UPCOMING WEBINAR: Run Research Your Way With AI Skills This article describes how to run a script that removes untidy text from the ends of variable labels when the labels have been cut off in the data file. Such truncation of data labels can occur in older data-processing software (e.g., Quantum) when there is a limit to the lengths of labels. For example, your labels may look like:
| Sometimes I drink cola that is bought by my friends or family: Q10. Why drinks m |
| Sometimes it is hard to find my favorit cola: Q10. Why drinks more than one co |
| I drink different colas depending on my mood/how I'm feeling: Q10. Why drinks mo |
| I drink different colas depending on who I am with: Q10. Why drinks more than on |
| I drink different colas depending on where I am: Q10. Why drinks more than one c |
This script will fix them to:
| Sometimes I drink cola that is bought by my friends or family |
| Sometimes it is hard to find my favorit cola |
| I drink different colas depending on my mood/how I'm feeling |
| I drink different colas depending on who I am with |
| I drink different colas depending on where I am |
To tidy the labels for a multiple-response question in your project, you should first ensure that the variables for the question have been combined and use Combine if they are not already combined. When the script runs, you will be prompted to select the question(s) to tidy.
You should only apply this script to questions where the labels look truncated. Applying the script to questions with labels that are already correct may have the effect of removing text unnecessarily.
Requirements
A Displayr document with a data set.
Method
- If you have more than one data set in your project, first select the data set you would like to run this script on.
- Go to Anything
> Data > Miscellaneous > Remove Truncated Text from Variable Labels.
- Confirm which question(s) contain labels that need tidying.
- Click OK.
If possible, you should try to avoid having to use this tool by asking your data provider to prepare the data file according to the specifications linked at How to Format an SPSS File for Use in Q, and to ensure that there is no truncation of the variable labels in the SPSS data file.