Defining Multiple Response Sets

To define multiple response sets:

  1. From the menus, choose:

    Data > Define Multiple Response Sets...

  2. Select two or more variables. If your variables are coded as dichotomies, indicate which value you want to have counted.
  3. Enter a unique name for each multiple response set. The name can be up to 63 bytes long. A dollar sign is automatically added to the beginning of the set name.
  4. Enter a descriptive label for the set. (This is optional.)
  5. Click Add to add the multiple response set to the list of defined sets.

Dichotomies

A multiple dichotomy set typically consists of multiple dichotomous variables: variables with only two possible values of a yes/no, present/absent, checked/not checked nature. Although the variables may not be strictly dichotomous, all of the variables in the set are coded the same way, and the Counted Value represents the positive/present/checked condition.

For example, a survey asks the question, "Which of the following sources do you rely on for news?" and provides five possible responses. The respondent can indicate multiple choices by checking a box next to each choice. The five responses become five variables in the data file, coded 0 for No (not checked) and 1 for Yes (checked). In the multiple dichotomy set, the Counted Value is 1.

Categories

A multiple category set consists of multiple variables, all coded the same way, often with many possible response categories. For example, a survey item states, "Name up to three nationalities that best describe your ethnic heritage." There may be hundreds of possible responses, but for coding purposes the list is limited to the 40 most common nationalities, with everything else relegated to an "other" category. In the data file, the three choices become three variables, each with 41 categories (40 coded nationalities and one "other" category).

Category Label Source

For multiple dichotomies, you can control how sets are labeled.

  • Variable labels. Uses the defined variable labels (or variable names for variables without defined variable labels) as the set category labels. For example, if all of the variables in the set have the same value label (or no defined value labels) for the counted value (for example, Yes), then you should use the variable labels as the set category labels.
  • Labels of counted values. Uses the defined value labels of the counted values as set category labels. Select this option only if all variables have a defined value label for the counted value and the value label for the counted value is different for each variable.
  • Use variable label as set label. If you select Label of counted values, you can also use the variable label for the first variable in the set with a defined variable label as the set label. If none of the variables in the set have defined variable labels, the name of the first variable in the set is used as the set label.