The Explore procedure is a very useful procedure for visually and numerically comparing groups, summarizing distributions, examining the assumption of normality, and looking for outlying observations. It is easy to assume without looking that your data have no outliers, extreme values, or distributional problems. Fortunately, the Explore procedure makes it just as easy to see how well the data validate those assumptions.

- If your dependent variable is categorical, try the Crosstabs procedure.
- The Summarize, Means, and OLAP Cubes procedures allow you to layer grouping variables so that you can examine summary statistics for cross-classifications of factors.
- You can alternately use the One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test to test your dependent variable for normality. That procedure also allows you to check your dependent variable against the Poisson, Uniform, or Exponential distributions.