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Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Signed Rank Test
This test is similar to a matched (repeated measures) t-test. However, the dependent variable is measured on
an ordinal scale (ranked data). This test is used to test for significant differences between two conditions of an
independent variable in an experiment where the same (or matched) participants are responding in both conditions
of the study. The dependent variable involves ranked (ordinal) data.
Suppose for example, a department chair wanted to find out whether their department faculty members had
a significant preference for one job candidate over another. Each of two job candidates (Dr. Smith and Dr. Jones)
came to the department for a job interview. After each candidate gave a one hour guest lecture to the members of the
department, and after they were interviewed by the members of the department, the faculty in the department were
asked to rank order their preferences for the candidates. The first choice of each department member was given a
rank of 1 and their second choice a rank of 2. The department chair then recorded the rankings of each candidate by
each department member in the table below:
Rank Order of Candidates by Faculty
Faculty Member Dr. Smith Dr. Jones
A 1 2
B 1 2
C 1 2
D 1 2
E 2 1
F 1 2
G 1.5 1.5
H 1 2
I 1 2
J 1 2
1. Logon to system
2. Click Start > Programs > SPSS for Windows > SPSS 10.1 for Windows. At this point a window will
appear asking you what you would like to do. Click on the circle next to Type in Data (2nd option in list) and
then click OK at the bottom of the window.
3. A Data Editor will appear. Look in the lower left corner of the screen. You should see a Data View tab and
to the right of it a Variable View tab. The Variable View tab will be used first for the Data Definition
Phase of creating a data file. The Data View tab will be used to actually enter the raw numbers listed above.
(See pages 1-3 for a more detailed explanation of creating data files.)
DATA DEFINITION PHASE
4. Click on the Variable View tab in the lower left corner. A new screen will appear with the following words
at the top of each column.
Name Type Width Decimals Label Values Missing Columns Align Measure
5. Click on the white cell in Row 1 under the word Name and type in the word Smith
6. Click on the white cell in Row 1 under the word Label and type in Smith Rank. (Doing this will provide
you with a more expansive label in the results output).
7. Click on the white cell in Row 2 under the word Name and type in the word Jones
8. Click on the white cell in Row 2 under the word Label and type in Jones Rank. (Doing this will provide
you with a more expansive label in the results output).
DATA ENTRY PHASE
