Tips for Using SPSS Syntax
Many of us have learned to generate SPSS analyses by using the menu selections. However, SPSS also provides command syntax as an alternative way to run your analyses. Although the menu selections are more user friendly for the first time user, command syntax provides the user with greater flexibility. In fact, some commands and options are available only by using the command language. Further, the command language allows you to save your jobs in a syntax file so that you can repeat your analysis at a later date without having to go through all of the menu selections again. Therefore, moving to command syntax is vital to the psychology researcher. The following tips are meant to provide an easy transition from using the menu selections to utilizing the command syntax. These tips and suggestions were compiled from the SPSS help files. Therefore, if you experience any problems with using command syntax refer first to the SPSS help menu.
To open a Syntax Editor window
Syntax windows are text file windows used to enter, edit,
and run commands. To open a Syntax Editor window select File > New >
Syntax in the Data Editor window. A Syntax Editor
window will now appear.
Pasting from a dialog box
While it is possible to open a Syntax Editor window and type in commands, it is easier if you let the software help you build your syntax file by pasting command syntax from dialog boxes. To paste command syntax follow the general procedures for making menu selections for an analysis presented in the Sample Analyses webpage. However, rather than clicking OK to run the analysis instead click on Paste. A Syntax Editor window will appear with the syntax necessary to run the analysis generated by your menu selections.
After the syntax has been pasted into the syntax window,
you can run the pasted syntax, edit
it, and save it in a syntax file (refer below as to
how you can do these tasks).
Simple rules when editing and writing command syntax
- The Syntax Editor has similar editing and writing features as a word processor. So you can type, delete, cut, copy, and paste just as you would in a word processor.
- Each command must begin on a new line and end with a period (.).
- Most subcommands are separated by slashes (/). The slash before the first subcommand on a command is usually optional.
- Variable names must be spelled out fully. It is important to note that command syntax only uses variable names and not variable labels. When typing variable names in a syntax file it may be worthwhile to use the Syntax Editor menu bar. When you are ready to enter a variable into the syntax file select Utilities > Variables from the menu bar in the syntax editor. A Variables window will appear. Highlight the variable and click on the Paste button followed by the Close button. The variable name will now appear in the location of your cursor.
- Text included within apostrophes or quotation marks must be contained on a single line.
- Each line of command syntax cannot exceed 80 characters.
- Variable names ending in a period can cause errors in commands created by the dialog boxes. You cannot create such variable names in the dialog boxes, and you should generally avoid them.
- Command syntax is case insensitive, and three-letter abbreviations can be used for many command specifications. You can use as any lines as you want to specify a single command. You can add space or break lines at almost any point where a single blank is allowed, such as around slashes, parentheses, arithmetic operators, or between variable names.
For example,
FREQUENCIES
VARIABLES=gender write
/STATISTICS=STDDEV RANGE MINIMUM MAXIMUM MEAN
SKEWNESS SESKEW KURTOSIS SEKURT
/HISTOGRAM NORMAL . - At
the end of the Frequencies command a period appears
T-TEST - The T-test command begins
on a new line
GROUPS=gender(1 2)
/VARIABLES=write.
- For example,
FREQUENCIES
VARIABLES=JOBCAT GENDER
/PERCENTILES=25 50 75
/BARCHART.
and
freq var=jobcat gender /percent=25 50 75 /bar.
are both acceptable alternatives that generate the same
results.
For your first save, choose File > Save to open the Save Data As window. Make sure you save to your disk (i.e., the name of your disk should be in the little box at the top of the Save window). Click on Save when you are finished naming your file. Any future saves can now be done by choosing File > Save from the menu bar.
Using a syntax file is very beneficial if you have several
analyses that you want to conduct for a project. By pasting the syntax
after each analysis, you can build a file and save it. You will then
be able to repeat the analysis at a later date. Therefore, if you
discover an error in your data or decide to rerun the analyses on a subset
of your data all you have to do is open the syntax file and run the analyses.
Highlight the commands that you want to run in the Syntax Editor window. Click the Run button (the right-pointing triangle) on the syntax window toolbar.
Or
Select one of the choices from Run on the menu bar in the syntax editor:
- All. Runs all commands in the syntax window.
- Selection. Runs the currently selected commands. This includes any commands partially highlighted.
- Current. Runs the command where the cursor is currently located.
- To End. Runs all commands from the current cursor location to the end of the command syntax file.
Using help in the syntax editor
window
There are three ways to get help with syntax:
- Select Help > Topics on the menu bar and the Help Topics window will open. Click on the Index tab. Type the analysis you would like to run in the box. The second box will show possible topics, highlight the desired topic and click on the Display button.
-
In the Syntax Editor place your cursor on the command (e.g.,
Frequencies). On the Syntax Editor toolbar click on the Syntax
help button (
). The command syntax will now appear for Frequencies. - Select Help > Syntax Guide > Base and Acrobat Adobe will load the SPSS Syntax Guide. Choose your desired analysis from the menu options in Adobe.
