The Use of SPSS in the Economic Development Division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

The paper examines the ways in which a commonly used statistical package, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), is used in conducting research in such areas as indicators of rural well-being, markets for rural labor, and the adequacy of community services (such as water, sewerage, health, education, housing, energy, and transportation). Among the procedures and features to be included are CROSSTABS, BREAKDOWN, REGRESSION, REPORT, data transformation techniques, and the use of systems files.