Kevin,
 
I have recently had exactly the same problem.
 
Create a column for each variable, dummy coding 1 for a yes and 2 for a no. Enter only the yes (was a favorite food) responses. Then recode all missing data for the 40 variables as no's. You can do all 40 variables at once.
 
Obtain the frequencies for all variables.
 
Then, create an excel format of the spreadsheet and sum the frequencies.
 
I hope there is a more efficient way, but if not, that's how you do it.
 
Rob

                                                                   
Rob Browton
Research Associate                                          
Centre for Mental Health Services Research Inc
7 Field St Mt Lawley, 6050
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 -----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, 9 April 2001 20:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: SPSS and multiple variables query

Dear group!

Could someone possibly help me with an SPSS query.

I have completed a survey (of say 200 people) and asked an open question
where I have allowed for up to five responses from each interviewee, for
example "please name 5 of your favourite foods." Essentially there are 1000
responses to be analysed.

The question has (as expected) elicited more than five potential variables,
in fact there are about 40.  What I'm trying to figure out is, what is the
best way to analyse this data so that I can say, figure out what are the most
popular foods i.e. add all responses together.

Because of the single variable constraint on SPSS, I have allocated 5
separate columns for each of the possible 5 answers. Each column has
possibility of any one of the 40 variables.

I guess the question is, can I add the columns together somehow for graphing,
or how else would I generate this information?

I know this isn't really an SPSS mailgroup, but I'm kinda drowning in all
this data at the moment and would really appreciate some help.

Thanks so much all

Kevin


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Kevin Franklin
Corporate Citizenship Unit
Centre for Creativity Strategy and Change
Warwick Business School,
University of Warwick
Coventry, CV4 7AL
UK
http://users.wbs.warwick.ac.uk/ccu/
Tel: 024 765 73130
Home: 01225 318772
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