Exercise 15.2: Constructing a Scatterplot using SPSS

This exercise will teach you how to create a scatterplot with SPSS. Countries are your units of analysis, and you will examine the relationship between a country’s HIV/AIDS infection rate and its death rate.

Go to SPSS and open "COUNTRIESdepr" file. Near the top of screen, in the gray status bar area, click on "Graphs." When the drop down menu appears under "Graphs," click on "Scatter..." When a small window appears titled "Scatterplot," click on the square labeled "Simple," then on the "Define" button.

Another window appears titled "Simple Scatterplot" with a list of variables on left. Use the arrows to move the variable named "hivaids" (the percentage of the population age 15-49 living with HIV/AIDS) into the slot labeled "X axis" (your independent variable). Move the variable named "death" (number of deaths per 1000 population) into the slot labeled "Y axis" (your dependent variable).

Click on button labeled "OK." A window titled "SPSS Viewer" will appear and your scatterplot is displayed in this window. Print the scatterplot.

Write a short description, based on the scatterplot, of the relationship between a country’s HIV/AID infection rate and its death rate.