What is Spss Program?
SPSS is a computer program called SPSS, which stands for Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (Statistics Program for Social Sciences) and is frequently used in Social Sciences, Educational Sciences, Health Sciences and Sciences, and also by institutions and organizations to conduct market research. program. The program works on Windows and Mac computers and has a similar appearance to the Microsoft Excel program.
What Does the Spss Program Do?
SPSS analysis program is used to analyze some measurements obtained in the fields of health sciences and natural sciences, especially survey analysis. Frequency analysis is used to determine the numerical distribution of the data (on the basis of units). Descriptive statistics are used to calculate values such as mean, standard deviation, mode and median of the obtained data. Frequency analysis and descriptive statistics are basic analyzes and can be done easily. Comparison or relationship analyzes are grouped under two groups: parametric and non-parametric.
Whether parametric or non-parametric analyzes will be used depends on certain criteria. At the beginning of these criteria are whether the data are suitable for normal distribution and whether they are homogeneous. The concepts of normal distribution and homogeneity require statistical knowledge.
Normal distribution
To put it briefly; We can say that a data set of 1,2,1,3,1,2,2,3 shows a normal distribution, while a data set of 1,6,2,1,8,2 does not show a normal distribution. In short, normal distribution/homogeneity expresses how close or far the data in our data set are from each other, in other words, how scattered they are. When compared with frequency and descriptive statistics, the parametric tests Independent t-test (Independent Sample t-test), One Way ANOVA (One-Way Analysis of Variance) and their non-parametric counterparts Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis H test require expertise, albeit partially. These analyzes are used to compare means/means of rank belonging to 2 or more groups.
In addition to comparison analyses, correlation analyzes such as regression and correlation can also be performed in the SPSS program. While regression analyzes are applied only to normally distributed data, correlation analysis can be applied to both normally distributed and non-normally distributed data.
Important considerations
The biggest mistake when performing SPSS analyzes is to use traditional approaches. In rude words, the expression “my teacher did it like this, so I should do it like that” is a traditional approach. The important thing in analyzes is not who analyzes how, but whether the criteria are met or not. Which analyzes will be carried out in the SPSS program should be planned before starting the study (survey, laboratory or field tests) and should act accordingly during the study. Trying to decide which analyzes to do after the study is a very risky situation and may cause all the measurements made to be wasted. For this reason, if SPSS or another analysis program will be used, it will be in the interest of the researcher to consult an expert before starting the study.