Importing SPSS weighted data

[kristenl]

HI, 

Just wondering if someone can help. I'm trying to import weighted data from SPSS into SAS. The file imports, however, the weighted data does not import properly and the original sample size remains. I've tried to find this info in user manuals, but can't seem to find anything. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

thanks

[PaigeMiller]

The file imports, however, the weighted data does not import properly and the original sample size remains. 

As far as I know, the data should not change when importing from SPSS to SAS, so I don't know what the above means. Can you explain this further? Can you give a small example?

Also, how are you doing this "import"?

[kristenl]

Thanks so much for your reply. My (edited) SAS syntax is below. In the SPSS file, I have applied weights. The weighted sample is 158,000; however, after importing it into SAS, I only have the original (non-weighted) sample of 7590.

PROC IMPORT OUT=OIS.finalweighted
DATAFILE="C:\Users\...NEW_weighted.sav"
DBMS=SPSS REPLACE;
RUN;

[PaigeMiller]

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@kristenl wrote:

Thanks so much for your reply. My (edited) SAS syntax is below. In the SPSS file, I have applied weights. The weighted sample is 158,000; however, after importing it into SAS, I only have the original (non-weighted) sample of 7590.

Do you mean that the SPSS file had 158000 records, while the SAS file has 7590 records? What does "weighted sample" mean with respect to a data set? If there is a weight variable, what happens if you add up all the weights?

[kristenl]

Yes, that's correct - SPSS file had 158,000, whereas SAS had 7590.
However, Reeza is suggesting that weighted data in SPSS is not altered, which makes sense considering the small sample in SAS.

[Tom]

It seems to me that SPSS syntax for specifying what variable to use for weighting is very similar to the SAS syntax.

https://libguides.library.kent.edu/SPSS/WeightCases

https://documentation.sas.com/doc/en/pgmsascdc/9.4_3.3/statug/statug_freq_syntax13.htm

[kristenl]

Great, thanks.

[Reeza · Accepted solution]

Weighted data typically just means you have a column(s) of weights for your data. It doesn't affect the number of observations. Any proc using the data will have a WEIGHT statement where you provide the weight variable and then the analysis will factor in the weights. 

It does not change your input data or data structure in any fashion.

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@kristenl wrote:

HI, 

Just wondering if someone can help. I'm trying to import weighted data from SPSS into SAS. The file imports, however, the weighted data does not import properly and the original sample size remains. I've tried to find this info in user manuals, but can't seem to find anything. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

thanks

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[kristenl]

Thanks very much Reeza, this makes sense.