Editing SPSS (section)

==Overview==
SPSS is a widely used program for [[statistics|statistical analysis]] in [[social science]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Parametric & Nonparametric Data Analysis for Social Research: IBM SPSS |first1=Hary |last1=Gunarto |publisher=LAP Academic Publishing |isbn=978-6200118721 |year=2019|author1-link=Hary Gunarto }}</ref> It is also used by market researchers, health researchers, survey companies, government, education researchers, industries, marketing organizations, data miners,<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.kdnuggets.com/polls/2013/analytics-big-data-mining-data-science-software.html|title=KDnuggets Annual Software Poll: Analytics/Data mining software used?|work=KDnuggets|date=May 2013|mode=cs1}}</ref> and others. The original SPSS manual (Nie, Bent & Hull, 1970)<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gKFXAAAAMAAJ | title=SPSS: Statistical package for the social sciences| last1=Nie| first1=Norman H| last2=Bent| first2=Dale H| last3=Hadlai Hull| first3=C| year=1970| publisher=McGraw-Hill| isbn=9780070465305}}</ref> has been described as one of "sociology's most influential books" for allowing ordinary researchers to do their own statistical analysis.<ref>{{Citation|title=''Wellman''|date=1998|pages=71–78|mode=cs1}}</ref> In addition to statistical analysis, data management (case selection, file reshaping and creating derived data) and data documentation (a [[metadata]] dictionary is stored in the [[data]]file) are features of the base software.

The many features of SPSS Statistics are accessible via [[Menu (computing)|pull-down menus]] or can be programmed with a proprietary [[Fourth-generation programming language|4GL]] ''command syntax language''. Command syntax programming has the benefits of reproducible output, simplifying repetitive tasks, and handling complex data manipulations and analyses. Additionally, some complex applications can only be programmed in syntax and are not accessible through the menu structure. The pull-down menu interface also generates command syntax: this can be displayed in the output, although the [[Default (computer science)|default]] settings have to be changed to make the syntax visible to the user. They can also be pasted into a syntax file using the "paste" button present in each menu. Programs can be run interactively or unattended, using the supplied Production Job Facility.

A "macro" language can be used to write command language [[subroutines]]. A [[Python (programming language)|Python]] programmability extension can access the information in the data dictionary and data and dynamically build command syntax programs. This extension, introduced in SPSS 14, replaced the less functional [[Simple API for XML|SAX]] Basic "scripts" for most purposes, although SaxBasic remains available. In addition, the Python extension allows SPSS to run any of the statistics in the [[free software]] package [[R (programming language)|R]]. From version 14 onwards, SPSS can be driven externally by a Python or a [[Visual Basic (.NET)|VB.NET]] program using supplied "plug-ins". (From version 20 onwards, these two scripting facilities, as well as many scripts, are included on the installation media and are normally installed by default.)

SPSS Statistics places constraints on internal file structure, [[data type]]s, [[data processing]], and matching files, which together considerably simplify programming. SPSS datasets have a two-dimensional table structure, where the rows typically represent cases (such as individuals or households) and the columns represent measurements (such as age, sex, or household income). Only two data types are defined: numeric and [[String (computer science)|text]] (or "string"). All data processing occurs sequentially case-by-case through the file (dataset). Files can be matched [[One-to-one (data model)|one-to-one]] and [[One-to-many (data model)|one-to-many]], but not [[Many-to-many (data model)|many-to-many]]. In addition to that cases-by-variables structure and processing, there is a separate Matrix session where one can process data as matrices using matrix and linear algebra operations.

The [[graphical user interface]] has two views which can be toggled. The 'Data View' shows a [[spreadsheet]] view of the cases (rows) and variables (columns). Unlike spreadsheets, the data cells can only contain numbers or text, and formulas cannot be stored in these cells. The 'Variable View' displays the metadata dictionary, where each row represents a variable and shows the variable name, variable label, value label(s), print width, measurement type, and a variety of other characteristics. Cells in both views can be manually edited, defining the file structure and allowing data entry without using command syntax. This may be sufficient for small datasets. Larger datasets such as [[statistical survey]]s are more often created in [[data entry]] software, or entered during [[computer-assisted personal interviewing]], by scanning and using [[optical character recognition]] and [[optical mark recognition]] software, or by direct capture from online questionnaires. These datasets are then read into SPSS.

SPSS Statistics can read and write data from [[ASCII]] text files (including hierarchical files), other statistics packages, [[spreadsheets]] and [[databases]]. It can also read and write to external [[Table (database)|relational database tables]] via [[Open Database Connectivity|ODBC]] and [[SQL]].

Statistical output is to a [[proprietary file format]] (*.spv file, supporting [[pivot table]]s) for which, in addition to the in-package viewer, a stand-alone reader can be downloaded. The proprietary output can be exported to text or [[Microsoft Word]], [[PDF]], [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]], and other formats. Alternatively, output can be captured as data (using the OMS command), as text, tab-delimited text, PDF, [[Microsoft Excel#File formats|XLS]], [[HTML]], [[XML]], SPSS dataset or a variety of graphic image formats ([[JPEG]], [[Portable Network Graphics|PNG]], [[Windows and OS/2 bitmap|BMP]] and [[Windows Metafile|EMF]]).
[[File:SPSS logo.svg|thumb|The SPSS logo used prior to the renaming in January 2010.]]

Several variants of SPSS Statistics exist. SPSS Statistics Gradpacks are highly discounted versions sold only to students.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-09 |title=IBM Products |url=https://www.ibm.com/products |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.ibm.com |language=en-US}}</ref> SPSS Statistics Server is a version of the software with a [[Client–server model|client/server architecture]].  Add-on packages can enhance the base software with additional features (examples include '''complex samples''', which can adjust for clustered and stratified samples, and '''custom tables''', which can create publication-ready tables). SPSS Statistics is available under either an annual or a [[Software as a service|monthly subscription]] license.

Version 25 of SPSS Statistics launched on August 8, 2017. This added new and advanced statistics, such as random effects solution results (GENLINMIXED), robust standard errors (GLM/UNIANOVA), and profile plots with error bars within the Advanced Statistics and Custom Tables add-on. V25 also includes new [[Bayesian statistics]] capabilities, a method of statistical inference, and publication ready charts, such as powerful new charting capabilities, including new default templates and the ability to share with Microsoft Office applications.<ref>{{cite web|title=What's New in SPSS Statistics 25 & Subscription - SPSS Predictive Analytics|url=https://developer.ibm.com/predictiveanalytics/2017/07/18/spss-25-subscription-summary/|website=SPSS Predictive Analytics|access-date=15 December 2017|date=18 July 2017}}</ref>