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Enter Search Terms

Simmons has a "smart search" feature.  Just start by typing keywords to search for a variable. 

Create Rows or Columns

Add variables to either columns or rows by clicking the appropriate button. Your choice of whether you use columns or rows is up to you, as you are creating your own table.  

Add more variables

Repeat the steps above to continue adding as many variables as you need to the columns.  

Create Rows

In order to create a cross tab, you have to create rows to compare with the data in your columns.  Search for variables, then add to Rows using the Rows button.

Run the Cross Tab

Click the "Run" arrow to run the Cross Tab analysis.

View your cross tab

The default "Private Eye" view is rather clunky to use.  In my opinion, the Cross Tab view is much easier to read.  

Export your work

The cross tabs you create can be exported to either an .XLS or .CSV for you to view and manipulate in Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet application.

You can also save your cross tab as a .SPC file.  If you return to Simmons at a later time, you can upload the .SPC file to continue where you left off.

Reading the Vertical Percent

For reading the vertical percent in a cross tab, we read from top (1),  down to the vertical percent( 2), then left to the comparable variable in the row (3). In this example we would read this as follows:

1.  Of those people in the survey who said they were very interested in NFL football,
2. 16.7 percent of them
3.  Eat at Applebee's the most.  

In other words, 16.7 percent of people surveyed who are very interested in NFL football said that they eat at Applebee's the most. 

Reading the Horizontal Percent

For reading the horizontal percent in a cross tab, we read from left, across to the horizontal percent, then up to the comparable variable in the row. In this example we would read this as follows:

1.  Of those people in the survey who said they eat at Bob Evans the most,
2. 19.8  percent of them
3. Are very interested in Major League Baseball

In other words, 19.8  percent of people surveyed who said they eat at Bob Evans the most are also very interested in Major League Baseball.

Reading the Index

The index in Simmons is the likelihood of one variable to match another variable from the survey. 

The index is expressed by how it relates to the base. In our example below, the base is the Total Survey Population, or in other words, the General Population.   Since the average is 100, an index higher than 100 is more likely to match, while an index lower than 100 is less likely to match. 

The index can relate to either the column or the row, so it can be read in both horizontal and vertical directions.  In our example below:

1. Those who are very interested in NBA Basketball are 25% less likely to Eat at Bob Evans than the general population.
   • This can also be read horizontally as well:  Those who eat at Bob Evans the Most are 25% less likely to be very interested in NBA Basketball than the general population.
2. Those who are very interested in Major League Baseball are  33% more likely to eat at Bob Evans than the general population.
   • Those who eat at Bob Evans the Most are 33% more likely to be very interested in NBA Basketball than the general population.