Using Spss for Windows: Analyzing and Understanding Data [Paperback]

Samuel B. Green (Author), Neil J. Salkind (Author), Theresa M. Akey (Author), Theresa M. Jones (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0023464348 | ISBN-13: 978-0023464348 | Publication Date: February 12, 1997 | Edition: 1

For masters- and doctoral-level students in intro and advanced statistics. This text provides comprehensive treatment of all relevant topics for SPSS for Windows, including an introduction to get users up and running plus extensive discussion of more complex topics utilizing SPSS 9.0. Substantive information about statistical techniques includes a brief discussion of each statistical technique, examples of how the statistic is applied, the assumptions underlying the statistic, a description of the effect size, a sample data set that can be analyzed, the research question associated with the data set, step-by-step instructions as to how to complete the analysis, a discussion of the results of the analysis, alternative analytic techniques when available and a visual display of the results using SPSS graphic options.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Covering the major procedures in-depth, this fine new text provides a step-by-step introduction to the use of SPSS. With extensive documentation, this text provides a "hands on" approach to all the relevant procedures students need to develop a proficiency in the use of SPSS. The presentation of the material is bolstered by numerous informative illustrations and a wealth of relevant and insightful applied examples. Chapter material and data sets are contained on disk to facilitate student involvement and practice.

From the Back Cover

Key Benefit: Covering the major procedures in-depth, this fine new book provides a step-by-step introduction to the use of SPSS. With extensive documentation, this book has a hands-on approach to all the relevant procedures needed to develop a proficiency in the use of SPSS. The presentation of the material is bolstered by numerous informative illustrations and a wealth of relevant and insightful applied examples. Chapter material and data sets are contained on disk to facilitate involvement and practice. Key Topics: This book is extensively illustrated to heighten interest and increase understanding. It presents detailed, step-by-step descriptions of procedures and methods of using SPSS as well as ample documentation. It contains numerous exercises to test student proficiency while aiding in review and reinforcing concepts and principles in the book, and provides a number of real life examples to show the relevant applications for the procedures being discussed. Chapter material and data sets on disk are offered. There is a user friendly approach with a number of strong pedagogical features which include chapter objectives, chapter summaries, marginal notes, discussion questions, worked examples, charts, graphs, diagrams and tables.

Product Details

• Paperback: 494 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (February 12, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0023464348
• ISBN-13: 978-0023464348
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,118,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lifesaver, December 5, 2000

By 

Arlington Anne (Arlington, VA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Using SPSS for Windows: Analyzing and Understanding Data (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

It had been a difficult couple of years. I had more life changes than most people have in 30 years, and not the least was that I had moved three times. In the middle of it all, I took multivariate statistics, a graduate course that I didn't have all the prerequisites for. I loved the course, but wow, was it hard. The sheer volume of the work nearly flattened me. Then I had an emotional meltdown right in the middle of the semester project, which was to apply seven multivariate techniques to the data I had collected for my own research.

My professor gave me an "incomplete," bless him, and I had the summer to finish the project. Then I moved again and lost everything -- class notes, textbook, everything.

Then I found this book, and it was all I needed to complete most of the project. Each section describes a statistical procedure clearly, with examples. It is easy to decide whether the technique is appropriate for your data, or, as in my case, how to use your data to try a technique. Then you walk through the technique, step by step, with pictures. The book gives you annotated printouts to help you find the most useful information in what SPSS gives you.

Then, my favorite part -- a sample results section in APA style. If I hadn't had this, I would never have finished by my revised due date, and would have had to repeat the course.

Downside -- it tells you what choices to make as you go through each analysis without fully explaining the options. That's good when you're in a hurry (and I was) but I would love to see these authors make an expanded version to use when I have more time. I would like their help with choosing additional graphs, for instance.

It doesn't help with non-SPSS techniques, of course, and I certainly could have used some help with Structural Equation Modeling. I have since bought Rex Kline's excellent book for that.

If you need to do some heavyweight statistics, you have SPSS, and you find the SPSS help file impenetrable (if you can understand it, you don't need it), then this book is for you. It's worth its weight in gold, and it's heavy.

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, but not for undergraduates, July 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Using Spss for Windows: Analyzing and Understanding Data (Paperback)

As a 2nd year graduate student, I find myself referring back to this book constantly. The explanations of the output are excellent, along with the model APA-style Results sections. The included data sets and instructions have allowed me to teach myself many of the analyses that were missed in my classes. On the other hand, I got the book in an undergraduate data analysis class 3 years ago, and have to say, that at that time, it was all very much over my head. The book's explanations are way too dense and jargon-loaded for undergraduates, but if you've had 2 or 3 stats courses already, you should find this wonderful book extremely helpful.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars using spss, May 15, 2000

By 

"zimfrank" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Using SPSS for Windows: Analyzing and Understanding Data (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

i bought the first edition of this book (1997). i have used it extensively to do the statistical analysis of data for my thesis. it is a good spss reference. but does not offer 100% coverage of the tests, abilities, etc of spss. if you need to know how to carry out straight forward tests, which tests to choose, etc., this book will help you. but, if things get complicated, as they often do, this text may alert you to a situation, but then not perform the follow through to get you out of the situation. for example, i ran an anova which indicated a significant interaction. examples given in the text walk you through the lmatrix syntax for a simple 2x3 simple main effects test, but don't discuss the syntax for higher order anovas. they also alert you to the fact that they are walking you through the syntax for simple main effects assuming homogeneity of variance. if you have a situation where you are not assuming homogeneity of variance, you are out of luck, they discuss the topic no further because of space restrictions. so if you have some advanced stats questions/topics/situations, this book may not cover them, and like me you will be searching for a more thorough treatment. on its good side, is the format, and the synnopsis at the end of each chapter which summarizes the statistical findings in apa format. this is a great feature when you get to the point where you need to write up your findings! so, this book helped me out a great deal in the begining, and in the writeup phase, but when things got complicated, i was stuck.