SPSS® 12.0 Command Syntax Reference

Basic Specification
RANK 1321
The basic specification is VARIABLES and at least one variable from the working data file. By
default, the ranking function is RANK. Direction is ascending, and ties are handled by assigning
the mean rank to tied values. A summary table that lists the ranked variables and the new
variables into which computed ranks have been stored is displayed.
Subcommand Order
• VARIABLES must be specified first.
• The remaining subcommands can be specified in any order.
Operations
Example
• RANK does not change the way the working data file is sorted.
• If new variable names are not specified with the INTO keyword on the function subcommand,
RANK creates default names. (See the INTO keyword on p. 1323.)
• RANK automatically assigns variable labels to the new variables. The labels identify the
source variables. For example, the label for a new variable with the default name RSALARY
is RANK of SALARY.
RANK VARIABLES=SALARY JOBTIME.
• RANK ranks SALARY and JOBTIME and creates two new variables in the working file,
RSALARY and RJOBTIME, which contain the ranks.
VARIABLES Subcommand
VARIABLES specifies the variables to be ranked. Keyword VARIABLES can be omitted.
• VARIABLES is required and must be the first specification on RANK. The minimum specification
is a single numeric variable. To rank more than one variable, specify a variable
list.
• After the variable list you can specify the direction for ranking in parentheses. Specify A
for ascending (smallest value gets smallest rank) or D for descending (largest value gets
smallest rank). A is the default.
• To rank some variables in ascending order and others in descending order, use both A and
D in the same variable list. A or D applies to all preceding variables in the list up to the
previous A or D specification.
• To organize ranks into subgroups, specify keyword BY followed by the variable whose
values determine the subgroups. The working data file does not have to be sorted by this
variable.