Use of SPSS for Two-Way Tests Main content

Use of SPSS for Two-Way Chi-Square Analysis

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First, a reminder of our data:

Table 3 Number of Children in each of four seating positions obtaining different levels of grade

Observed Grade In Immediate Front Front Middle Rear middle Rear Total

Top third 13 8 10 3 34

Middle third 20 23 27 18 88

Bottom third 11 12 12 21 56

Total 44 43 49 42 178

Basic Sequence Stage 1 The basic sequence for running two-way analyses is as follows:

1) In terms of how data are entered, we enter the data as we did for the one-way analysis, except of course, we now have two variables (seating position and grade) instead of one, as shown below. Following the example below, open SPSS and create a datafile.

Stages 2 and 3

Once you have done this, go to the Data menu, and select Weight cases. In the dialogue box that appears, select Weight cases by and choose the third column, Frequency as the weighting variable, by clicking on it and moving it using the arrow button (see below). Click OK to enact this.

Go to the Analyze menu, and choose Descriptive Statistics/Crosstabs.

Stages 4, 5 and 6

In the dialogue box that appears, select your row and column variables by clicking on each in turn to highlight it, and then using the horizontal arrow buttons to move them into the correct box (NB it doesnt matter which variable you assign to row and which to column, other than in terms of which way round these are in the table that is generated):

Click on the Statistics button, and choose Chi-square.

Under Cells choose Observed and Expected counts. Under Exact, make sure that asymptotic only is selected.

NB be sure to click on Continue rather than simply closing these dialogue boxes, otherwise your settings will be ignored.

Click on OK to run the analysis.

Task 10

Run the analysis as described above. Compare your output against the one provided here. Then check that the values you obtain are as you worked out before, when doing the calculation by hand.

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Source of this article:

http://www.strath.ac.uk/aer/materials/4dataanalysisineducationalresearch/unit3/useofspssfortwo-waytests/

Use of SPSS for Two-Way TestsNumber of Children in each of four seating positions obtaining different levels of gradeStage 1