SPSS Tutorials: The Data View Window

When you view data in SPSS, each row in the Data View represents a case, and each column represents a variable.

Cases represent independent observations, experimental units, or subjects. For example, if the data are based on a survey of college students, then each row in the data would represent a specific college student who participated in the study. 

Variables are attributes, characteristics, or measurements that describe cases. For example, your data might include information such as each college student’s date of birth, gender, or class rank. Each of these pieces of information is a variable that describes each case (college student).

This is a typical layout for data, where rows are cases and columns are variables. (Other data structures are possible.)

The rest of this tutorial will cover how to navigate and organize the contents of the Data View window, but if you're looking for how to enter data into the Data View window, check out the Data Creation in SPSS tutorial.

Sometimes it is useful to be able to see multiple sections of your data in the Data Editor window at the same time. The Split option allows you to divide the Data View window into multiple sections that can be viewed simultaneously. This option is especially helpful if you need to simultaneously view multiple sections of your data that are far apart in the spreadsheet. To split the window, click Window > Split.

Now the Data Editor window is partitioned into four sections. The upper and lower sections, as well as the left and right sections, are controlled by separate scroll bars.

By default, the Data View window has the following shortcuts for common tasks.

Icon	Tooltip	Description
	Open data document	Open a datafile. Equivalent to File > Open > Data.
	Save this document	Save the active dataset. Equivalent to File > Save or Ctrl + S.
	Print	Print the contents of the active data view window. Not recommended. Equivalent to File > Print.
	Recall recently used dialogs	Shows the list of most recently used dialog windows. Use when you need to re-run an analysis.
	Undo a user action	Equivalent to Edit > Undo (in the drop-down menus) or Ctrl + Z.
	Redo a user action	Equivalent to Edit > Redo (in the drop-down menus) or Ctrl + Y.
	Go to case	Jump to a specific case (row) in the active dataset. Equivalent to Edit > Go to Case.
	Go to variable	Jump to a specific variable (column) in the active dataset. Equivalent to Edit > Go to Variable.
	Variables	View the variable name, labels, type, measurement level, missing value codes, and value labels for all variables in the active window. Equivalent to Utilities > Variables.
	Run descriptive statistics	Run descriptive statistics (using the Frequencies procedure) on the selected variable. The statistics shown are determined by the variable measurement level setting. Nominal and ordinal variables are summarized with a frequency table; scale variables are summarized using mean, median, standard deviation, range, minimum, and maximum. Only activates when a cell or column in the Data View window is selected. Equivalent to Analyze > Descriptive Statistics > Frequencies.
	Find	Search for a value or observation in the dataset, or search and replace a value or observation in the dataset. Only activates when a cell in the Data View window is selected. Equivalent to Edit > Find and Edit > Replace, or Ctrl + F and Ctrl + H, respectively.
	Insert cases	Insert a case between two existing cases. Equivalent to Edit > Insert Cases.
	Insert variable	Insert a new variable between two existing variables. By default, new variables created this way are scale numeric variables. Equivalent to Edit > Insert Variable.
	Split file	Stratify your analyses based on a categorical variable. For example, if the variable Gender is selected in Split File, running descriptive statistics on any other variables will produce descriptives for males and females separately. Equivalent to Data > Split File.
	Select cases	Extract a set of cases to a new datafile based on some criteria, or apply a filter variable. Equivalent to Data > Select Cases.
	Value labels	Toggle whether the raw data or the value label is displayed in the Data View window. Equivalent to View > Value Labels.
	Use variable sets	Select or unselect sets of variables to show in the active window. Multiple sets can be selected at a time. Equivalent to Utilities > Use Variable Sets. Note that you must first define a variable set (Utilities > Define Variable Sets) in order for this to be useful.
	Show all variables	Shows all variables in the active dataset. Only activates if Use Variable Sets has been used. Equivalent to Utilities > Show All Variables.

SPSS provides a way of quickly jumping to specific cases or variables in your dataset in the Data View window. This is an especially useful option for large datasets that include hundreds of cases and variables.

To jump to a specific case number:

1. Click the Go to case icon  or click Edit > Go to Case.

2. In the Go to case number list, enter the case number or use the up/down arrows on the right to select the case number.

   

3. Click Go. SPSS will jump to the case number specified.

To jump to a specific variable:

1. Click the Go to variable icon  or click Edit > Go to Variable.

2. In the Go to variable list, type the variable name or select the variable name from the drop-down menu.

   

3. Click Go. SPSS will jump to the variable name you selected.