Common method variance refers to the amount of uncontrolled systematic error leading to biased estimates of scale reliability and validity and to spurious covariance shared among variables due to common method and/or common source employed in survey-based researches. As the extended use of self-report questionnaires is inevitable, numerous studies…

Most quantitative studies in the social sciences suffer from missing data. However, despite the large availability of documents and software to treat such data, it appears that many social scientists do not apply good practices regarding missing data. We analyzed quantitative papers published in 2017 in six top-level social science journals.…

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to provide empirical evidence about the reporting of methodology to address missing outcome data and the acknowledgement of their impact in Cochrane systematic reviews in the mental health field. Methods: Systematic reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews after January 1, 2009 by…

This article provides an overview of the available evidence on psychological misconceptions, including key findings, current directions and emerging issues for investigation. We begin by defining misconceptions and then examine their prevalence and persistence, discuss their implications for student learning and highlight potential strategies to…

This article contains a second-order meta-analysis and an exploration of bias in the technology integration literature in higher education. Thirteen meta-analyses, dated from 2000 to 2014 were selected to be included based on the questions asked and the presence of adequate statistical information to conduct a quantitative synthesis. The weighted…

Examines the prevalence of inflated Type I error in counseling research and recommends wider use of multivariate statistics to correct the problem. Type I error becomes inflated beyond acceptable levels when researchers perform individual univariate statistics on each of several dependent variables within a single project. (Author)

Presents a table of cases requiring causal modeling or an equivalent technique. Reviews nine years of published research in communication journals to assess the adequacy of analysis in these situations. Offers standards for the conduct and reporting of causal modeling along with a review of their use in published causal modeling. (NKA)

Reviews J. P. Rushton's data in "Race Differences in Behavior: A Review and Evolutionary Analysis" (1988), and suggests that aggregating large cohorts of methodologically weak studies results in misleading conclusions. A reanalysis of Rushton's data shows that cranial size is not a feasible indicator of intelligence and is similar in…

Getting a "wrong" sign in empirical work is a common phenomenon. Remarkably, econometrics textbooks provide very little information to practitioners on how this problem can arise. The author exposits a long list of ways in which a wrong sign can occur and how it might be corrected.

Summarizes the literature on twins-based estimations of schooling returns. Examines implications of endogenous determination of which twin goes to school longer and of measuring schooling with error. Twin-based estimation may complement other methodologies, but is vulnerable to the same inconsistency that afflicts conventional cross-sectional…

The importance of regression diagnostics in detecting influential data points is discussed, and five statistics are recommended for the applied researcher. The suggested diagnostics were used on a dataset of 24 subjects, and effects were analyzed. Colinearity-based diagnostics and diagnostics for a variety of procedures are discussed. (SLD)

Discusses problems involved with surveying and assessing literacy rates in developing nations. Defines current debates over literacy measurement, classification, and surveying. Examines and questions current assumptions linking literacy policy and economic development. Describes models for surveying and measuring literacy and numeracy skill…

The nature and appropriate application of the technique of multivariate analysis are discussed. More specifically, the intent of the paper is to demystify and explain the use of multivariate analysis as well as provide guidelines for selection of the most effective statistics for use in specific situations. For the purpose of this paper, the term…

This report examines the difference in approaches between sociologists and psychologists when using multiple regression techniques in the analysis of behavioral data. Psychologists and sociologists are often divided in their orientation toward regression techniques, and this division could be a substantial and unfortunate barrier to communication…

Given the complexity of classroom reading observations, maintenance of measurement reliability is a concern to researchers. Sources of variation contributing to the unreliability of many measurements may be either (1) lasting and specific, (2) lasting and general, (3) temporary and specific, or (4) temporary and general. Lasting-specific sources…