A market researcher at a major publishing company, for You can also select summary statistics, which include
example, studies student ratings of college textbooks. everything from simple counts for categorical variables to
He notices a potential relationship between students at measures of dispersion. Summary statistics for categorical
private universities and low ratings for math textbooks. variables and multiple response sets include counts and
The researcher runs a column proportions test with SPSS a wide variety of percentage calculations, including
Custom Tables. The test shows, at a 95 percent confidence row, column, subtable, table, and valid N percentages.
level, that there is a difference in math textbook ratings Summary statistics for scale variables and custom total
between students at private and public universities. summaries for categorical variables include mean, median,
Knowing that the confidence level for this difference is percentiles, sum, standard deviation, range, and minimum
high, and that it’s unlikely that the relationship is due to and maximum values. To focus on specific results, you can
chance, the researcher recommends that the publishing sort categories by any summary statistic you used.
company explore the reasons for the difference in ratings.
Steps
interface enables you to preview tables table row %, count table column %, valid N values, and statistics
as you select variables and options row %, valid N column %, valid N table %, ■ Format numerical results: Commas, date/
■ Single, unified table builder, instead of valid N subtable %, valid N layer %, valid N time, dollars, F (standard numeric),
multiple menu choices and dialog boxes table row %, valid N table column %, total negative parentheses, “N=,” parentheses
for different table types, makes building N row %, total N column %, total N table %, (around numbers of percentages),
tables easier total N subtable %, total N layer %, total N percentages, and customized formats
table row %, total N table column %, ■ Apply preformatted TableLooks to results
Control contents maximum, mean, median, minimum, ■ Define the set of variables that is related
■ Create tables with up to three display missing, mode, percentile, percentile 05, to multiple response data and save it with
dimensions: Rows (stub), columns percentile 25, percentile 75, percentile 95, your data definition for subsequent analysis
(banner), and layers percentile 99, range, standard error (SE) ■ Accepts both long- and short-string
■ Nest variables to any level in all dimensions mean, standard deviation (SD), sum, elementary variables
■ Crosstabulate multiple independent total N, valid N, variance, sum row %, sum ■ Imposes no limit on the number of sets that
variables in the same table column %, sum table %, sum subtable %, can be defined or the number of variables
■ Display frequencies for multiple variables sum layer %, sum table row %, and sum that can exist in a set
side by side with tables of frequencies table column % ■ All results are produced as SPSS Statistics
■ Display all categories when multiple ■ Calculate statistics for each cell, subgroup, pivot tables so you can explore your results
variables are included in a table, even if a or table more easily with the pivot feature
variable has a category without responses ■ Calculate percentages at any or all levels – Rearrange columns, rows, and layers by
■ Display multiple statistics in rows, columns, for nested variables dragging icons for easier ad hoc analysis
or layers ■ Calculate counts and percentages for – Toggle between layers by clicking on
■ Place totals in any row, column, or layer multiple response variables based on an icon for easier comparison between
■ Create subtotals for subsets of categories the number of responses or the number subgroups
of a categorical variable of cases – Reset a table to its original organization
■ Customize your control over category ■ Select percentage bases for missing values with a simple menu choice
display order and selectively show or to include or exclude missing responses – Rotate even the outermost nests in the
hide categories ■ Exclude subtotal categories from stub, banner, and layer to uncover
■ Better control how you display your data significance tests information that can be easily hidden in
using expanded category options: ■ Run significance tests on multiple large reports
– Sort categories by any summary statistic response variables
in your table Syntax
– Hide the categories that comprise Formatting controls ■ Syntax converter translates syntax created
subtotals—you can remove a category ■ Directly edit any table element, including in versions earlier than SPSS Tables 11.5
from the table without removing it from formatting and labels into CTABLES syntax
the subtotal calculation ■ Sort tables by cell contents in ascending
– Chi-square test of independence ■ Specify minimum and maximum width right margins; page length
– Comparison of column means (t test) of table columns (overrides TableLooks) ■ Use the global break command to produce
– Comparison of column proportions ■ Show a name, label, or both for each a table for each value of a variable when
(z test) table variable the variable is used in a series of tables
■ Display missing data as blank, zero, “.,”