SPSS® 12.0 Command Syntax Reference

Example
Overview
Options
FACTOR VARIABLES=V1 TO V12.
FACTOR 547
FACTOR performs factor analysis based either on correlations or covariances and using one of
the seven extraction methods. FACTOR also accepts matrix input in the form of correlation
matrices, covariance matrices, or factor loading matrices and can write the matrix materials to
a matrix data file.
Analysis Phase Options. You can choose to analyze a correlation or covariance matrix using
the METHOD subcommand. You can select a subset of cases for the analysis phase using
the SELECT subcommand. You can tailor the statistical display for an analysis using the
PRINT subcommand. You can sort the output in the factor pattern and structure matrices
with the FORMAT subcommand. You can also request scree plots and plots of the variables
in factor space on the PLOT subcommand.
Extraction Phase Options. With the EXTRACTION subcommand you can specify one of six
extraction methods in addition to the default principal components extraction: principal axis
factoring, alpha factoring, image factoring, unweighted least squares, generalized least
squares, and maximum likelihood. You can supply initial diagonal values for principal axis
factoring on the DIAGONAL subcommand. On the CRITERIA subcommand, you can alter the
default statistical criteria used in the extraction.
Rotation Phase Options. You can control the criteria for factor rotation with the CRITERIA
subcommand. On the ROTATION subcommand you can choose among four rotation methods
(equamax, quartimax, promax, and oblimin) in addition to the default varimax rotation, or you
can specify no rotation.
Factor Scores. You can save factor scores as new variables in the working data file using any
of the three methods available on the SAVE subcommand.
Matrix Input and Output. With the MATRIX subcommand, you can write a correlation matrix, a
covariance matrix, or a factor loading matrix. You can also read matrix materials written either
by a previous FACTOR procedure or by a procedure that writes correlation or covariance
matrices.
Basic Specification
The basic specification is the VARIABLES subcommand with a variable list. FACTOR performs
principal components analysis with a varimax rotation on all variables in the analysis using
default criteria.
• When matrix materials are used as input, do not specify VARIABLES. Use the ANALYSIS
subcommand to specify a subset of the variables in the matrix.