SPSS STATISTICAL PACKAGE

INTRODUCTION
SPSS is a data analysis and statistics package available on ACS. It can be run in three ways:

  1. by executing a file containing SPSS commands
  2. using the SPSS Manager
  3. from command prompts
USING A FILE CONTAINING SPSS COMMANDS
If you already know a UNIX editor (e.g., EMACS, VI, uni-XEDIT), then probably the easiest way for you to run SPSS is with mode 1). For this method, use the editor to create and save a file containing SPSS commands. Then, at the shell prompt type: 

      % spss -m  mypgm   (where "mypgm" is the file containing
                          SPSS commands. Examples of such command
                          files are shown below.)
Program output will be sent to the screen. If you wish to direct your output to a file for printing or later reference, add the UNIX redirection operator (>) and the name of the file where you want to send the output. For example, to send the output to a file called "mypgm.lst" type: 

        % spss -m  mypgm > mypgm.lst
You can then view your output with the UNIX "more" command or send it to the printer with the "lpr" command.

Example of a file containing SPSS commands and data

        set width=80
        data list  /
              id 1-2   x 4-5    y 6-8
        begin data
        01 10 105
        02 15 207
        03 22 209
        end data
        descriptives    variables=x y

Example of a file containing SPSS commands - data in an external file

        set width=80
        data list   file='mydata'
              id 1-2   x 4-5    y 6-8
        descriptives    variables=x y

USING THE SPSS MANAGER
To run SPSS using the SPSS Manager you will have to invest time learning and practicing the manager commands (which, by the way, are not at all mnemonic and are somewhat complicated.) If you wish to access SPSS using this method, see the first four chapters of the publication SPSS for UNIX: Operations Guide.

USING SPSS FROM COMMAND PROMPTS
If you already know SPSS, you can also run programs in a prompted SPSS session. Appendix A of SPSS for Unix: Operations Guide contains information on this method.

REFERENCES
See the online man page: type man spss at the ACS command prompt. Information about SPSS can be obtained from the following references, which are available at the Consulting Services Help Desks at 111 Cummington Street (lower level) and Mugar Memorial Library (third floor).