The document discusses four data management techniques in SPSS: 1) Merge files allows combining two datasets together by either adding cases/rows or adding variables/columns. Variables must match in name, type, and other characteristics. 2) Sort cases arranges the data in ascending or descending order based on a selected variable for cleaning or merging. 3) Split file stratifies the data analysis based on values of a splitting variable to display results separately for each stratum. 4) Select cases filters the dataset to a subset that meets user-defined criteria or draws a simple random sample of a specified size.

1. Data menu
• Merge files
• Sort cases
• Split files
• Select cases
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SPSS Data Management and Interpretations part-1

2. 1. Merge files
• Two data files can be merged (mixed) together.
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• It is the process of combining the various versions of a file.

3. A. Merging to add cases (rows)
• Here two different data files will be merged
• To merge data the two files should have variables of the same
characteristics on:
• Name of variable
• Type of variable
• Width and decimals the variable has
• Usually such merging is possible if we use similar template
during data entry.
• If there is slight difference in characteristics of a variable then
merging for that variable will be difficult.
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4. How to merge cases……
Steps
1. Open one of the two files (the file that you assume
will be the first file)
2. From the pull down menu click “Data” and go down to
select “Merge files”
3. From the “Merge files” select “add cases”
Data  Merge files  Add cases
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5. Add Cases
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6. • Select the data file you wanted through the Browser to merge and click
the Continue button.
Select
here
2nd Click here,
to select file
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7. You will find two windows
1. Unpaired variables
• list of variables that are not matched thus could not be included in
the new file
• If there is slight difference in the characteristics of variables it will
be categorized to this window
* for variables that come from the opened file
+ for variables that come from the new file
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8. Con't …
Unpaired variables
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9. 2. Variables in New Active Data Set:
• Variables in the new working file
• List of variables that could be merged to the file
• If all variables are found in this window, we could click “Ok” and we could have a
new file that needs saving, and we should save it for further analysis.
Con't …
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10. Variables in the
new working file
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11. B. Merging to add variables (columns)
• It is used when we want to add certain variables of a file from other
database.
• Usually useful in a place where there is database.
• It is also useful to take a variable from a master data.
• Here a variable having a common identity of cases is needed.
• One or more variables are added to each cases of the file.
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12. Steps Data  Merge files  Add variables
1. Click browse, to select file
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13. • A new dialogue box pops-up to browse and add file containing the variable that you
need to merge.
2. select “file name”,
then,
3. click “open”
4. click “continue”
5. click “OK”
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Cont,…

14. You will find two windows
1. Excluded variables
• list of variables that would be excluded from the working file are included
• Variables found in common are also listed here, thus the common identity
also will be found here
* for variables that come from the opened file
+ for variables that come from the new file
2. Variables in the new working data file
• List of variables that would be found in the new file
• If all variables needed to the original file are included, process of merging will be
started.
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15. 2. Sort
• Sorting is useful in cleaning data.
• When you sort ascending or descending, you can find ‘missing data’,
‘unknown (unexpected)’ data and ‘outliers’.
• If you find such cases, you can re-check with hard data for possible
correction.
• It is also useful during merging (especially when you are adding
variables).
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• It is arranging data in an ordered sequence.

16. Two methods to sort data
A. Using menu bar
Data  Sort cases
1st select the variable
3rd select ascending or descending sorting
2nd click
here to
pass into
sort by
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17. B. Right clicking
• Open “data view” format of the SPSS.
• Go to the variable name and do a right
click.
• And select ascending or descending
sorting as you wish.
• The outcome is then displayed in the
Data editor, on “data view”.
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18. 3. Split file
• It is used to do analysis by stratification
• Data is stratified by the variable selected for splitting.
• Outcome (result) of the planned analysis is displayed by stratification
(i.e. result for each value stratified is given separately)
• Eg: if data is split by sex, then any analysis done will be displayed for males and
for females
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• It is a command for having separate output for subsets of cases.

19. Steps
1. From the menu bar click “Data” and go down to select “Split file”
Data  Split file
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20. 1st Select “Organize output by
groups” or “compare groups”
2nd Select the variable you wanted to split your
file
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21. 3rd Click the arrow to pass
To “Groups based on:”
Finally, click Ok
• Then do any analysis you wanted to perform
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• Notice: Do not forget to deactivate the split file option
if returning to the unsplit file is required.

22. 4. Select cases
• It is useful when you want to analyze data among certain category of a
variable (conditionally selected data).
• E.g.: You can analyze data only among female population.
• It can also be used to select study subjects from sample frame (Simple
random sampling).
• It can also used to select certain range of a population in sequence, etc
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• It is a process of selecting a subgroup of cases based on criteria

23. Steps
I) Conditional selection
• From the menu bar click “Data” and go down to select “Select cases”
Data Select cases
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24. 1st Select “If condition is satisfied”
2nd Click “if”
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25. 3rd. 1st Select the variable
you wanted to select
4th. 2nd Click the arrow to
pass the variable”
Do the function you wanted to select
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26. Variable Function
Click the “continue”
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27. You can choose the
output option here
Finally, click “OK”
• Any analysis done will be on the selected category fulfilling the criteria of selection
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• Notice: Do not forget to deactivate the select cases option if returning
to the all data set is required for the ’filter out selected cases’ output.

28. II) Simple random sample selection
• There is a need of a list of the population (Sampling frame)
• From the pull down menu click “Data” and go down to select
“Select cases”
Data Select cases
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29. 1st Select “Random
sample of cases”
2nd Click
“Sample”
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30. 1st Click “Exactly”
2nd write the desired sample size
3rd write the total population in the list
Finally, click continue
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31. Output options
Finally, click “OK”
• List of the sample is finally created.
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• Notice: Do not forget to deactivate the select cases option if returning
to the all data set is required for the ’filter out selected cases’ output.

32. End!