How to import SPSS and Triple-S data sets into Research - MIPro

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How to import SPSS and Triple-S data sets into

Research Analyzer

(and let Research Analyzer save yourself for

hours of work)

MI Pro, October 2010

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Which datasets can be imported?

• Datasets via the SPSS Dimensions Data Model

– Quanvert

– In2Data

– SurveyCraft

– etc..

• SPSS – sav files

• In general, all datasets from software able to produce Triple-S files:

– ConfirmIT

– NEBU

– SPSS Dimensions

– Voxco

– etc..

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Typical scenarios

1. SPSS Datamodel

– These files can in general be imported AS IS with no or little editing.

2. Triple-S Files

– These files can in general be imported AS IS with no or little editing. Creation of Grid questions may, however, improve these files.

Hint: Best practice is to ask your data vendor to deliver the data in one of these two first formats.

3. SPSS .SAV files

– These files may require manual intervention by creating multiple choice questions and grids. However the Import Wizard makes this task very easy. And your reward will be an easy and fast way of creating tables and graphs of all kinds in seconds.

Most of the following guide will focus on how to import these types of files.

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The easy and fast solution in 4 steps:

• Step 1: Specify type of import, select file and specify output folder – Click “Next”

• Step 2: Click “Next” - unless you want to edit the questions

• Step 3: View the import process.

• Step 4: Finish – Click “Exit”

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Open the Import Wizard from the start page of Research Analyzer

1) Simply click Project Import Import wizard

(The Import project files option is for existing Research Analyzer data sets only)

2) The import wizard application starts

It may start in the background. (In that case you will see the orange blinking icon in the bottom task bar)

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Step 1: Specify type of import, select file and specify output folder – Click “Next”

1. Specify type of import: There are 3 different import options:

1. SPSS .sav files

2. Triple-S files

3. SPSS Data Model (requires SPSS Data Model Installed)

2. Specify type of file(s) to be imported

1. .sav file for SPSS import

2. Triple-S metafile (.sss/.xml) and Triple-S data file (.txt/.asc/.csv)

3. Varoious formats for SPSS Data Model , e.g. Quanvert .pkd files (see drop down menu)

3. Specify output folder for the RA data set

1. This can be any folder

2. Normally if you specify ”C:\Documents and Settings\(user)\Local Settings\Application Data\MIPRES\Archives” as output folder, the data set will automatically end up in Research Analyzer

3. You will only have to do this once

4. Click “Next”

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Step 2: Click “Next” – unless you want to edit the questions - see instructions later

Note: Check and try the process, before enhancing your data files by editing

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Step 3: Relax and view the import process

1. The import wizard will then run through 11 processing steps to convert the data set.

2. Normally this will take only seconds, but depending on size of data set, it may also take some minutes there are a high number of respondents and many questions).

3. You may follow the progress

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Step 4: Finish – Click “Exit”

1. If you have specified the path as described on page 4, the file is now available in Research Analyzer.

2. (If you have specified another path: see next page.)

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Import the converted data set into Research Analyzer. You are now ready to take advantage of all the features of RA with your imported data.

1) Instead of selecting the ”Import wizard” you now select “Import Project Files”.

2) Simply browse to the file and select it. The data set will now be available in Research Analyzer as a new project.

Note:

If you have specified the path as described on page 6, you will not be needing this procedure. The file is already present in Research Analyzer

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You will find your find the imported file ready to use right here – with a red icon

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How to import and enhance SPSS .sav files and Triple-S files (1)

1. Research Analyzer Data Model gives you the possibility to take full advantage of both Multiple Response and Grid questions: 1. A multiple response question appears as such in the analysis, NOT as a series of

single response variables

2. A Grid question may be treated as a grid, e.g. swapping rows and columns in the analysis is very easily done.

2. In order for you to take full advantage of the Research Analyzer, especially if you want to import SPSS .sav files, best practice is to enhance the data set during the import session: – This requires that all relevant labels are present and that unnecessary

interviewer instructions, surplus texts and scripting codes are removed or altered during the import process.

– Multiple choice questions and Grids (single/multiple) can easily be recreated using the import wizard. Recreating these will both make analysis better and much faster.

– Already weighted data sets can be activated either through the import or in Research Analyzer after the data set has been imported.

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Importing SPSS .sav files and enhancing Triple-S files (2)

• See to it that the variables you want to import are defined properly in the data set,

e.g.: – If you have numeric variables defined in SPSS as text variables, you should go

back to SPSS (or your supplier of the data set) and redefine these as numeric questions. Else these will be difficult to treat properly as categorical questions.

• Research Analyzer does not handle text variables. – If you have categorical variables defined in SPSS as text variables, these will

automatically be disabled in the import. You should redefine these in SPSS before you start importing.

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SPSS .sav represents Multiple Choice questions in 2 ways. The Import Wizard automatically detects the relevant type.

Dichotomy

• There are as many variables as there are choices.

• The Variable label usually contains the question text and the answer text combined, and the value label is usually a pair of True/False, Answered/Not answered.

Multiple response sets

• There are as many variables as the maximum number of allowed selected choices.

• Each variable contains all the responses as a single choice variable.

• The variable label contains the question text and the value labels contains the answer texts.

Var1 Var2 Var3 Var4 Var5

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Var1 Var2 Var3 Var4 Var5 Var6 Var7 Var8

1 = Cat 1 1 = Cat 2 1 = Cat 3 1 = Cat 4 1 = Cat 5 1 = Cat 6 1 = Cat 7 1 = Cat 8

0 = False 0 = False 0 = False 0 = False 0 = False 0 = False 0 = False 0 = False

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In the following slides you will learn the easy way to edit text, create multiples, grids, weight sets etc. (starts with step 2)

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How to create a multiple response question from multiple variables in SPSS .sav file

1. Select first variable in the multiple question

2. Hold the SHIFT-button down and select the last variable in the multiple question

3. Select ”create multiple”

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How to create a multiple response question from multiple variables in SPSS .sav file (2)

4. If labels are of type – False / True

– Yes / No

– Answered / Not answered

Select the value representing the category selected in the multiple question. – Normally this will be the

”true/yes/answered” category

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Note: This screen will not appear if value labels are represented as the ”category text” unique for each variable. See page 14.

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5. Edit the question text / label. – Normally this will be to delete the

first category label from that normally follows the question text

6. Copy the question text, either from the ”question text field” or from any of the ”response rows”

7. Paste into the ”Replace field”.

8. Replace with ”empty”

9. ”Go”

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10.Verify that the multiple question is as you want it. – Best practice: All labels shown here

will automatically be used when producing tables, graphs etc. If you want to shorten any of these, e.g. for graph purposes, this should be done now.

11. If you have categories you don’t want to include in the final data set, uncheck these

12.Select ”OK”

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13.You may still edit labels before you continue to the next question(s). – Question labels

– Question numbering

– Row labels

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How to recreate a grid single question from a group of similar single variables (1)

1. Select first single variable in the grid question

2. Hold the SHIFT-button down and select the last variable in the grid question

3. Select ”create grid create grid single”

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4. Edit the question text / label. – Normally this will be to delete the first

category label from what normally follows the question text

5. Copy the question text, either from the ”question text field” or from any of the rows

All rows shown here will automatically be used when producing tables, graphs etc. If you want to shorten any of these, e.g. for graph purposes, this should be done now. Categories may NOT be altered.

6. Paste into the ”Replace field”.

7. Replace with ”empty”

8. ”Go”

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9. Verify that the grid question is as you want it.

10. If you have categories you don’t want to include in the final data set, uncheck these

11.Select ”OK”

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12.You may still edit labels before you continue to the next question(s). – Question labels

– Question numbering

13.Row labels and category labels may NOT be altered here – But you can overwrite these in

Research Analyzer

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How to recreate a grid multiple question from a group of similar multiple questions

In order to create multiple grids you need to:

1. Create similar multiple questions from single variables (see page 15)

2. Select first multiple question in the grid question

3. Hold the SHIFT-button down and select the last multiple question in the grid question

4. Select ”create grid create grid multiple”

Later, edit the ”Grid multiple” in the same way as you do with creating a ”Grid single” (see page 21)

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Activating a weight set: Any numeric variable may be activated during the import process.

1. Right click on the variable and select ”use as a weight” (you may also select use as a weight from the menu)

2. The numeric symbol will transfer into a weight symbol

3. You may alter the weight set label (will affect how weight set is documented) and question number (will affect how you can address the weight set in the analysis.

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Population or Sample weight?

• After you have activated / defined a weight you get the option of specifying what the total should be.

• You can select between the 2 options:

– Population weight In the analysis the total population will be the sum of all individual weights. E.g.: 500 interviews = 3.4 mill people

– Sample weight In the analysis the total population will be the same number as total number of interviews. E.g.: 500 interviews = (still) 500 weighted interviews

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Save the import specification

1. Select ”Yes”

2. Specify a folder – Note: You only need to save this import

specification if you want to reuse it, e.g. if you will receive a similar data set later, BUT..

3. Best practice: Always save this. – You will probably need to alter some of

your modifications anyway, and you don’t want to do the work once again. To reuse: See next page

– It is also wise to save multiple copies of this file if you have are doing may changes. Sometimes you may create errors that can not be fixed (you may only undo operations in sequence). Click the Save icon to save you work at regular intervals.

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How to reuse an import specification

1. When you come to step 2 in the import procedure, select ”open” and then select the proper import specification file (.xtr) that you have saved from before

2. All modifications will then be re-applied automatically

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What if something goes wrong? Error messages (1)

• Import was successful with warnings.

– You may disregard this. This is probably that there are ”zeros” instead of ”blanks” in the original data file.

– It may also be other minor occurrences, but these will not normally impact on the final, imported data set. In any event it is wise to review the warnings.

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What if something goes wrong? Error messages (2)

• If other errors occur, this might come from several reasons. Try to check one of the following:

– Research Analyzer only supports integers up to 9 digits. You may have implied decimal point in the values, but still there is a limit of 9 total digits.

– In order for importing other SPSS formats (Quanvert etc.) you need to have an installation of SPSS Data Model.

– Research Analyzer will cope with most data sets. However if data set is too large (combination of number respondents and variables) >250.000 respondents / 1.000 variables it may break the memory capacity of the PC

• If you experience any problems, please send data set and description of error log to [email protected] . We will then try to help you.

mailto:[email protected]

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Good luck!

The MI Pro team