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The five number summary is a statistical tool used to summarize the distribution of a dataset, including its minimum and maximum values, median, and first and third quartiles. To calculate a five number summary in SPSS, follow these steps:
1. Open your dataset in SPSS.
2. Select the “Analyze” tab from the top menu and choose “Descriptive Statistics.”
3. Click on “Explore” from the drop-down menu.
4. In the “Explore” dialog box, select the variable for which you want to calculate the five number summary.
5. Click on the “Statistics” button and check the boxes next to “Minimum,” “Maximum,” “Median,” “Q1,” and “Q3.”
6. Click on “Continue” and then “OK.”
7. The five number summary for your selected variable will be displayed in the output window.
By following these steps, you can easily calculate a five number summary for any variable in your dataset using SPSS. This summary can provide valuable insights into the distribution and spread of your data, helping you to better understand and interpret your results.
Calculate a Five Number Summary in SPSS
A five number summary is a way to summarize a dataset using the following five values:
- The minimum
- The first quartile
- The median
- The third quartile
- The maximum
The five number summary is useful because it provides a concise summary of the distribution of the data in the following ways:
- It tells us where the middle value is located, using the median.
- It tells us how spread out the data is, using the first and third quartiles.
- It tells us the range of the data, using the minimum and the maximum.
This tutorial explains how to quickly calculate a five number summary for a dataset in SPSS.
Example: Five Number Summary in SPSS
Suppose we have the following dataset in SPSS that displays the annual income (in thousands) of 15 individuals:
To calculate the five number summary for this dataset, click the Analyze tab, then Descriptive Statistics, then Frequencies:
In the new window that pops up, drag the variable income into the box labelled Variable(s).
Next, click the Statistics button. Make sure each of the following boxes is checked:
- Quartiles
- Minimum
- Maximum
- Median
Then click Continue.
Then click OK. The five number summary results will appear:
From the results we can see the five number summary for this dataset is as follows:
- The minimum: 18
- The first quartile: 34.00
- The median: 54.00
- The third quartile: 85.00
- The maximum: 108
Additional Resources
Five Number Summary Calculator
How to Calculate a Five Number Summary in Excel