30 interview questions with answers on SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)

 Here are 30 interview questions with answers on SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) commonly used in research, organized thematically:

🔹 A. Basics of SPSS (1–10)

  1. What is SPSS?
    SPSS is a software package used for statistical analysis in social science, business, health, and education research.

  2. What types of data can SPSS handle?
    SPSS can handle nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scale data.

  3. What are the two main views in SPSS?

    • Data View: Shows raw data in spreadsheet format

    • Variable View: Used to define variables, types, labels, values, and measurement levels.

  4. How do you define a variable in SPSS?
    In Variable View, you can assign a name, type, label, value labels, and measurement level.

  5. What file extension does SPSS use to save data?
    SPSS saves data files with the extension .sav.

  6. What is a syntax file in SPSS?
    A file containing SPSS commands written in syntax language. File extension: .sps.

  7. What is the Output Viewer in SPSS?
    It displays results, tables, and charts from analyses.

  8. Can SPSS perform descriptive and inferential statistics?
    Yes. SPSS can do both descriptive (e.g., mean, SD) and inferential (e.g., t-test, ANOVA, regression) analyses.

  9. How do you import data into SPSS?
    SPSS allows import from Excel, CSV, text files, databases, and other formats.

  10. What is the purpose of "Value Labels" in SPSS?
    To assign names to coded values for easier interpretation (e.g., 1 = Male, 2 = Female).

🔹 B. Descriptive Statistics and Data Handling (11–15)

  1. How do you compute descriptive statistics in SPSS?
    Go to Analyze > Descriptive Statistics > Frequencies / Descriptives / Explore.

  2. What is a frequency table?
    A table showing how often each response/category occurs in the data.

  3. What is missing value analysis in SPSS?
    SPSS can detect and treat missing values by using methods like mean substitution or regression imputation.

  4. How do you transform variables in SPSS?
    Use the Transform menu to compute new variables or recode existing ones.

  5. What is the use of Compute Variable function?
    It allows you to create a new variable using a formula or existing variables.

🔹 C. Inferential Statistics and Tests (16–25)

  1. How do you perform a t-test in SPSS?
    Go to Analyze > Compare Means > Independent/Paired-Samples T-Test.

  2. What is ANOVA used for in SPSS?
    To compare means across 3 or more groups. Use Analyze > Compare Means > One-Way ANOVA.

  3. How do you test for correlation in SPSS?
    Use Analyze > Correlate > Bivariate, select Pearson or Spearman correlation.

  4. What is regression analysis in SPSS?
    A statistical technique to predict a dependent variable based on one or more independent variables.

  5. How do you run a regression in SPSS?
    Go to Analyze > Regression > Linear and input dependent and independent variables.

  6. What is chi-square test used for in SPSS?
    To test the association between two categorical variables. Use Crosstabs > Statistics > Chi-square.

  7. What does a p-value indicate in SPSS output?
    The probability of observing the results by chance. If p < 0.05, the result is statistically significant.

  8. How do you check for normality in SPSS?
    Use Explore or Shapiro-Wilk / Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, and look at skewness, kurtosis, and Q-Q plots.

  9. What is multicollinearity and how is it detected in SPSS?
    It occurs when predictors are highly correlated. Detected using VIF (Variance Inflation Factor) in regression diagnostics.

  10. How do you test for homogeneity of variance in SPSS?
    Use Levene’s Test during ANOVA or t-test.

🔹 D. Advanced and Practical Applications (26–30)

  1. Can SPSS perform factor analysis?
    Yes. Go to Analyze > Dimension Reduction > Factor to identify latent constructs.

  2. What is reliability analysis in SPSS?
    To assess internal consistency using Cronbach’s Alpha. Use Analyze > Scale > Reliability Analysis.

  3. How do you conduct a mediation analysis in SPSS?
    Use PROCESS macro by Andrew F. Hayes, which enables mediation, moderation, and conditional process modeling.

  4. How do you save output in SPSS?
    Use File > Save As in the Output Viewer. SPSS output files use .spv extension.

  5. How do you export SPSS results to Word or Excel?
    Right-click tables or charts and choose Copy > Paste into Word or Excel, or use File > Export.


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