Question

Different types of software can be used for data managment. Excel and SPSS and discuss specific SPSS software features that make it preferable to Excel for data managment. provide examples illustrating when electing to use the SPSS could be preferable to Excel and vice versa

Answer 1

STATISTICAL PACKLAGES FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES (SPSS)

It is a strong and commonly used statistical softwere used for data managemnet in many settings.It can be used for health research, social studies, demographic studies, health surveys etc.

MICROSOFT EXCEL

Excel is also known as spread sheet.With excel spread sheet anyone can prepare, edit and share the data easily.Which help the individual in preparing charts, graphs, performing data analysis etc.in excel the data is arranged in columns and rows and each of them are numbered.

Specific SPSS software features that make it preferable to Excel for data managment.

• It is a very flexible softwere with variety of functions.
• It can solve complex ,mathematical formulas easily than that of excel;
• Manipulation of the data can be done esily by the researcher, if any errors occured.
• It heps to reduce the researcher work to a major extent than that of excel by correctly identifying the variables.
• It provides Highly accuuarted results.
• Wide variety options for preparing charts, graphs etc.
• Allignment and coding of the data is easy compared to excel.
• It has the capacity to read and edit the data from word document, text and spreadsheets.
• The output of the data and results of can be converted in to word documents or PDF and to excel sheets.
• Available in different versions, as per the need of the students and researchers.
• Availability of wide variety of statistical tests than excel.
• It has variety of data presentation features.
• Free versions are also available for students.
• Availability of in built spedy functions for workout.

DISADVANTAGES OF EXCEL

• Chance sof errors high.
• They lack adequate data security
• Complicated for beginners.
• Desicion making capacity is less.
• Availability of equations and mathematical activities are less compared to SPSS.
• Recovery of the data is difficult in case of malfunctioning
• Difficult to handle huge amount of data.

REASONS FOR SELECTING SPSS

• Availability of parametric tests and non parametric tests like ANOVA test
• More availability of statistical calculations, henece highly reccommended for research, demographic studies.
• Availability of different charts for data presentation.
• Organization of data is accurate even after yeras, months etc.
• Helps to accurately predict the missing data in case of any errors happened.
• Availability of Chi-square test, coorelation coeefficient, regression, analysis of varience test etc.