SPSS vs. excel: Computing software, criminal justice students, and statistics

This study examines the impact of two different types of statistical software on student knowledge and perceptions of statistics. Students enrolled in a summer session introductory statistics class were randomly assigned to either Excel or SPSS. Weekly lab sessions were conducted providing instruction in statistical calculations using Excel and SPSS. The groups were then compared on two levels of knowledge: conceptual and computational. An additional comparison was made in relation to students' perceptions of their understanding of statistics. Results showed Excel students scored higher on both measures of knowledge and had higher ratings of statistical understanding compared to SPSS students.