Using SPSS and PASW/Opening a dataset
Opening an Existing SPSS Data File
[edit | edit source]This chapter will explain how to open new and already saved data sets. Once you have SPSS open (see Chapter 2), click "File" → "Open" → “Data”:
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikibooks/en/thumb/6/64/02openingSPSS04.png/400px-02openingSPSS04.png)
After clicking the Data icon, SPSS will pull up a screen called “Open Data.” Open Data will give you option to find your data set. This can be seen in the screen shot below:
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikibooks/en/thumb/d/d5/02openingSPSS05.png/400px-02openingSPSS05.png)
Browse through your directories until you find your data set, then select it and click “Open.” Your data set should now be open:
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikibooks/en/thumb/b/bc/02openingSPSS06.png/400px-02openingSPSS06.png)
Opening a New Data Window
[edit | edit source]If you'd rather enter data into a blank data file, you can create an empty SPSS data file. To do so, once you've opened the program, click "File" → "New" → "Data"
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikibooks/en/thumb/1/19/03openingdatafileSPSS06.png/400px-03openingdatafileSPSS06.png)
The result will be a blank or empty data file. You can enter data in the Data View (Chapter 4) and set variable characteristics in Variable View (Chapter 5).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikibooks/en/thumb/b/b1/03openingdatafileSPSS07.png/400px-03openingdatafileSPSS07.png)
Chapter contributed by Jennifer Gadarowski