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Recode Sex;
this is also an example of dummy coding (coding a dichotomous variable with 0
and 1). Start off by importing the
ExampleData001.sav into the Data Editor window of PASW / SPSS (from this
point forward referred to as simply SPSS).
To recode an item it is generally recommended that one use the 'Recode into
Different Variables...' menu choice of the 'Transform' button on the SPSS task
bar. That way we preserve the original data or the data in its original form.
Next, we want to move the variable Sex [Gender] into the "Numeric Variable
--> Output Variable:" box. Then we can name the output variable Sex_RC with the
label Gender Recoded and click the "Change" button, which will move the output
variable into the middle box; as shown below. Next, click on the "Old and New
Values" button.
Now we can specify the old and new values by typing a 1 in the "Old Value"
"Value" box and typing a 0 in the "New Value" "Value" box; then click the "Add"
button to bring that re-code to the "Old --> New:" box. Then, type a 2 in the
"Old Value" "Value" box and typing a 1 in the "New Value" "Value" box; then
click the "Add" button to bring that re-code to the "Old --> New:" box. Then we
can click the "Continue" button.
Next, click on the "OK" button (or the "Paste" button if you prefer to
maintain a syntax file for your records). The output window should pop up and
show the syntax for the recode procedure.
Next, go back to the Data Window and click on the "Variable View" tab at the
lower left corner. Once in the Variable View, select the "Values" cell of our
newly created Sex_RC variable. Specifically, you want to click on the button
with three dots. This will bring up the "Value Labels" dialog box.
Inside the "Values" field, first type a zero (0) and type Female in the
"Label:" field, then click the "Add" button. Second, type a one (1) in the
"Values" field, and type Male in the "Label:" field, then
click the "Add" button. Now we can click the "OK" button to finish assigning
value labels to the recoded variable.
That concludes the recoding of Sex (with label Gender and
value labels 1 = Female, 2 = Male) into Sex_RC (with label
Gender Recoded and value labels 0 = Female, 1 = Male).
Remember, this is also an example of dummy coding (coding a dichotomous
variables with zeros and ones) as would be done for entering a categorical
variable into a regression model/analysis. |
