Difference between Multiple Response Sets Under “D

问题:

SPSS appears to have two different ways to define multiple response variable sets--one under the "Data" menu and another under the "Analyze" menu. Typically, I use the "Analyze" option when working with these types of variables, but I'm not quite sure what the "Data" options does. Clearly, the sets defined under "Data" cannot be used in the freq or crosstab procedures used in the "Analyze" version. I've heard that the "Data" sets may only be for creating charts in Chart Builder, but I'm unsure if this is their only application.

Can someone elaborate on the difference?

回答1:

The Multiple Response Sets defined under "Analyze -> Multiple Response -> Define Variable Sets" can be used for frequency and cross tables under the same sub menu point. When using a syntax file the set is defined as part of MULT RESPONSE command. These definitions do not persist in the data file, but you can save the syntax.

The Multiple Response Sets defined under "Data -> Define Multiple Response Set" or "Analyze -> Tables -> Multiple Response Set" can be used for the Custom Tables (ctables) and the Chart Builder. The syntax command for this is MRSETS. Those definitions persist with the dataset so there is no need to repeat the definition after reopening the data set. It was introduced in SPSS 11.5. So compared to the MULT RESPONSE command it's a somewhat newer (but nowadays not so new) type of response set.

回答2:

The Data > Define Multiple Response Sets and the Analyze > Custom Tables > Multiple Response Sets MR set definition item are IDENTICAL. Real MR sets were originally introduced with the Custom Tables item back in SPSS 11.5 and could only be used with that procedure. When the usage was expanded to GGRAPH and the Chart Builder, a menu entry under Data was added for the benefit of users who did not have the Custom Tables option.

There may be confusion with the much older Analyze > Multiple Response item, which is actually tied to the old MULT RESPONSE procedure. It handled a more restricted set definition that could only be used with that procedure and does not persist with the data.

If you paste the syntax for an actual MULT RESPONSE command (after defining a set), you will see that the definition is actually just generating MULT RESPONSE syntax to define the set as part of executing the procedure.

The newer set definitions persist with the data and are more general. All of the functionality of the old procedure is present in Custom Tables (CTABLES) except for the PAIRS option, so CTABLES is almost always the way to go if you have that option.