Program Overview

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Introduction to the SPSS Program

The Institute for Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology offers an introduction to the IBM SPSS Statistics program (SPSS) as a supplement to individual statistical consulting. This course is free and exclusively for members of Charité.

General Information

All participants need access (an account) to the Charité intranet. When registering, you must provide your personal Charité email address (@charite.de), which will also be used for further correspondence. Doctoral students who do not work or are not enrolled at Charité can apply for a Charité email address (@charite.de) through the doctoral office.

SPSS can be used by all Charité members with access to the Charité domain (network license). Upon successful participation, you will receive a certificate for the promotion environment (1 ECTS).

Registration for the course is only possible when dates are available. These will be published here as soon as they are known. Please check back regularly.

Information on the Introduction to SPSS

Target Group

The introduction to SPSS is aimed at doctoral students or scientists as a supplement to individual statistical consulting, who want to start evaluating their data as quickly as possible. Other Charité members can participate if there are still places available.

Course Content

SPSS can be operated almost completely via a click interface (GUI). However, if you make a mistake or want to repeat an evaluation, you have to reproduce these clicks exactly to get the correct results. Using the internal command language ("Syntax"), you can save the commands as a file and reuse them when needed or correct small errors. We will show you both possibilities and how to combine them skillfully.

• Course content:
  • Structure of the data matrix
  • Labels for variables and values
  • Missing values
  • Introduction to the command language "Syntax"
  • Calculating new variables
  • Date differences
  • Classification of values
  • Selection of cases
  • Descriptive statistics
  • Simple (bivariate) tests

The focus is on using SPSS, assuming biometric knowledge from studies and handling Windows. If you want to apply further statistical procedures, you should usually take advantage of our consulting services.

When, Where, and How Many?

The course lasts two mornings (starting at 9:00 AM each day) and includes a total of 6 hours, plus breaks. The start time is subject to change, so please be punctual.

• An online course via MS Teams can have up to 40 participants. If there are fewer than 10 registrations, the course will not take place.
• An in-person course can have up to 15-20 participants. If there are fewer than six registrations, the course will not take place.

Registration

The course is aimed at doctoral students and clinicians. If you do not belong to this group, please explain why you want to participate in the comments field.

For registration, you must use your personal Charité email address (usually @charite.de) to identify yourself as a Charité member. Since November 1, 2017, doctoral students at Charité must enroll. With enrollment, you will be granted a Charité email account.

Registration is only possible for the courses listed here. If you do not have time for these dates or if there are no free dates, please check this website from time to time. Advance reservations for future dates are not possible.

The number of participants is limited, and participation in the desired course cannot always be guaranteed. Normally, you will receive confirmation within two working days. If a course is fully booked, up to three potential follow-up participants will be recorded in case registered participants cancel at short notice. Please do not attend the course without registering.

Preparation

If the course is held via MS Teams (you will receive the link after successful registration), you must download and install SPSS on the computer you want to use for the course.

• SPSS installation instructions can be found under [insert location, removed as per instructions].
• Pay attention to the installation instructions , e.g., you must start the installation with a right mouse click "Run as Admin" on WIN10 devices.

To use SPSS outside the Charité network, you also need to apply for and install VPN. SPSS checks the license authorization when starting.

• VPN information can be found under [insert location, removed as per instructions].
• VPN application information can be found under [insert location, removed as per instructions].
• The VPN application for Charité employees and students can be found under: [insert location, removed as per instructions].
• Send the completed VPN application to [insert email, removed as per instructions].

Please download the practice data and script (see course and self-study materials) to your computer (preferably into a new folder). Alternatively, you can use a USB stick.

Course and Self-Study Materials

The scripts are systematically structured and are intended for reference and self-study.

• The copyright and all rights are held by the author.
• Downloading, reading, and printing for private use are allowed until revoked. Any further use of the materials (even partially) requires the authors' consent. Commercial use is expressly prohibited.
• The documents are in PDF format, and you need the current Adobe Reader to open them. The scripts are formatted for two-sided printing.

Practice data for the course
please right-click and select "Save as..."
The file extension must be .sav (not .htm), if necessary, please correct!

Questionnaire for practice data

Data Management
(PDF, 45 pages, last changed January 2015). A brief introduction to topics such as study planning, data collection, and documentation forms.

Introduction to SPSS for Windows
(PDF, version 25, 85 pages, last changed June 2018), important basics, introduction to syntax, and simple commands.

Information on the SPSS Program

The SPSS Program

SPSS is a software package for statistical evaluation of data, offered for various operating systems. In the field of statistical software, there are several comprehensive packages and even more special programs for specific procedures. We have chosen this program because it is relatively easy to handle and offers all common statistical procedures as well as graphics. In particular, handling data (defining variables, entering values, calculating new variables, and selecting cases) is easier than in most other software solutions. Additionally, it is available at Charité.

SPSS at Charité

The package with all important modules is not cheap. Charité has a network license for the program. The program is installed locally on the PC, but to use it, a connection to the Charité intranet is required (also via VPN). For business trips, you can "borrow" a license for a few days (see Pendlerlizenz).

In most public computer rooms at Charité (CIPom) and universities, SPSS is available.

SPSS Pendlerlizenz

Normally, the program is activated (enabled) after starting by connecting to the license server in the intranet. If the connection to the intranet is not possible or difficult, SPSS can be enabled offline with a Pendlerlizenz for a maximum of 7 days. This is useful for longer train rides, weekends in the countryside (if you want to work on your dissertation in the evenings), or when you need SPSS for an important meeting and do not know if you will have internet access. The number is limited, so please only use this service if you really need it.

To activate the Pendlerlizenz, you must have access to the Charité intranet! Open the "IBM SPSS Statistics" folder via the START button and "All Programs" in Windows, and start "IBM SPSS ... Pendlerlizenz" (English: commuter license). A new window will appear. In this window, select the line that matches your installed SPSS version. Enter the desired number of days (maximum 7) at the bottom and click on [Check Out]. In the marked line, a red checkmark should appear.

For safety, disconnect your notebook from the network (pull out the LAN plug, deactivate WLAN) and start SPSS. In the status bar at the bottom, it should say "... processor is ready."

If a Pendlerlizenz is still active (select the same line as above), the number of remaining days will be displayed at the bottom. The [Check Out] button is inactive; instead, you can return unused days with [Check In].

I Prefer to Work on an Apple Computer

The introduction to SPSS is only offered for Windows; there are no training rooms for other systems at Charité.

The program is also available as a Mac version, with a similar range of functions and operation. Experienced users should have no problems with system-related differences (file paths, mouse operation, and menu arrangement). Since you will likely be using a private computer, you need to establish a VPN connection (VPN tunnel) to the Charité intranet.