Causal mediation analysis has gained increasing attention in recent years. This article guides empirical researchers through the concepts and challenges of causal mediation analysis. I first clarify the difference between traditional and causal mediation analysis and highlight the importance of adjusting for the treatment-by-mediator interaction…

This article introduces an open-source software package--R for Qualitative Data Analysis (RQDA). RQDA is an R package for analysis of text-formatted data, which is compatible across operating platforms. It is user-friendly and seamlessly integrates with R, which makes it possible to conduct statistical analyses on qualitative coding. Alternative…

The increasing volume of large-scale assessment data poses a challenge for testing organizations to manage data and conduct psychometric analysis efficiently. Traditional psychometric software presents barriers, such as a lack of functionality for managing data and conducting various standard psychometric analyses efficiently. These challenges…

The present guide provides a practical guide to conducting latent profile analysis (LPA) in the Mplus software system. This guide is intended for researchers familiar with some latent variable modeling but not LPA specifically. A general procedure for conducting LPA is provided in six steps: (a) data inspection, (b) iterative evaluation of models,…

The purpose of this paper is to present results of recent advances in power analyses to detect the moderator effects in Cluster Randomized Trials (CRTs). This paper focus on demonstration of the software PowerUp!-Moderator. This paper provides a resource for researchers seeking to design CRTs with adequate power to detect the moderator effects of…

In order to progress as a field, school psychology research must be informed by effective measurement techniques. One approach to address the need for careful measurement is Rasch analysis. This technique can (a) facilitate the development of instruments that provide useful data, (b) provide data that can be used confidently for both descriptive…

E-assessments of students profoundly influence their motivation and play a key role in the educational process. Adapting assessment techniques to current technological advancements allows for effective pedagogical practices, learning processes, and student engagement. The "Handbook of Research on E-Assessment in Higher Education"…

Survey sampling is fundamentally an applied field. The goal in this book is to put an array of tools at the fingertips of practitioners by explaining approaches long used by survey statisticians, illustrating how existing software can be used to solve survey problems, and developing some specialized software where needed. This book serves at least…

As evidence-based reform becomes increasingly important in educational policy, it is becoming essential to understand how research design might contribute to reported effect sizes in experiments evaluating educational programs. The purpose of this study was to examine how methodological features such as types of publication, sample sizes, and…

Researchers are often distressed to discover that the data they wanted to use in their landmark study is not configured in a way that is usable by a Statistical Analysis Software Package (SASP). For example, the data needed may come from two or more sources and it may not be clear to the researcher how to get them combined into one analyzable…

To support and promote secondary analyses, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) is making the SITES 2006 international database and accompanying User Guide available to researchers, analysts, and public users. The database comprises national contexts and school- and teacher-level data from 23 education…

This report provides a detailed description and evaluation of the SYSTAT 2.1 microcomputer statistics system for professional statisticians. Information provided includes the producer, versions available and compatibility, and a description of each of the 11 modules that make up the SYSTAT package. Discussion of the usability of the software…

In his early exposition of path analysis, Duncan (1966) noted that the method "provides a calculus for indirect effects." Despite the interest in indirect causal effects, most users treat them as if they are population parameters and do not test whether they are statistically significant. Sobel (1982) has recently derived the asymptotic…

This paper describes a personal computer spreadsheet set up to carry out hierarchical log-linear analyses, a type of analysis useful for institutional research into multidimensional frequency tables formed from categorical variables such as faculty rank, student class level, gender, or retention status. The spreadsheet provides a concrete vehicle…

This guide to the discovery, analysis, production, communication, and use of statistical information through graphic forms produced by a computer is designed to enable researchers to conduct their analyses and report research results more effectively. It is designed both for individuals with little knowledge about the use of statistical graphs or…