Friday, February 27, 2009

2006 SLID - SAS and SPSS Syntax Files

Question
Two researchers here at York, using the pumfs from the 2006 SLID, have reported problems
with the syntax files in SPSS and SAS.   Both are receiving error messages for missing
value specifications.  I am not very familiar with these applications and don't know how
to help.  Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Answer

The SPSS syntax files for the 2006 SLID pumfs were quite bad.

1) integer variables were uniformly coded as alphabetic

2) there was no specification of decimals, required by several variables

3) most of the missing data specifications that were given were in error
(ie 4-digit missing variable specs for 2-digit variables (eg '9696 thru
9999' instead of '96 thru 99'), and 2-digit variable specs for 1-digit
variables (eg '66 thru 99' instead of '6 thru 9'))

4) the bulk of the variables that needed missing data specifications had
none.

I haven't looked at the SAS syntax, but assume it suffers from the same
malaises.

Partly revised syntax files are linked from:
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/datalib/inventory/3000/3814.htm#doc

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