How do you generate a random number in SPSS?

SPSS as a Random Number Generator. To generate a set of random numbers, we’re going to use SPSS’s Compute Variable dialog box. Click on Transform -> Compute Variable. You need to do a number of things to set up this dialog box so SPSS will generate random numbers.

What is seed value in SPSS?

To set the seed in SPSS, we use the set command with the seed keyword, and then list a number. This number is the starting point for the process. It does not matter what number you select, as long as it is a positive number less than 2,000,000,000. The default (at least in SPSS version 17) is 2,000,000.

How do you get random numbers?

Computers can generate truly random numbers by observing some outside data, like mouse movements or fan noise, which is not predictable, and creating data from it. This is known as entropy. Other times, they generate “pseudorandom” numbers by using an algorithm so the results appear random, even though they aren’t.

Why is seed 42?

In Douglas Adams’s popular 1979 science-fiction novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, towards the end of the book, the supercomputer Deep Thought reveals that the answer to the great question of “life, the universe and everything” is 42. …

Why do random number generators need to be seeded?

The purpose of the seed is to allow the user to “lock” the pseudo-random number generator, to allow replicable analysis. Some analysts like to set the seed using a true random-number generator (TRNG) which uses hardware inputs to generate an initial seed number, and then report this as a locked number.

How do you create data in SPSS?

Data Creation in SPSS

1. Click the Variable View tab. Type the name for your first variable under the Name column.
2. Click the Data View tab.
3. Now you can enter values for each case.
4. Repeat these steps for each variable that you will include in your dataset.

What is the most common random number between 1 and 10?

Exploited in carnivals, the fact that given a choice of any number between 1 and 10, people will most often choose 3 or 7. Humans are lousy random-number generators and an unusually large number of them will pick 37 while a smaller, but still lopsided number of people will pick 73.

How to get a random sample in SPSS?

One simple one would be if they specified the from option to only be 500, e.g. SAMPLE 500 FROM 500. This is not a random sample at all, but just selects the first 500 cases in the dataset. If you wanted the students to have the exact same sample, you could set the seed, e.g.: SET SEED 10.

How to generate a decimal number in SPSS?

SPSS generate random number (decimal number) Assume that we have 10 data from 1 to 10. Navigate to Transform > Compute Variable. On the left hand side, type a name for the Target Variable, which is the new variable that contains the random number to be generated. In this example, I call the variable random_number.

How to get a random sample from a dataset?

This is not a random sample at all, but just selects the first 500 cases in the dataset. If you wanted the students to have the exact same sample, you could set the seed, e.g.: SET SEED 10. SAMPLE 500 FROM 50000. This shows how to reproduce their results.

Why are my results always the same in SPSS?

SAMPLE 500 FROM 50000. This shows how to reproduce their results. (So this technically could result in the same samples, but I don’t think the seed being the same or students setting it to be the same is a likely explanation.) The issue seems to be caused by not setting the seed in the random number generator before choosing the sample.