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Creating a New Summary Variable

Using the New Variable - Summary Function

The NEW VARIABLE - SUMMARY function, part of the NEW VARIABLE MENU in EZAnalyze, allows you to create a new variable that contains a new summary variable (either a total score or average score - glossary) quickly and easily - without having to calculate the new scores manually or by writing a formula to add to your Excel data sheet. In addition to the examples provided here, another example of how you can summarize data with a new summary variable is for creating a total score for a survey you have created. If the survey has 10 items, you can create a new summary variable that contains either the average (mean) score or the total (all scores are added together) score for the survey.

To create a new summary variable for your data, select the "New Variable " option from the EZAnalyze menu in Excel, then select "Summary Variable."

In the "New Summary Variable" dialogue box, select more than one variable from the variable list. In the example provided above, you would select all 10 variables representing each question in your survey (hold down the CTRL key to select more than one variable) from the variable list.

Next, select a method for summarizing your data. If you select "Total," all of the variables you selected will be added together, and the result displayed as a new variable. If you select "Average," the average (or mean) score will be the result displayed as a new variable.

Next, give your new variable a name in the "Variable Name" box. This new name should be a variable name that has not already been used.

When you click OK, a new column will be added to your data sheet that has the name you provided in the "Variable Name" box. The values contained in the cells of the new column will be from the summary function you have chosen.

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