15.12 NPAR TESTS

NPAR TESTS

     nonparametric test subcommands
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     [ /STATISTICS={DESCRIPTIVES} ]

     [ /MISSING={ANALYSIS, LISTWISE} {INCLUDE, EXCLUDE} ]

     [ /METHOD=EXACT [ TIMER [(n)] ] ]

NPAR TESTS performs nonparametric tests. Non parametric tests make very few assumptions about the distribution of the data. One or more tests may be specified by using the corresponding subcommand. If the /STATISTICS subcommand is also specified, then summary statistics are produces for each variable that is the subject of any test.

Certain tests may take a long time to execute, if an exact figure is required. Therefore, by default asymptotic approximations are used unless the subcommand /METHOD=EXACT is specified. Exact tests give more accurate results, but may take an unacceptably long time to perform. If the TIMER keyword is used, it sets a maximum time, after which the test is abandoned, and a warning message printed. The time, in minutes, should be specified in parentheses after the TIMER keyword. If the TIMER keyword is given without this figure, then a default value of 5 minutes is used.