SPSS statistical software: Home

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For help with SPSS, use one of the tutorials on the Videos tab.  If you're having trouble accessing the program, contact William Ransom via email,  Monroe Library Chat through a web browser or by text message, or the Learning Commons Desk at 504-864-7111.

SPSS (formerly Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), is a computer program used to perform statistical analyses on data.  It is primarily used in the social sciences.  This guide is not intended to cover mathematical statistics. 

Use the tabs above to locate videos, books and textbooks and other tutorials on SPSS and statistics in general.  The Data sets tab will help you find sample data sets with which to practice. 

As the IBM website for SPSS says:  "IBM SPSS Statistics is an integrated family of products that addresses the entire analytical process, from planning to data collection to analysis, reporting and deployment. With more than a dozen fully integrated modules to choose from, you can find the specialized capabilities you need to increase revenue, outperform competitors, conduct research and make better decisions."  For a data set, find distributions, standard deviation and perform tests like chi squared and the t-test. 

The program is available at Loyola in the Monroe Library at all of the computers in the Learning Commons area, except those between the Learning Commons Desk and the photocopy room, just outside the Media Services office. 

There are two ways to start SPSS while on campus:

1. After logging into a campus lab computer, click the Applications icon at the upper left. When the toolbar appears at the left, click SPSS.  You will have to log in again.  Be patient, as it may take some time for SPSS to start.
2. Go to the Virtual Lab and click IBM SPSS 23. 

Please ask for assistance at the Learning Commons Desk.  Step two can also be used while away from campus. 

Faculty and staff can also contact Information Technology at 865-2255 and enter a request to have SPSS installed on their computer. 

SPSS has its own internal text and image tutorials.  When SPSS starts, look for the box Tutorials in the lower right.  Select one and then click OK.  There are tutorials entitled Introduction, Reading Data, Using the Data Editor, Examining Summary Statistics for Individual Variables, and many more.