Factor analysis is a statistical technique that is widely used in psychology and social sciences. Using computers and statistical packages, implementation of multivariate factor analysis and other multivariate methods becomes possible for researchers. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis are applied in different studies;…

DIMPACK Version 1.0 for assessing test dimensionality based on a nonparametric conditional covariance approach is reviewed. This software was originally distributed by Assessment Systems Corporation and now can be freely accessed online. The software consists of Windows-based interfaces of three components: DIMTEST, DETECT, and CCPROX/HAC, which…

Among the unique affordances of digital simulations are changes in the possibilities for targets as well as the methods of assessment, most significantly, toward integration of thinking with action, embedding of tasks-as-performance of knowledge-in-action, and unobtrusive observational methods. This paper raises and briefly defines key data…

This paper provides a guide to calculating statistical power for the complex multilevel designs that are used in most field studies in education research. For multilevel evaluation studies in the field of education, it is important to account for the impact of clustering on the standard errors of estimates of treatment effects. Using ideas from…

Missing data are a pervasive problem in many psychological applications in the real world. In this article we study the impact of dropout on the operational characteristics of several approaches that can be easily implemented with commercially available software. These approaches include the covariance pattern model based on an unstructured…

All parametric methods are special cases of canonical correlation analysis and can, in fact, be performed using the canonical correlation procedures found in commonly available computer statistics packages such as the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) software. It is suggested that canonical analysis has advantages of versatility since it can…

A computer-assisted, K-fold cross-validation technique is discussed in the framework of canonical correlation analysis of randomly generated data sets. Analysis results suggest that this technique can effectively reduce the contamination of canonical variates and canonical correlations by sample-specific variance components. (Author/SLD)

Homogeneity analysis, or multiple correspondence analysis, is usually applied to k separate variables. In this paper, it is applied to sets of variables by using sums within sets. The resulting technique is referred to as OVERALS. It uses the notion of optimal scaling, with transformations that can be multiple or single. The single transformations…

Covariance structure analytic techniques have become increasingly popular in recent years. During this period, users of statistical software packages have become more and more sophisticated, and more and more researchers are wanting to make sure that they are using the "best" statistic, whether it be for small sample considerations or…

Generalizability or invariance procedures have been known for over three decades. Through the years, these procedures have not been widely discussed or employed. One reason for the lack of use is that most of the articles on invariance procedures have been mathematically oriented. The mathematical orientation of research articles and the lack of…

Use of "special" orthonormal mean contrasts and mean contrast variances can help educational researchers interpret a wide variety of repeated measures data. Most statistical packages allow educational researchers to test for differences across repeated measures using both the univariate mixed model F test and a multivariate test.…

Standardization procedures in discriminant analysis are discussed. Three leading software packages--SPSSX, BMDP, and SAS--are compared in terms of their calculations of unstandardized and standardized discriminant coefficients. Estimation procedures are described for each. Arguments are presented for within-group, rather than total, variance…

Three alternative solutions available for analysis of variance (ANOVA) using two-way and three-way completely randomized factorial designs with disproportional cell sizes across all two-way and three-way summary tables with no empty cells are discussed. These solutions are categorized as unique, sequential, and experimental. The procedures used,…

The test proposed by Brien, Venables, and Mayo (1984), endorsed by Silver and Dunlap, and supported by computer software that they developed is not a proper test for multivariate independence. A revised appraisal is suggested for the Silver and Dunlap results. (SLD)

Contrastive feature hierarchies have been developed and used for some time in depicting typical phonological development and in guiding therapy decisions. Previous descriptions of feature use have been based on independent analyses and usually phonetic inventories. However, recent trends in phonology include a relational analysis of phonemic…