The simplest type of longitudinal analysis of survey data is called trend analysis, which examines overall change over time. Both datasets and codebooks can be downloaded using the links at the beginning of these exercises. In a few instances, we have modified variables or created new ones using the “Recode” and “Compute” features of SPSS.
Most of the variables included in the subsets are taken directly from the full studies.
The second is a subset (data: gsspanel.sav codebook: gsspanel.pdf) of a three wave GSS panel study in which respondents to the 2010 study were re-interviewed in 20.The first of these is a subset (data: gsscum.sav codebook: gsscum.pdf) of the GSS 1972-2014 Cumulative File, which includes all respondents surveyed from the first GSS through the most recently available at this writing.
In each case, a codebook describing the variables included in the subset is also included in PDF format. We’ll be analyzing three data subsets created for these exercises, two drawn from the General Social Survey (GSS) and one from the American National Election Studies (ANES). In the box above, you'll find links to the full Tutorial as well as to specific chapters (and, in some cases, specific pages ("bookmarks") used in these exercises. For other sites providing instruction on SPSS, see the SPSS section of the Social Science Research and Instructional Council’s “ Links to Other Instructional Sites”. Those needing an introduction to, or refresher on, SPSS should consult SPSS for Windows Version 23.0: A Basic Tutorial (Edward Nelson, Editor). Except for the line graphs, you can also do the exercises using PSPP, a freely available statistical analysis package with a look and feel very similar to SPSS.
There is a good chance that your college or university has a site license for SPSS. Use of SPSS does require that you have a license. The data are freely available for your use. Data analysis is done using a statistical package called SPSS. Although many different sorts of data may be subject to longitudinal analysis, we'll be focusing on surveys of public opinion. Data for the exercises consist of three subsets drawn from two well-known national surveys, the General Social Survey (GSS) and the American National Election Study (ANES). These exercises introduce you to several ways of analyzing data over time.
PDF files: click to open in your browser or to download.ĭata (SPSS system files) and Codebooks (PDF) (If you have trouble downloading these files with MicroSoft Edge, use Internet Explorer, Brave, Crome, or Firefox.) SPSS Data (.sav) files: click to download. HTML files: click to open in your browser. #Winner of a 2019 MERLOT Classic Award in Sociology California State Polytechnic University, PomonaĮ-mail: Author, 2016.