Data Definition commands let you:

• Bring raw data into SPSS, either from another file, or by typing it in yourself.
• Enter descriptive information about the data. 
  

DATA LIST

defines raw data that you are going to analyze.

DATA LIST [FILE=filename]

[RECORDS={1}] /{1} varlist {col. location}

[varlist {col. location}...] [/{2 } ...] [/ ...]

• Small amounts of raw data can be entered directly during your session if the data lines are sandwiched between BEGIN DATA and END DATA commands.
• Large amounts of raw data are usually read from a separate ASCII file that is specified in the DATA LIST subcommand [FILE=filename] .

Execute DATA LIST before selecting other commands so that your variable names will be available on the Variables menu.

BEGIN DATA

signals the beginning of a stream of raw data, as opposed to SPSS commands.

• The BEGIN DATA command begins in column 1 and should not be followed by a period.
• It is inserted alone on the line after DATA LIST and directly before the first line of raw data.
• Type the raw data for each variable in the columns for that variable as specified on the DATA LIST command.
  

END DATA.

signals the end of a raw data stream.

The END DATA command begins in column 1 and must be followed by a period. It is inserted alone on the line after the last line of raw data.

BEGIN DATA
1234567890 
9876543210
[etc.]
END DATA.

VARIABLE LABELS

supplies helpful descriptions of the variable

VARIABLE LABELS varname 'label' [/varname...]

• "varname" is the 8-character name of the SPSS variable
• 'label' cannot exceed 40 characters
• a slash (/) separates a label from the next variable name
• Example:

VARIABLE LABELS v1 'City ID'/ v2 '1986 Population'/
v3 'Region'/v4 'Crime Rate, 1987'

VALUE LABELS

interprets coded values of discrete variables in SPSS

VALUE LABELS varlist value 'label' value 'label'...[/varlist...]

• "varlist" specifies the variables that share the codes and labels
• "value" is the number linked to the label
• 'label' cannot exceed 20 characters
• a slash (/) separates other variables with different labels
• Example for 200 cities in V1 above:

VALUE LABELS V1 1 'Atlanta' 2 'Boston' 3 'Chicago' 4 'Cleveland'
. . .200 'Youngstown'.

MISSING VALUES

designates a particular value as a"missing data" code.

MISSING VALUES variable name (mv1, mv2, mv3)/ variable name (values)

• Some data files will lack data for every variable.
• SPSS can assign a "missing data" code to these variables.
• You did not use this command, but the information below will help understand how "missing values" operates.
• The MISSING VALUES command tells SPSS which codes (SPSS allows up to three missing values for each variable) represent missing information.
  • If -9 indicates any type of missing data on V4, the command is

• MISSING VALUES v4 (-9)
  • If -8 = "no opinion" and -9 = "refused", the command is

  MISSING VALUES v4 (-8, -9)

• If several variables have the same missing value codes, list all variable names with the same missing codes in a list, followed by the missing values enclosed in parentheses, e.g.:
  • If -9 indicates missing data for four separate variables in the data, the command is

  MISSING VALUES v1 v6 v12 v33 (-9)

  • If -9 indicates missing data for four separate variables in the data, the command is

  MISSING VALUES v11 to v14 (-9)