MANAGEMENT EDUCATION AND

RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

(2021-2024)

BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT – (1) MS -EXCEL & COMMANDS WE

USE IN IT
(2) INTRODUCTION TO SPSS

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

Gauri Malik Dr. Pooja
Singh Negi

(35115101721) (MENTOR)
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 MICROSOFT EXCEL (MS –EXCEL)

MS-EXCEL is a part of Microsoft Office suite software. It is an electronic spreadsheet

with numerous rows and columns, used for organizing data, graphically represent
data(s), and performing different calculations. It consists of 1048576 rows and 16384
columns, a row and column together make a cell. Each cell has an address defined by
column name and row number example A1, D2, etc. this is also known as a cell
reference.

It features calculation or computation capabilities, graphing tools, pivot tables, and

a macro programming language called Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).
It has a battery of supplied functions to answer statistical, engineering, and
financial needs. In addition, it can display data as line graphs, histograms and
charts, and with a very limited three-dimensional graphical display.
It allows sectioning of data to view its dependencies on various factors for different
perspectives using pivot tables and the scenario manager.
It also has a variety of interactive features allowing user interfaces that can
completely hide the spreadsheet from the user, so the spreadsheet presents itself as
a so-called application, or decision support system (DSS), via a custom-designed
user interface, for example, a stock analyzer, or in general, as a design tool that asks
the user questions and provides answers and reports.
An Excel application can automatically poll external databases and measuring
instruments using an update schedule, analyze the results, make a Word report
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 or PowerPoint slide show, and e-mail these presentations on a regular basis to a list
of participants.
Microsoft allows for a number of optional command-line switches to control the
manner in which Excel starts.

FEATURES

It provides the following basic features:

1. Rows and columns: Rows and columns are two distinct features in a spreadsheet
that come together to make a cell, a range, or a table. In general, columns are the
vertical portion of an excel worksheet, and there can be 256 of them in a worksheet,
whereas rows are the horizontal portion, and there can be 1048576 of them.

The color light green is used to highlight Row 3 while the color green is used to
highlight Column B. Each column has 1048576 rows and each row has 256
columns.

2. Formulas: In spreadsheets, formulas process data automatically. It takes data

from the specified area of the spreadsheet as input then processes that data, and
then displays the output into the new area of the spreadsheet according to where
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 the formula is written. In Excel, we can use formulas simply by typing
“=Formula Name(Arguments)” to use predefined Excel formulas. When you
write the first few characters of any formula, Excel displays a drop-down menu of
formulas that match that character sequence. Some of the commonly used
formulas are:
=SUM(Arg1: Arg2): It is used to find the sum of all the numeric data specified in
the given range of numbers.
=COUNT(Arg1: Arg2): It is used to count all the number of cells(it will count
only number) specified in the given range of numbers.
=MAX(Arg1: Arg2): It is used to find the maximum number from the given range
of numbers.
=MIN(Arg1: Arg2): It is used to find the minimum number from the given range of
numbers.
=TODAY(): It is used to find today’s date.
=SQRT(Arg1): It is used to find the square root of the specified cell.

3. Function: In spreadsheets, the function uses a specified formula on the input and
generates output. Or in other words, functions are created to perform complicated
math problems in spreadsheets without using actual formulas. For example, you
want to find the total of the numeric data present in the column then use the SUM
function instead of adding all the values present in the column.

4. Text Manipulation: The spreadsheet provides various types of commands to

manipulate the data present in it.

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 5. Pivot Tables: It is the most commonly used feature of the spreadsheet. Using this
table users can organize, group, total, or sort data using the toolbar. Or in other
words, pivot tables are used to summarize lots of data. It converts tons of data into
a few rows and columns.

COMPONENTS
The basic components are:

1. Title Bar: The title bar displays the name of the spreadsheet and application.

2. Toolbar: It displays all the options or commands available in Excel for use.

3. Name Box: It displays the address of the current or active cell.

4. Formula Bar: It is used to display the data entered by us in the active cell. Also, this
bar is used to apply formulas to the data of the spreadsheet.
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5. Column Headings: Every excel spreadsheet contains 256 columns and each column
present in the spreadsheet is named by letters or a combination of letters.

6. Row Headings: Every excel spreadsheet contains 65,536 rows and each row present
in the spreadsheet is named by a number.

7. Cell: In a spreadsheet, everything like a numeric value, functions, expressions, etc., is

recorded in the cell. Or we can say that an intersection of rows and columns is known as
a cell. Every cell has its own name or address according to its column and rows and
when the cursor is present on the first cell then that cell is known as an active cell.

8. Cell referring: A cell reference, also known as a cell address, is a way for describing
a cell on a worksheet that combines a column letter and a row number. We can refer to
any cell on the worksheet using cell references (in excel formulae). As shown in the
above image the cell in column A and row 1 is referred to as A1. Such notations can be
used in any formula or to duplicate the value of one cell to another (by using = A1).

9. Navigation buttons: A spreadsheet contains first, previous, next, and last navigation
buttons. These buttons are used to move from one worksheet to another workbook.

10. Sheet tabs: As we know that a workbook is a collection of worksheets. So this tab
contains all the worksheets present in the workbook, by default it contains three
worksheets but you can add more according to your requirement.

COMMANDS

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 1. SUM: The SUM() function, as the name suggests, gives the total of the selected
range of cell values. It performs the mathematical operation which is addition.
Here’s an example of it below:

As you can see above, to find the total amount of sales for every unit, we had to simply
type in the function “=SUM(C2:C4)”. This automatically adds up 300, 385, and 480. The
result is stored in C5.

2. COUNT: The COUNT function is used to count the number of cells containing a
number. Always remember one thing that it will only count the number.

Formula = COUNT(value1, [value2], …)

Thus, there are 7 textbooks that have a discount out of 9 books.

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 3. COUNTA: This function will count everything, it will count the number of the
cell containing any kind of information, including numbers, error values, empty
text.

Formula= COUNT(value1, [value2], …)

So, there are a total of 9 subjects that being sold in the store

4. COUNTBLANK: COUNTBLANK function, as the term, suggest it will only

count blank or empty cells.

Formula= COUNTBLANK(range)

There are 2 subjects that don’t have any discount.

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 5. COUNTIFS: The COUNTIFS function is the most used function in Excel. The
function will work on one or more than one condition in a given range and counts
the cell that meets the condition.

Formula= COUNTIFS (range1, criteria1, [range2], [criteria2], ...)

6. MAX: The MAX function will return the largest numeric value within a given set
of data or an array.

Formula = MAX (number1, [number2], ...)

The maximum quantity of textbooks is Physics,620 in numbers.

7. MIN: The MIN function will return the smallest numeric value within a given set
of data or an array.

Formula= MAX (number1, [number2], ...)

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The minimum number of the book available in the store =150(Sociology)

8. TODAY: The TODAY() function in Excel provides the current system date.

9. AVERAGE: The AVERAGE function is one of the most used intermediate

functions. The function will return the arithmetic mean or an average of the cell in
a given range.

Formula = AVERAGE(number1, [number2], …)

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So, the average total revenue is Rs.144326.6667

10. AVERAGEIF: The function will return the arithmetic mean or an average of the
cell in a given range that meets the given criteria.

Formula = AVERAGEIF(range, criteria, [average_range])

11. MEDIAN: The MEDIAN function will return the central value of the data. Its
syntax is similar to the AVERAGE function.
Formula= MEDIAN(number1, [number2], …)

Thus, the median quantity sold is 300.

12. MODE: The MODE function will return the most frequent value of the cell in a
given range.

Formula = MODE.SNGL(number1,[number2],…)

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Thus, the most frequent or repetitive cost is Rs. 250.

13. STANDARD DEVIATION: This function helps us to determine how much

observed value deviated or varied from the average. This function is one of the useful
functions in Excel.

Formula = STDEV.P(number1,[number2],…)

Thus, Standard Deviation of total revenue =296917.8172

14. VARIANCE: Variance will determine the degree of variation in your data set.
The more data is spread it means the more is variance.

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 Formula= VAR(number1, [number2], …)

So, the variance of Revenue= 97955766832

15. QUARTILES: Quartile divides the data into 4 parts just like the median which
divides the data into two equal parts. So, the Excel QUARTILES function returns the
quartiles of the dataset. It can return the minimum value, first quartile, second
quartile, third quartile, and max value. Let’s see the syntax :
Formula = QUARTILE (array, quart)

So, the first quartile = 14137.5

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 16. CORRELATION: CORRELATION function, help to find the relationship
between the two variables, this function mostly used by the analyst to study the data.
The range of the CORRELATION coefficient lies between -1 to +1.

Formula= CORREL(array1, array2)

So, the correlation coefficient between discount and revenue of store = 0.802428894.
Since it is a positive number, thus we can conclude discount is positively related to
revenue.

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 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is a suite of software programs that
analyzes scientific data related to the social sciences. SPSS offers a fast-visual modeling
environment that ranges from the smallest to the most complex models. The data
obtained from SPSS is used for surveys, data mining, market research, etc.

SPSS was originally launched in 1968 by SPSS Inc., and IBM acquired it in 2009.
SPSS is popular because of its simplicity, easy-to-follow command language, and well-
documented user manual. Government entities, educational institutions, survey
companies, market researchers, marketing organizations, health researchers, data miners,
and many others use it for analyzing survey data.

The software name originally stood for Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS), reflecting the original market, and then later changed to Statistical
Product and Service Solutions.

Core Features of SPSS

The core functionalities offered in SPSS are:

(1) Statistical program for quantitative data analysis – It includes frequencies, cross-
tabulation, and bivariate statistics.
(2) Modeler program that allows for predictive modeling. It enables researchers to build
and validate predictive models using advanced statistical procedures.

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 (3) Text analysis helps you derive insights from qualitative inputs through open-ended
questionnaires.
(4) Visualization Designer allows researchers to use their data for a variety of visual
representations.
Apart from the above four functionalities, SPSS also provides data management
solutions. Its data management solutions like FHIR enable researchers to perform case
selection, create derived data, and perform file reshaping.

SPSS features that make it a must-have analysis tool:

SPSS is a popular tool for research, experimentation, and decision-making. It is one of
the most widely used statistical software worldwide in the world for its attractive
features. Here are some of them:

1. Using SPSS features, users can extract every piece of information from files for the
execution of descriptive, inferential, and multiple variant statistical procedures.

2. Thanks to SPSS’ Data Mining Manager, its users can conduct smart searches,
extract hidden information with the help of decision trees, design neural networks of
artificial intelligence, and market segmentation.

3. SPSS software can be used to solve algebraic, arithmetic, and trigonometric

operations.

4. SPSS’s Report Generator feature lets you prepare attractive reports of investigations.
It incorporates text, tables, graphs, and statistical results of the report in the same
file.

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 5. SPSS offers data documentation too. It enables researchers to store a metadata
directory. Moreover, it acts as a centralized information repository in relation to the
data – such as relationships with other data, its meaning, origin, format, and usage.

Statistical methods that can be leveraged in SPSS:

 Descriptive Statistics – It includes methodologies such as cross-tabulation,
frequencies, and descriptive ratio statistics.
 Bivariate Statistics – It includes methodologies such as means, nonparametric tests,
correlation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
 Predicting numeral outcomes such as linear regression
 Methodologies such as cluster analysis and factor analysis which is great for
predicting for identifying groups.

Types Of SPSS
There are two SPSS types:

1. Data View: The data view is displayed as rows and columns. You can import a file
or add data manually. This sheet called data view always displays our data values.

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For instance, our first record seems to contain a male respondent from 1979 and so on. A
more detailed explanation on the exact meaning of our variables and data values is found
in a second sheet shown below.

2. Variable View: An SPSS data file always has a second sheet called variable view.
It shows the metadata associated with the data. Metadata is information about
the meaning of variables and data values. This is generally known as the
“codebook” but in SPSS it's called the dictionary.
For non SPSS users, the look and feel of SPSS’ Data Editor window probably come
closest to an Excel workbook containing two different but strongly related sheets.

 Name: It is a column field that accepts a unique ID that helps in sorting the data.
Some of the parameters for sorting data are name, gender, sex, educational
qualification, designation, etc.
 Label: It gives the label and allows you to add special characters.
 Type: It is useful to differentiate the type of data that is being used.
 Width: The length of the characters can be measured here.
 Decimal: It helps us understand how to define the digits required after the decimal.
 Value: The user enters the value here.
 Missing: Data that is unnecessary for analysis will be ignored.
 Align: As the name suggests, it is for alignment-left or right.

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  Measure: It measures the data that is being entered in the tools, such as cardinal,
ordinal, and nominal.

Advantages of Using SPSS

The statistical analysis tool makes it possible to import and export data files from other
programs. Some of its data handling procedures are excellent, as its ability to merge files,
no matter whether it is the same subjects and different variables or different subjects and
the same variables, is excellent.

In SPSS, users are not forced to work with syntax, even though syntax files can be saved
and modified as needed. When there are saved syntax files, it helps immensely with
documentation and also gives an idea of how the new variables were calculated and how
values that were missing were handled.

 It offers reliable and fast answers

 It’s dynamic and has useful tables and graphs

 Since it offers a wide variety of languages, a lot of people can access

 Effective data management

 Doesn’t require a lot of effort to start using the software

 Useful for both quantitative and qualitative data

 The chances of errors are little with SPSS

 One of the easiest statistical tools to analyze data

 SPSS users can select the graph type which matches their data distribution
requirement
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 Limitations of Using SPSS
 One of the biggest disadvantages of using SPSS is that you cannot use it to analyze
a big data set. There are certain fields where there is a huge trove of data present. In
such industries, using SPSS might not be the best option out there.
 If researchers collect data using faulty or biased methods, then the resulting
statistical analysis will not give the right answers. If the gap between the sample
and the actual population is negligent, then there is no issue. But if the difference is
big, then it will produce misleading data.
 When researchers do not measure the exact thing that they want to measure, then
the SPSS analysis will not fail.
 One more issue with using a statistical analysis tool such as SPSS is that it ends up
giving you simple answers for complex issues.

Data Analysis
Right, so SPSS can open all sorts of data and display them -and their metadata- in two
sheets in its Data Editor window. So how to analyze your data in SPSS? Well, one option
is using SPSS’ elaborate menu options.
For instance, if our data contain a variable holding respondents’ incomes over 2010, we
can compute the average income by navigating to Descriptive Statistics as shown below.

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Doing so opens a dialog box in which we select one or many variables and one or several
statistics we'd like to inspect.

SPSS Output Window

After clicking Ok, a new window opens up: SPSS’ output viewer window. It holds a nice
table with all statistics on all variables we chose. The screenshot below shows what it
looks like.

As we see, the Output Viewer window has a different layout and structure than the Data
Editor window we saw earlier. Creating output in SPSS does not change our data in any
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way; unlike Excel, SPSS uses different windows for data and research outcomes based on
those data.

For non SPSS users, the look and feel of SPSS’ Output Viewer window probably comes
closest to a Powerpoint slide holding items such as blocks of text, tables and charts.

SPSS Reporting
SPSS Output items, typically tables and charts, are easily copy-pasted into other
programs. For instance, many SPSS users use a word processor such as MS Word,
OpenOffice or GoogleDocs for reporting. Tables are usually copied in rich text format,
which means they'll retain their styling such as fonts and borders. The screenshot below
illustrates the result.

SPSS Syntax Editor Window

The output table we showed was created by running Descriptive Statistics from SPSS’
menu. Now, SPSS has a second option for running this (or any other) command: we can
open a third window, known as the syntax editor window. Here we can type and run
SPSS code known as SPSS syntax. For instance, running descriptives income_2010.has
the exact same result as running this command from SPSS’ menu like we did earlier.
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Besides typing commands into the Syntax Editor window, most of them can also be
pasted into it by clicking through SPSS’ menu options. Like so, SPSS users unfamiliar
with syntax can still use it. But why use syntax if SPSS has such a nice menu?
The basic point is that syntax can be saved, corrected, rerun and shared between projects
or users. Your syntax makes your SPSS work replicable. If anybody raises any doubts
regarding your outcomes, you can show exactly what you did and -if needed- correct and
rerun it in seconds.
For non SPSS users, the look and feel of SPSS’ Syntax Editor Window probably comes
closest to Notepad: a single window basically just containing plain text.

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