Reproducible SPSS Analysis UK: A Practical Dissertation Checklist
Reproducible SPSS analysis UK means that the results can be regenerated from the documented source data and analytical steps. For dissertation research, reproducibility makes supervisor corrections safer and helps the researcher explain exactly how each result was obtained.
Protect the Raw Data
Keep the original export or source file read-only. Perform cleaning, scoring and exclusions in a separate working dataset.
Create a Codebook
Document variable names, labels, values, missing codes, units, derived variables and scoring rules. This reduces ambiguity months later.
Use SPSS Syntax
Save syntax for recodes, computed variables, filters, exclusions and statistical procedures. Add comments that explain why important decisions were made.
Version the Analysis
Use clear filenames and dates for dataset, syntax and output versions. Do not overwrite the only copy of a working analysis after supervisor feedback.
Verify Every Reported Result
Before final submission, rerun the analysis in a clean SPSS session and compare the output with the dissertation tables and text.
Reconcile Revisions
If one analytical choice changes, trace its effects through the methods, results, discussion, abstract and appendices.
This article supports our main Reproducible SPSS Analysis UK page. Also see How to Create a Codebook in SPSS and SPSS Supervisor Feedback.