Discovering coding issues using frequencies
The frequency distribution for INCOME
in the following screenshot demonstrates another reason why it is important to examine the pattern for individual data fields before diving into analytics more deeply. Navigate to Analyze
| Descriptive Statistics
| Frequencies
, and select Respondents Income
to build this table:

Note
The values coded in the data are displayed in Figure 3 along with the associated value labels. This was done on the Edit
| Options
| Output
screen by specifying values and labels in the dropdown at the lower left under to pivot table labeling.
People are often reluctant to divulge their income so surveys typically ask them to select an income category like the groupings in this table. Notice, however, that the groups (numbered 1 through 26) represent unequal bands of income. The groups coded 3 thru 7 represent a range of only $1,000, while group 15 has a range of $5,000, and group 20 covers $15,000.
In the previous chapter, one of the...