Creating a Bar Chart using SPSS Statistics (cont...)

SPSS Statistics

SPSS Statistics procedure for version 24 and earlier versions of SPSS Statistics

The 11 steps that follow show you how to create a simple bar chart in SPSS Statistics version 24 and earlier versions of SPSS Statistics using the example on page 1.

Note: If you are unsure which version of SPSS Statistics you are using, see our guide: Identifying your version of SPSS Statistics.

1. Click Graphs > Chart Builder... on the main menu, as shown below:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

   
   You will be presented with the Chart Builder dialogue box, as shown below:
   
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

2. Select "Bar" from the Choose from: box in the bottom-left-hand corner of the Chart Builder dialogue box, as highlighted below:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

3. Selecting "Bar" will present eight different bar chart options in the lower-middle section of the Chart Builder dialogue box (as shown above and below). Drag-and-drop the top-left-hand option (you will see it labelled as "Simple Bar" if you hover your mouse over the box) into the main chart preview pane, as shown below:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

4. You will be presented with the screen below, which shows a simple bar chart in the main chart preview pane with boxes for the y-axis ("Y-Axis?") and x-axis ("X-Axis?") for you to populate with the appropriate variables:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

   Note: A new dialogue box called Element Properties will have opened to the immediate right of the main Chart Builder dialogue box, as seen above. This will be used later.

5. Drag-and-drop the independent variable, group, from the Variables: box into the "X-Axis?" box in the main chart preview screen and do the same for the dependent variable, coping_stress, but into the "Y-Axis?" box. You should end up with a screen like the one below:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

   Note: The chart preview pane does not accurately plot the variable data that you have dragged into the preview pane, even though it might appear that it does due to the bar chart's bars changing when you add your variables. Therefore, do not get confused and think that you have done something wrong. You will only see your true data when you actually generate the bar chart.

6. Click Display error bars in the Element Properties dialogue box, which will activate the –Error Bars Represent– area. Leave Confidence intervals selected and Level (%): set at 95. You will be presented with the following screen:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

   Note: You can use this area to select other types of error bars, such as multiples of either the standard error or standard deviation.

7. Click on the button to confirm these changes.
8. Click on "Y-Axis1 (Bar1)" in the Element Properties dialogue box and you will be presented with the following screen:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

   Note: You can use this dialogue box to change the axis label (using the Axis Label: box) and/or change scale attributes using the options in the –Scale Range– area.

9. If you want to change the scale on the y-axis of the dependent variable, coping_stress, for example, the minimum value, uncheck the Minimum option in the –Scale Range– area so that the Custom value is highlighted and has a value of 0 (zero), as shown below:
   

   Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

   Note: The procedure above is intended to make the y-axis show a suitable range of values for coping_stress. These values might be different for your variables, so you should adjust them as you see fit. If you are not sure at first what these values should be, don't change the values; see what the simple bar chart looks like and then re-run the simple bar chart with new axes values if necessary. You can also re-edit the simple bar chart later on.

   Click on the button if you made any changes. In this example, everything is OK as it is.
10. If you want to change the order of the categories on the x-axis of the independent variable, group, click "X-Axis1 (Bar1)" in the Edit Properties of: box. This will activate the –Categories– and –Small/Empty Categories– areas, as well as the Legend Label: option. Leave the default options selected. However, if you want to change the order of the categories of the independent variable, you can do this in the Order: box in the –Categories– area using the and arrows. Remember to click the button if you made any changes. In this example, everything is OK as it is.
    

    Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

11. Click on the button in the Chart Builder dialogue box to generate the simple bar chart, as shown below:

Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

Using SPSS Statistics' chart editing tools, you can change the appearance of this chart to look like the following, which may be more appropriate for a report:

Published with written permission from SPSS Statistics, IBM Corporation.

Note: If the type of simple bar chart that you want to create is different from the example above or there are specific options you want to include in your simple bar chart that we have not covered, please contact us. We will try to add a section to the guide that deals with the type of simple bar chart you want to create.