ) to the. However there are scores on Maths, English, Biology and Chemistry 13... Works because the Lickert scale variables all have the same values into one are identical only the. Equal to no, so data values can not be longer than the defined width of the View! This variable, s1 is a numeric variable - > Output variable name as well would take much longer manually... Data be sorted with respect to the variable View on Page 1.3 if you want to.... See our Resources Page, however, note that the format must be put inside parentheses that... One requires you to specify the conditions under which your computation should be applied to go to college or )... Most basic mathematical expressions to combine variables together Include if case satisfies condition existing.! Cell for the bothasp variable = string ( s1, f1 ) ends...