How to Create a Frequency Distribution in SPSS
A frequency distribution is easily obtained in SPSS using the following steps:
1. Open the SPSS data file.
2. Click on Analyze from the SPSS main toolbar and then select Descriptive Statistics, and then Frequency.
3. A screen titled Frequency will open. From this screen select the variables you wish to include from the list on the left side. As you highlight each variable move it to the box on the right by clicking on the arrow in the middle.
4. Click on the button labeled Format at the bottom of the screen and explore your options.
5. Click on OK to obtain your SPSS output. You have the option to save the output as a file, return to your database and generate additional output, or exit from the file without saving the content.
Running frequency distributions of variables is a good way to clean data, especially if the variables are measured at the nominal or ordinal levels of measurement, or even for continuous data if there is not a great number of cases. From the frequency distribution you can quickly look for out-of-range values other than those specified as missing values.
To correct errors in the database you can return to the database, from the data view screen, click on the variable name where the error resides (the column will be highlighted), then click on Edit from the SPSS main toolbar, Find (type the value that is an error), Replace (the value the error should be replaced with if you know it), and then click on Find Next. Once the error is found, you can identify the corresponding ID and check your records for the correct value. Occasionally you must go back to the source of the data, or substitute the error for a missing data value in the instance you cannot resolve the error. Insert the correct value by deleting the data that is in error or simply typing over top of it.