| Date: | Thu, 22 May 1997 10:21:06 +0100 |
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| Reply-To: | R.A.Reese@UCC.HULL.AC.UK |
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| Sender: | "SPSSX(r) Discussion" <SPSSX-L@UGA.CC.UGA.EDU> |
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| From: | "R. Allan Reese" <R.A.Reese@UCC.HULL.AC.UK> |
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| Subject: | Re: breakpoints |
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| In-Reply-To: | <E0wUGRO-0004sB-00@adelphi.ucc.hull.ac.uk> |
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| Content-Type: | TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII |
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On Wed, 21 May 1997, William B. Ware wrote:
> I have to ask why you want to "categorize" a continuous variable. So much
> information is lost...
Nothing has to be lost. The original values remain in the data file,
and probably in the active data since the procedure is to create a set
of dummies that cover the range of interest. Why do it? To get round
some of the assumptions of parametric analysis. For example, you can
replace linear regressions by the equivalent analysis of covariance and
fit piecewise models. It promotes thinking about your data - go do it!
R. Allan Reese Email: r.a.reese@ucc.hull.ac.uk
Head of Applications Direct voice: +44 1482 465296
Academic Services Computing Voice messages: +44 1482 465685
Hull University, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. Fax: +44 1482 466441
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