new lab 5

UCSC Lab Manual: Lab 5

 Purpose: To create quality tables for homework and publication

Main points:

  • Raw SPSS output is not appropriate for most professional purposes.
  • For homework assignments SPSS tables can be copied, pasted into a word processor and edited.
  • For professionally formatted tables can be created from scratch in a word processor
  • Examples of appropriate  tables are included in the Lab.

Instruction for Creating Homework Tables

  1. In an SPSS output window select and click on a table you wish to include in your home.
  2. Right click on the table. On a Mac Track Pad click on the table using two fingers.
  3. From the menu that appears select the Copy Special option.
  4. Check only the box marked Rich Text Format (RTF).
  5. In your word processor, open a new window.
  6. Paste the table in the new window.
  7. Edit using the table editing tools available in your word processor.
  8. For frequency tables delete the column entitled cumulative percent column and the bottom two rows entitled missing system and total. Edit all column and row labels so that they fit properly.
  9. Crosstabulation tables should contain only column percents in the cells of the table and counts (N) only at the base of each column. Accordingly, delete the Total column of the far right as well as all the count rows in the body of the table and the total (100) percent row at the bottom of the table. Edit all labels so that they fit in the available space. Enter the data source and appropriate summary measure(s) just beneath the table. Place a title at the top of the table using the Dependent by Independent format. Here’s a Crosstab example.

Instructions for Creating Professional Quality Tables with a word processor.

A. Create a frequency table in Word 

  1. Select an indicator of a dependent variable of interest.
  2. Give the table a title describing its content.
  3. Insert a table of an appropriate size by going to the insert menu and clicking on table. Choose an appropriate number of columns and rows.
  4. In the first row label the columns “Variable label”, “Frequency”,and “Percent”.
  5. Type the categories of the variable in the first column.
  6. Give the frequency of each category in the second column.
  7. Enter the valid percentages in the third column.
  8. In the last row give the totals for the columns.
  9. Select the entire table and in the Format menu select “Borders & Shading”
  10. Under Settings, select none. Under Style select the single line. Under preview click on the lines above and below the table. Click Ok.
  11. Add information about the source of the data below the last line.

B. Creating a crosstabulation

  1. Select indicators of a dependent and an independent variable of interest.
  2. Title the table using the dependent variable by independent variable format.
  3. Insert table with four more rows than the dependent variable has categories and two more columns then the independent variable has categories.
  4. In the first row of the table type the name of the dependent variable in the first column and each of the categories of the independent variable in the next columns.
  5. List the categories of the dependent variable in the first column below the dependent variable name. Then skip one row and enter N=.
  6. Enter the appropriate column percentages (not frequencies) in the table cells.
  7. In the row marked N=, enter the column totals at the base of each column .
  8. For now leave the last line of the table blank. It will later be used for information summarizing the table.
  9. Select the entire table and in the Format menu select “Borders & Shading”
  10. Under Settings, select none. Under Style select the single line. Under preview click on the lines above and below the table. Click Ok.
  11. Add information about the source of the data below the last line.
  12. A before/after example including syntax appears below. 
    missing values d8com (9).
recode d8com (3=1) (4=2) (else =3) into ethn.
value labels ethn 1 'Hisp' 2 'White' 3 'other'.
fre var ethn
  /statistics = mode median mean.
crosstabs tables = q21 by ethn
  /cells = column count
  /statistics = phi.

    Unedited table

    Q21. Proposition 64 is called the ‘Marijuana Legalization. Initiative Statute.’ If the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Proposition 64? * ethn Crosstabulation
    ethn Total
    Hisp White other
    Q21. Proposition 64 is called the ‘Marijuana Legalization. Initiative Statute.’ If the election were held today, would you vote yes or no on Proposition 64? yes Count 162 382 168 712
    % within ethn 47.0% 56.9% 62.0% 55.3%
    no Count 183 289 103 575
    % within ethn 53.0% 43.1% 38.0% 44.7%
    Total Count 345 671 271 1287
    % within ethn 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
    Symmetric Measures
    Value Approximate Significance
    Nominal by Nominal Phi .109 .000
    Cramer’s V .109 .000
    N of Valid Cases 1287

    Edited Table

    Intended Vote on Marijuana Initiative by reported ethnicity

    ethnicity
    Hisp White other
    Intended Vote yes 47.0% 56.9% 62.0%
    no 53.0% 43.1% 38.0%
    Total 345 671 271

    Cramer’s V = .109

    Source: PPIC October 2016 Statewide Survey