Importing an Excel DataSet and Performing Various SPSS Procedures

To import and Excel worksheet into SPSS, open SPSS and go to FILE / OPEN / DATA and go to the correct folder and change the Files of Type  to *.xls to find your file.  Then open the file.  SPSS will ask you which worksheet to use and it will have checked the Read Variable names if your Excel file has variable names in row 1.  Choose OK.  At this point in SPSS, you may want to add Variable and Value Labels.  You can do this in the Variable View screen.

Here is an excel data set to download, and import into SPSS.

1. To obtain frequencies of categorical or quantitative variables --  ANALYZE / DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS / FREQUENCIES.
    Move the desired variables from the left box to the right box and say OK.

2. To obtain means, standard deviations of quantitative variables -- ANALYZE / DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS / DESCRIPTIVES.
    Move the desired variables from the left box to the right box and say OK.

3. To do Crosstabulations with Chi square tests --  ANALYZE / DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS / CROSSTABS.
    Choose the row variable and the column variable, under CELLS, COUNTS, check Observed,  under PERCENTAGE, check Row and/or Column. Then choose OK.

4. To do independent samples t-tests -- ANALYZE / COMPARE MEANS / INDEPENDENT SAMPLES T-TEST. 
    Move over variables whose means will be compared.  Under Grouping Variable, move over the categorical grouping variable (gender, trt group)
    and specify its codes under DEFINE GROUPS.  These are often  1 and 2. 
    Choose CONTINUE and check if on the t-test screen, it now says, e.g. gender (1,2) and not gender(?,?).  Choose OK.