syntax

[Sereke Berhane]

Hi list,

 

I have just subscribed to this list and I would like to learn syntax
fast. How do I do that?

 

Thanks,

Sereke.

[Keith McCormick]

Hi Sereke,

This is a common question, and you will perhaps find other posting to
help you.  In fact, I searched and found a posting of mine when this
came up a few months ago (May), although the poster knew quite a bit
of sytnax already.

You might want to check out this course description.  I may be biased,
I have taught it.

http://www.spss.com/training/pub_desc.cfm?courseID=100000435

If you don't know about Raynald Levesque's site, do visit it.  His
book, which is
a free download if you have SPSS tech support is excellent. Follow the
link from Raynald's to: SPSS Programming and Data Management, and make
sure you get the 3rd edition.  His site is www.spsstools.net.

An Intermediate Guide to SPSS Programming : Using Syntax for Data
Management by Boslaugh is another option, but I really prefer
Raynald's book.  Although some of it will be a bit advance, at first.
Perhaps, if you need the very basics, my advice would be take a class,
if possible, and if not, the Boslaugh book.

There is a tremendous amount of syntax talent here on the list serve,
so if you post syntax questions, and sample data, it is a real
resource. Or ... just try to read a related posting once a day (new or
archive) and learn some that way.

Good luck!

Keith
keithmccormick.com



On 9/4/06, Sereke Berhane <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hi list,
>
>
>
> I have just subscribed to this list and I would like to learn syntax
> fast. How do I do that?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sereke.
>

[Beadle, ViAnn]

IMHO, the fastest way to learn syntax is
1) start with the manual. You can access it from the help menu in PDF format. reach the 1st couple of changes on Universals.
2) then use the menus and dialog boxes but rather than hitting ht OK button, paste the syntax to a syntax window. You can then see what the syntax maps to in the manual.

________________________________

From: SPSSX(r) Discussion on behalf of Sereke Berhane
Sent: Mon 9/4/2006 2:40 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: syntax



Hi list,



I have just subscribed to this list and I would like to learn syntax
fast. How do I do that?



Thanks,

Sereke.

[Richard Ristow]

At 12:42 PM 9/4/2006, Keith McCormick wrote:

>If you don't know about Raynald Levesque's site, do visit it.  His
>book, which is a free download if you have SPSS tech support is
>excellent. Follow the link from Raynald's to: SPSS Programming and
>Data Management, and make sure you get the 3rd edition.  His site is
>www.spsstools.net.

YES, with a couple of remarks.

First, Levesque's book is a free download even if you don't have tech
support; see
http://www.spss.com/spss/SPSS_programming_data_mgmt.pdf.

Second, the third edition has a very extensive section on programming
SPSS with the Python [language] add-in. That's valuable if you have
SPSS 14 or higher (15 will be out soon), but no use if you don't. The
third edition omits sections on scripting (which you probably won't
miss) and a section on macros (which you might).

[Richard Ristow]

Ah, well. Your mileage may vary, but

At 03:26 PM 9/4/2006, Beadle, ViAnn wrote:

>2) Use the menus and dialog boxes but rather than hitting the OK
>button, paste the syntax to a syntax window. You can then see what the
>syntax maps to in the manual.

I'd also recommend this highly

But
>IMHO, the fastest way to learn syntax is
>1) start with the [Command Syntax Reference] manual. You can access it
>from the help menu in PDF format. Read the 1st couple of [chapters] on
>Universals.

You'll likely find this truly awful. The main section of the manual
gives commands in alphabetical order, with no indication that that they
include kind of command, valid in completely different contexts, with
effects that differ totally in kind. Even the descriptions don't say
explicitly what kind of command each is. Read through, for example,

RECODE
RECORD TYPE
REFORMAT
REGRESSION

Those of us who've used syntax for a very long time, and know the
commands and their contexts, use the CSR all the time to check details
of syntax. I would absolutely not recommend it for a beginner.

The 'Universals' section, which DOES discuss commands by topic and
function, is certainly better, though it would be better named 'Data
loading and manipulation' or some such. Even there, I think you'll find
maddening cases where terms are used and their definitions effectively
hidden:  "Functions and simple arithmetic expressions treat missing
values in different ways."

What's a missing value? This contest is open only to NEW users of SPSS.

(The problem is endemic in software documentation. Documentation is
mostly written by people so familiar with the key concepts that it's
precisely those they forget to define.)

[Keith McCormick]

Thank you Richard for pointing that out. I am glad that both 2nd and
3rd are both available - the more examples the better. Keith

On 9/4/06, Richard Ristow <[hidden email]> wrote:

> At 12:42 PM 9/4/2006, Keith McCormick wrote:
>
> >If you don't know about Raynald Levesque's site, do visit it.  His
> >book, which is a free download if you have SPSS tech support is
> >excellent. Follow the link from Raynald's to: SPSS Programming and
> >Data Management, and make sure you get the 3rd edition.  His site is
> >www.spsstools.net.
>
> YES, with a couple of remarks.
>
> First, Levesque's book is a free download even if you don't have tech
> support; see
> http://www.spss.com/spss/SPSS_programming_data_mgmt.pdf.
>
> Second, the third edition has a very extensive section on programming
> SPSS with the Python [language] add-in. That's valuable if you have
> SPSS 14 or higher (15 will be out soon), but no use if you don't. The
> third edition omits sections on scripting (which you probably won't
> miss) and a section on macros (which you might).
>
>