Work with Variables

Section 5

Add a variable

Click on the top grey portion of the GPA column to highlight the column. At the top left of your screen, select Edit > Insert variable.

At the bottom left of your screen, select: Variable View. Double click on VAR00001 (it will turn blue) and type “Year” to give the new variable (Year Level) a name. – Move over to the Values column, click on the cell and then on the 3

dots shaded in grey. Type “1” in the Value box and “Freshman” in the Label box. Select: Add. Type “2” and “Sophomore.” Select: Add. Type “3” and “Junior.” Select: Add. Type “4” and “Senior.” Select: Add > OK.

• At the bottom left of your screen, select: Data View.

• Click in the Year column of line 1, select the down arrow then select Freshman.

You have just finished entering the Year Level for your first participant.

Participant #: _1_

Gender: M F Age: _23_ Year: Fr

Current GPA: _3.2_ High School GPA: _3.11_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _5_

Now enter the Year Level for the other 9 participants (these are the same surveys).

Participant #: _2_

Gender: M F Age: _25_ Year: So

Current GPA: _3.0_ High School GPA: _2.9_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _2_

Participant #: _3_

Gender: M F Age: _31_ Year: Sn

Current GPA: _2.7_ High School GPA: _2.5_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _15_

Participant #: _4_

Gender: M F Age: _27_ Year: Ju

Current GPA: _3.9_ High School GPA: _3.6_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _4_

Participant #: _5_

Gender: M F Age: _27_ Year: So

Current GPA: _3.11_ High School GPA: _3.2_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _8_

Participant #: _6_

Gender: M F Age: _22_ Year: Fr

Current GPA: _3.0_ High School GPA: _3.4_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _2_

Participant #: _7_

Gender: M F Age: _21_ Year: Sn

Current GPA: _3.5_ High School GPA: _3.8_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _9_

Participant #: _8_

Gender: M F Age: _28_ Year: Ju

Current GPA: _2.22_ High School GPA: _2.7_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _5_

Participant #: _9_

Gender: M F Age: _21_ Year: Sn

Current GPA: _2.9_ High School GPA: _3.1_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _1_

Participant #: 10_

Gender: M F Age: _27_ Year: Sn

Current GPA: _3.3_ High School GPA: _3.1_

On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at All Very

How many years of computer experience have you had? _7_

Your Data View file should look like this -

Move a variable

• Click on the top grey portion of the Year column to highlight the column.

• Press and hold a Left click then use your mouse to move the cursor to in between the Gender and Age columns.

• Drop (stop pressing the Left click) the Year column.

Recode Variables

The Confidence variable indicates students' responses to the question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will learn statistics? Their responses are currently Scale data (1 – 10). To make a comparison of the participants who answered with a low, medium, or high response, you can create groups (Nominal data).

Select: Transform > Recode > Into Different Variables.

Highlight the Confidence question on the list and click on the arrow to move Confidence into the Input Variable box.

Type: “ConfLoHi” in Output Variable: Name. Click on the Change button.

Select: Old and New Values. Under Old Value, select: Range. Type: “1” in the top box and “3” in the box under through.Type: “1” in the Value box under New Value. Click: Add.Type: “3” in the top Range box under Old Value and “6” in the

lower box.Type: “2” in the Value box under New Value. Click: Add.Type: “7” in the top Range box under Old Value and “10” in the

lower box.Type: “3” in the Value box under New Value. Click: Add.

• Click on Continue > OK

• The new variable will appear at the right hand side of your current variables.

• At the bottom left of your screen, select: Variable View

• Go to line 9 (ConfLoHi) and move over to the Values column. Click on the cell and then on the 3 dots shaded in grey. Type “1” in the Value box and “Low” in the Label box. Select: Add. Type “2” and “Medium.” Select: Add. Type “3” and “High.” Select: Add

• Select: OK