"There can be no doubt that book like this is needed. The idea that the author has to provide information beyond the SPSS tutorials is invaluable. Great conversational style and good examples! I like the idea of inputting data and working through the procedures in real life. The exercises are great practice for learning and sharpening the skills described."
--Geni Cowan, Educational Administration, California State University, Sacramento

Written in an easy-to-read, straightforward manner, Next Steps with SPSS introduces readers to intermediate and advanced SPSS skills. These skills are introduced and illustrated with sample programs designed to apply powerful techniques in data handling and analysis, with the output from these programs presented and interpreted. The book is organized so that it builds increasingly advanced syntax coding skills, starting with the handling of complex data files and then moving to coverage of looping and macro skills. The book then switches to more windows-oriented skills suitable for working with SPSS output (as in pivot tables and interactive graphics) and for running SPSS in an alternative mode (as in a production facility). The book returns to coding skills by introducing the more advanced topics of the scripting facility (which has broad application to handling data and creating output) and the matrix command language. Throughout the book, Einspruch provides pedagogical aids for the reader, such as:

• Detailed examples provide step-by-step illustrations of each step in a procedure
• End-of-chapter exercises (with solutions provided in the Appendix)
• Boldface text indicates operations or choices that the reader will need to make when running SPSS
• Opening chapter "alerts" give readers a quick synopsis of what they will learn as well as the recommended SPSS skill level
• Chapter glossaries provide readers with a list and definition of command words covered in the chapter

After reading this book, readers will be able to perform: looping functions that can be used to repeatedly perform a set of commands; the macro facility that efficiently performs complex and repetitive tasks; pivot tables that can be manipulated to display results in different ways; interactive graphics can be used to modify charts without re-running an entire procedure; the production facility that can run routine, time consuming analyses unattended; and, the matrix command language which handles matrix algebra computations and allows you to write statistical routines.

"I am very positive about the topics covered. A quality reference book covering these topics in a clear and concise manner would be of considerable value. Specialized syntax files are of special interest to me, as was the chapter on production facilities. The sequencing of the chapters is logical and begins with the familiar (data files) and proceeds through to more complex issues."
--David Holman, Education, Arkansas State University

A friendly, straightforward guide that does not assume knowledge of programming, this book helps new R users hit the ground running. Eric L. Einspruch provides an overview of the software and shows how to download and install R, RStudio, and R packages. Featuring example code, screenshots, tips, learning exercises, and worked-through examples of statistical techniques, the book demonstrates the capabilities and nuances of these powerful free statistical analysis and data visualization tools. Fundamental aspects of data wrangling, analysis, visualization, and reporting are introduced, using both Base R and Tidyverse approaches. Einspruch emphasizes processes that support research reproducibility, such as use of comments to document R code and use of R Markdown capabilities. The book also helps readers navigate the vast array of R resources available to further develop their skills.

Do you need to conduct data analysis with SPSS but are unfamiliar with the software? This user-friendly book-a SAGE bestseller-helps you become proficient in SPSS by teaching you the fundamentals of SPSS. An Introductory Guide to SPSS (R) for Windows (R), Second Edition develops SPSS skills using sample programs illustrating how to conduct the analyses typically covered in an introductory statistics course. Throughout the book, data are analyzed and SPSS output are interpreted in the context of research questions. Boldface text is used to indicate operations or choices the reader will need to make when running SPSS. Exercises are also included, with solutions provided in the appendix. "I want to commend the author for including a chapter on using the SPSS manuals. I would not have thought of this addition, and the information helps the reader go on to learn the more complex components of SPSS." -Laura Myers, University of Georgia This Second Edition has been updated to SPSS Version 12.0, although its approach makes it useful for readers running other versions. Each chapter in this updated text includes a statement of its purpose and goal, as well as a chapter glossary. The updated text includes new SPSS features, including how to recode data using the Visual Bander and how to read text data using the Text Import Wizard. Author Eric L. Einspruch thoroughly covers critical basic skills: * How to create data sets by defining and coding data, using a codebook, and entering data * How to run SPSS and work with different SPSS files * How to manipulate data by recoding values, computing values, and selecting subsets of cases to include in an analysis * How to manage data files by reading data that have been entered using other software, appending files, and merging files * How to analyze data using SPSS pull-down menus * How to analyze data using programs written in SPSS syntax This outstanding book concludes with a discussion of how to get help in SPSS, suggestions on how to make the most of SPSS manuals, and directions for taking the next steps toward software mastery.

"There can be no doubt that book like this is needed. The idea that the author has to provide information beyond the SPSS tutorials is invaluable. Great conversational style and good examples! I like the idea of inputting data and working through the procedures in real life. The exercises are great practice for learning and sharpening the skills described."
--Geni Cowan, Educational Administration, California State University, Sacramento

Written in an easy-to-read, straightforward manner, Next Steps with SPSS introduces readers to intermediate and advanced SPSS skills. These skills are introduced and illustrated with sample programs designed to apply powerful techniques in data handling and analysis, with the output from these programs presented and interpreted. The book is organized so that it builds increasingly advanced syntax coding skills, starting with the handling of complex data files and then moving to coverage of looping and macro skills. The book then switches to more windows-oriented skills suitable for working with SPSS output (as in pivot tables and interactive graphics) and for running SPSS in an alternative mode (as in a production facility). The book returns to coding skills by introducing the more advanced topics of the scripting facility (which has broad application to handling data and creating output) and the matrix command language. Throughout the book, Einspruch provides pedagogical aids for the reader, such as:

• Detailed examples provide step-by-step illustrations of each step in a procedure
• End-of-chapter exercises (with solutions provided in the Appendix)
• Boldface text indicates operations or choices that the reader will need to make when running SPSS
• Opening chapter "alerts" give readers a quick synopsis of what they will learn as well as the recommended SPSS skill level
• Chapter glossaries provide readers with a list and definition of command words covered in the chapter

After reading this book, readers will be able to perform: looping functions that can be used to repeatedly perform a set of commands; the macro facility that efficiently performs complex and repetitive tasks; pivot tables that can be manipulated to display results in different ways; interactive graphics can be used to modify charts without re-running an entire procedure; the production facility that can run routine, time consuming analyses unattended; and, the matrix command language which handles matrix algebra computations and allows you to write statistical routines.

"I am very positive about the topics covered. A quality reference book covering these topics in a clear and concise manner would be of considerable value. Specialized syntax files are of special interest to me, as was the chapter on production facilities. The sequencing of the chapters is logical and begins with the familiar (data files) and proceeds through to more complex issues."
--David Holman, Education, Arkansas State University

A friendly, straightforward guide that does not assume knowledge of programming, this book helps new R users hit the ground running. Eric L. Einspruch provides an overview of the software and shows how to download and install R, RStudio, and R packages. Featuring example code, screenshots, tips, learning exercises, and worked-through examples of statistical techniques, the book demonstrates the capabilities and nuances of these powerful free statistical analysis and data visualization tools. Fundamental aspects of data wrangling, analysis, visualization, and reporting are introduced, using both Base R and Tidyverse approaches. Einspruch emphasizes processes that support research reproducibility, such as use of comments to document R code and use of R Markdown capabilities. The book also helps readers navigate the vast array of R resources available to further develop their skills.