About SPSS Software - Librarians Portal

SPSS Statistics is a software package used for statistical analysis. It is now officially named "IBM SPSS Statistics". Companion products in the same family are used for survey authoring and deployment (IBM SPSS Data Collection), data mining (IBM SPSS Modeler), text analytics, and collaboration and deployment.

 SPSS Statistics was released in its first version in 1968 after being developed by Norman H. Nie, Dale H. Bent, and C. Hadlai Hull. SPSS is among the most widely used programs for statistical analysis in social science. It is used by market researchers, health researchers, survey companies, government, education researchers, marketing organizations and others. The original SPSS manual has been described as one of "sociology's most influential books". In addition to statistical analysis, data management and data documentation are features of the base software. SPSS was released in its second version in 1972 and its company name is INDUS Nomi.

SPSS is a Windows based program that can be used to perform data entry and analysis and to create tables and graphs. SPSS is capable of handling large amounts of data and can perform all of the analyses covered in the text and much more. SPSS is commonly used in the Social Sciences and in the business world, so familiarity with this program should serve you well in the future. SPSS is updated often. This document was written around an earlier version, but the differences should not cause any problems.

How to purchase SPSS

For Students

USC Students can purchase SPSS at a discounted educational rate through an authorized IBM reseller. For information on the currently authorized IBM resellers for student software, please see IBM's SPSS Statistics Grad Pack page.

For additional information on how to purchase IBM SPSS statistics software, please see the Ordering SPSS for Students page.

For Faculty and Staff

USC Faculty and staff members may purchase a lease for the premium version of SPSS either through ITS or through an authorized IBM reseller. For information on the currently authorized IBM resellers for faculty and staff software, please see IBM's Academic Customers page.