First Syntax

COMPUTE LabVot9209 =LabPoll09-LabVote92.
EXECUTE.

This article on the Ipsos Mori website by Dr Roger Mortimore has data from polls conducted during the 1992 general election and in 2009. On the right of the data there is a variable of Conservative vote change 92-09 but there is no Labour equivalent so I thought I would have a go at that. Turns out it was rather easy in the end. So easy I had time to make a nice graph as well.

If the graph is a little too small to see here on blogger click on the picture and it should expand to a much more reasonable size.

How to report results properly

Reporting Statistics in APA Format

Cronbach's Alphas

Values to report: the number of items that make up the subscale, and the associated Cronbach's alpha.

Examples

The extraversion subscale consisted of 8 items (a = .66), the agreeableness subscale consisted of 6 items (a = .70), and the neuroticism subscale consisted of 7 items (a =.52). Cronbach's alphas for the 12 academic and 13 social self-efficacy items were .80 and .68, respectively. The stress inventory was found to be highly reliable (20 items; a = .86).

Correlations

Values to report: correlation (r) and significance level (p).

Examples

Self-efficacy and grade-point average were significantly correlated, r = .54, p < .05. There was a nonsignificant correlation of .08 (p = n.s) between self-efficacy and gradepoint average. Regression Values to report: R2, F value (F), degrees of freedom (numerator, denominator; in parentheses separated by a comma next to F), and significance level (p), Beta. Report the Beta and the corresponding t-test for that predictors for each predictor in the regression Example Multiple regression analysis was used to test if the personality traits significantly predicted participants' ratings of aggression. The results of the regression indicated the two predictors explained 35.8% of the variance (R2=.38, F(2,55)=5.56, p<.01). It was found that extraversion significantly predicted aggressive tendencies (Beta = .56, p<.001), as did agreeableness (Beta = -.36, p<.01). t-Tests Values to report: means (M) and standard deviations (SD) for each group, t value (t), degrees of freedom (in parentheses next to t), and significance level (p). Examples Women (M = 3.66, SD = .40) reported significantly higher levels of happiness than men (M = 3.20, SD = .32), t(1) = 5.44, p < .05. Men (M = 4.05, SD = .50) and women (M = 4.11, SD = .55) did not differ significantly on levels of extraversion, t(1) = 1.03, p = n.s. ANOVA's Values to report: means (M) and standard deviations (SD) for each group, F value (F), degrees of freedom (numerator, denominator; in parentheses separated by a comma next to F), and significance level (p). Examples The main effect of year in college was not significant, F(3, 98) = 2.33, p = n.s. First-, second-, third-, and fourth-year participants did not differ on the reported amounts of alcohol consumed (see Table 1 for means).A main effect of year in school was found for satisfaction with life, F(3, 98) = 10.21, p <.03. Freshmen (M = 3.88, SD = .67) and seniors (M = 3.90, SD = .60) reported significantly less satisfaction with life than did sophomores (M = 4.32, SD = .50) and juniors (M = 4.44, SD = .44). A main effect of testing time was found, F(2, 99) = 12.24, p < .001. Participants reported significantly more boredom after the experiment (M = 5.00, SD = 0.33) than either before (M = 3.33, SD = .80) or during the experiment (M = 2.50, SD = 1.00). Source via University of Connecticut writing centre

Pollsters and Privates

Via Politico

This poll is a gift to people who doubt the value of opinion polls or indeed those who hold reservations about the wisdom of the American populace. But those people are wrong. Firstly just because Americans can give stupid answers to opinion polls doesn't mean other nationalities are clever. It just means they haven't been polled yet. If there was proper comparative polling then we could make such judgements but until then you would be better off not throwing stones when you potentially live in a glass house.

Second opinion polls are not a magic bullet and scripting matters as we can see but we need to recognise the reality that there are limits to what truthful information people are willingly going to hand over. If you combine people's perceptions of social acceptability and the low cost of giving false answers should we be surprised when people give answers they think pollsters want to hear?

Steps to Syntax

Well the Collier book Using SPSS Syntax has arrived! Now as it's the last weekend before essay deadline I can't indulge it for long but there are a couple of things that I must show you. They're useful to some extent even if you don't want to go further down the syntax route so no excuses for not reading or doing.

• The Journal

Find or make a folder you want to have all your SPSS inputs sent to. I have mine as a sub folder of my course folder but you can have it where ever you like yours. Go Edit -> Options. On the first tab General the second box on the left entitled Session Journal check that the record syntax button is ticked and it's set to append just below then check the browse button just below to set your folder to recieve your SPSS inputs. Mine was previously set to the Temp folder which I guess must be the default option. This is a good thing to do even if you never use syntax as if you are unable to remember how you did an analysis and need to prove how you did it this provides a record which you can consult.

• The Log

If you have no interest in syntax this is a bit less relevant but if you're thinking about it for the future this is a great thing to do. Again under Edit -> Options but this time under the Viewer tab which is the one on the right of the General tab. Tick the box "Display commands in the log" which is on the bottom left and then click OK. This should in the output viewer display the syntax commands used to get your results.

1... 2... 3... R

If you're a heavy SPSS or indeed SAS user you should really know about R. It's an opensource programming language for statistical computing and graphics. Being opensource it's free and as the above video makes clear there are plenty of cool things to be done with it. If the first video has got you going try parts 2, 3 and 4

Interaction in Factorial ANOVA

There is no interaction in graphs 1,5 and 6 while there is interaction in 2, 3 and 4. Of those that have interaction 2 and 4 have ordinal interaction where the graph lines remain separate but 3 has disordinal interaction as the graph lines cross each other. If there is interaction does this make the main effect pointless? Possibly but not necessarily. The most advanced analysis tool that can used in this situation is the Mk 1 Common Sense; not a lot of vendors stock that.

Now the sharper ones amongst you will notice that these graphs aren't done in SPSS in fact they are done in OpenOffice. It seemed a good idea at the time after all it's just the direction of the lines which is important; anyway this reminds me of a joke. Two accountants are sitting next to each other on a train. One leans over to the other and says "I see your not using Excel" and the other goes "No I'm using an alternative spreadsheet, I like to express my wild side"

Pie Chart Out Foxes Fox

Can you see what's wrong with this pie chart?

Via Flowing Data