SPSS Instructions for Saving Syntax

• 1. We have to save a copy of SPSS work that's been done. Answer "yes" answer to the "paste syntax" question while reading in the data, to open up a new window labeled "syntax editor", and put in commands that will read in your data without you having to step through all of the dialog boxes.
• 2. Now do some analysis (like make a histogram.) At each OK, instead of hitting OK, hit "paste", and then go to the syntax editor and hit "Run->Current". Now you have a record of what you've done, which buys you two things: You can double-check your work, once you've learned to read the syntax, and you can make minor changes and rerun things with little effort.
• 3. Select the syntax editor window, and do File->Save, and put the name of a file where you want the syntax saved into the file name box. Observe where this gets saved; it looks like it always gets saved by default in the folder that the data file was in. Exit SPSS.
• 4. Restart SPSS. If you get the initial dialog box that asks whether you want to run the tutorial or do some other stuff, hit "Cancel". Then do Open->Syntax, and select the syntax file that you saved in the previous step. In the syntax window, do "Run->To end", and you should get the same output you got originally.