Which SPSS view would you use to define new variables and their properties?

Which SPSS view would you use to define new variables and their properties?

• A. Data view
• B. Variable view
• C. Output view
• D. Syntax view

Answer: (B)

Variable view is where you define new variables and their properties in SPSS. In this view you can create a variable by giving it a name, choose its type (numeric or string), set its width and number of decimals, and add a descriptive label. You can also specify value labels for categorical coding, identify any missing values, and set the measurement level (nominal, ordinal, or scale). All of these settings determine how SPSS treats the data and how analyses interpret the variable. Data View, by contrast, shows the actual data values for each case, not the metadata about variables. Output View is where results from analyses appear, and Syntax View is where you write and view SPSS command syntax. So the place to define a variable and its properties is Variable View.

Variable view is where you define new variables and their properties in SPSS. In this view you can create a variable by giving it a name, choose its type (numeric or string), set its width and number of decimals, and add a descriptive label. You can also specify value labels for categorical coding, identify any missing values, and set the measurement level (nominal, ordinal, or scale). All of these settings determine how SPSS treats the data and how analyses interpret the variable.

Data View, by contrast, shows the actual data values for each case, not the metadata about variables. Output View is where results from analyses appear, and Syntax View is where you write and view SPSS command syntax. So the place to define a variable and its properties is Variable View.