Selecting variables using the CHAID Modeling node

In this recipe we will identify and select variables to include as model inputs using the CHAID node.

You will need a copy of Microsoft Excel to visualize and select the chi-square values for each variable.

Getting ready

This recipe uses the datafile cup98lrn_reduced_vars3.sav and the stream recipe_variableselection_chaid.str.

How to do it...

To identify and select variables to include as model inputs using the CHAID node:

1. Open the stream variableselection_chaid.str by navigating to File | Open Stream and selecting the stream.
2. Make sure the datafile points to the correct path for the file cup98lrn_reduced_vars3.sav.
3. Open the Type node named CHAID Types. Notice that there are several variables of type continuous whose direction values have been set to Input, and a single continuous variable has its direction set to Target. The variable set to Target should be the target variable TARGET_B.
4. Open the node TARGET_B and select the Interactive Model option...