Run|Frequency

Run|Frequency provides a distribution count of the values in a variable or field which can include alpha characters. The frequency report displays sorted values showing the value label, code value, frequency, cumulative sum of the values, percent, cumulative percent and a variety of descriptive statistics regarding the entire distribution including any values excluded from statistics. The frequency report will also display a chart of the distribution count of the values if a Chart type is selected from the dropdown list of choices.

The frequency can be based to total (WinCross default) or total answering.

You can save the frequency report by selecting File|Save|Save Report As. If you do not save the report, it is overwritten when you run another frequency.

The maximum number of variables/fields to run at one time is 1000.

For variable data:

The variables are listed and can be selected or you can enter variable names in a logic box similar to record/column logic.
Variables defined in the Glossary using the DECLARE instruction are included in the Variable List if the Use glossary transformations option is enabled.
Variables defined in the Glossary using the DEFINE instruction with simple logic, (for example, DEFINE NEW_VAR = 1/75) are included in the Variable List if the Use glossary transformations option is enabled.
To select variables that are not contiguous, use the Ctrl key. To select multiple contiguous variables, use the Shift key.
Alternatively, you can enter the record/column equivalent for the variable. View|Data File Information provides this information.
You can enter any combination of variable names (in any format) and/or the record/column equivalent for the variable in the Enter variables (by name or using record/column format) separated by commas field.
You can also take advantage of the Scan and Repeat features when using the Enter variables (by name or using record/column format) separated by commas field.

Example: Q2A R3,1/13 R3,Q6

Indexed variables defined in the Glossary can be specified.

Show abbreviated variable names

Displays the abbreviated variable names generated by WinCross (up to 11 characters).

Word wrap

Displays the Variable Label in word wrap mode. If your Variable Labels are long and you do not enable Word wrap, you can use the scroll bar to view the entire Variable Label. Word wrap is enabled as the default.

Find a variable

Allows you to enter search criteria to locate a specific variable. This is especially useful when there are many variables in your job file and you want to quickly locate a specific variable.

Find Next

Allows you to find the next variable that matches the previously entered search criteria. This is especially useful when there are multiple variables in your job file with similar variable names.

For ASCII data, enter the fields as record/column locations separated by commas:

For example:

1/6:2,1/26:5,1/31:5

means, “card 1, column 6, two-column field; card 1, column 26, five-column field; card 1, column 31, five-column field.”

The Repeat (R) feature can be used for running multiple frequencies. For Repeat, the column width for all frequencies is the same as that in the initial frequency field. To run a frequency for card 1, columns 26-30, a frequency for card 1, columns 31-35, and so on, you would enter:

1/26:5 R3

Without using Repeat in the above example, it would be necessary to enter:

1/26:5,1/31:5,1/36:5

To run three nonconsecutive frequencies, you can enter:

2/34:2 R3+1

meaning, “run a frequency for card 2, columns 34–35, skip card 2, column 36; run a frequency for card 2, columns 37–38, skip card 2, column 39; and run a frequency for card 2, columns 40–41.”

Without using Repeat in the above example, it would be necessary to enter:

2/34:2,2/37:2,2/40:2

You can also use the Scan (S) feature to run a frequency over multiple columns. For example, if you have an open-ended question with five, two-digit fields, you can run that as a single frequency using Scan (S).

Report type

You can choose what type of frequency report you want to run using the Report type dropdown.

Frequency report is the default and produces a distribution count of the values for the variable(s) or field(s) selected and a chart of the distribution count unless None is selected from the Chart type drop down. The default for Chart type is Horizontal Bar.
Statistical report produces a summary of the statistics for the variable(s) or field(s) selected. This includes the Total, Mean, Standard Deviation and Standard Error.
Frequency and statistical reports produces both the Frequency report and the Statistical report.

Chart type

You can choose to create a chart of the distribution count for the selected variable(s) or field(s). You can choose from the following chart types:

None - no chart will be produced.
Line - will show the distribution count for up to 36 values.
Vertical Bar - will show the distribution count for up to 36 values.
Horizontal Bar (WinCross default) - will show the distribution count for up to 17 values.
Point - will show the distribution count for up to 36 values.
Pie - will show the distribution count for up to 25 values that represent 2% or more of the total.
3-D Pie - will show the distribution count for up to 25 values that represent 4% or more of the total.

Note: The Chart type selected will remain selected across WinCross sessions until a new Chart type is chosen.

Code value format

Code value format lets you choose whether the variable/field should be processed as Numeric or Alphanumeric.

Numeric lists only blanks and valid numbers; cases with alphanumerics are classified under ‘Other’.
Alphanumeric treats the variable/field as a string of characters. Choose Alphanumeric if you need a frequency of exactly what is in a variable/field with alphanumerics.
Statistics can be run for either format.
The base for the statistics includes only numeric cases.
The maximum width for either numeric or alphanumeric variables/fields is 12.

Cases

Enter the number of records per case from your data file in the Records per case field.

Note: When using variable type data files, Records per case is not applicable.

To limit the number of records processed enter the number of cases in the Cases to run field. Cases to run automatically defaults to the total number of records in the data file.

Sort options

You can choose a Primary sort column for sorting your frequency report and whether to display the sorted report in Ascending or Descending order.

Select Code Value or Frequency. The default is Code Value.
Choose the Primary sort order of Ascending or Descending. Ascending is the default sort order for the Primary sort column.
Choose the Secondary sort order of Ascending or Descending. Ascending is the default sort order for the Secondary sort order.

Note: The Secondary sort order is only valid when the Primary sort column is Frequency because variable Code Values are always unique.

Options

Specify the number of lines per page for the Frequency report in the Lines per page field.
Select Show value labels to display the code value labels on the Frequency report.
Choose Use glossary transformations if you want to apply statements written in Setup|Glossary Variables to the frequency calculation.
Select Show field on report to print the variable name(s) or record/column(s) selected on the Frequency report.
Select Filter to Total Answering to filter the frequency calculation to total answering eliminating blanks.

Weight

Run Filter

Statistics

You can bypass syntax checking by selecting Alt+Z on the Frequency dialog box.