The usefulness of the quantitative method of statistical analysis (SPSS) as a mode of data analysis for research purposes

This paper will look to analyse the use of the quantitative method of statistical analysis (SPSS) as a mode of data analysis for research purposes. It will aim to explain what is involved in the SPSS process by giving example to the Research Methods (RM) class dated 17th November 2010, ‘Fundamentals of Statistical Analysis I’, which involved the analysis of quantitative data through the use of the SPSS application. This will include what the exercise entailed, how data was generated for analysis using this method and how the method was executed. The discussion will then move on to describe some real life research question data that can be analysed using this method. The type of analysis to expect from SPSS will also be discussed. A discursive comparison of the SPSS method to the qualitative method of thematic analysis as a data analysis tool will be conducted at end of this paper; this will give light to the advantages and hindrances of the SPSS method.

Babbie et al, (2003) explain SPSS as a ‘vehicle for discovering differences and relationships in data’, they state:

“In many ways, SPSS is a vehicle for discovering differences and relationships in data, the same way a car is a vehicle for discovering places we have not yet visited…we plan the trip and set the directions. Similarly when we use SPSS, we choose the data we wish to explore and select the statistical procedures we wish to use…with SPSS commands. These commands instruct SPSS where to find our data, ways in which we want to modify the data, and the statistical procedures we want to use. (Babbie et al., 2003: 37)