Data collected from surveys can result in hundreds of variables and thousands of respondents. This implies that time and energy must be devoted to (a) carefully entering the data into a database, (b) running preliminary analyses to identify any problems (e.g., missing data, potential outliers), (c) checking the reliability and validity of the…

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to identify the determinants that potentially influence quality education in private universities in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach: To attain this objective, 234 data were collected through face-to-face interviews on campus during February-March 2013 from Bachelor of Business Administration…

This study gathered, analyzed, and compared perspectives of students who were honors-eligible but never began the program, students who began in honors and discontinued their enrollment, and those who were persisting in honors. Broadly speaking (and not surprisingly), the responses of students persisting in honors reflected the most positive…

The Chinese government's stated objective of student financial aid (SFA) policy is to help students from low-income families to access higher levels of education. This article first explores the possible associations between the distribution of SFA and students' various demographic and academic backgrounds. Then it presents the findings regarding…

Suggests that improving the data collected for a study will lead to the development of better models to analyze that data. Also urges researchers to have a more critical attitude toward the literal interpretation of test results. (RB)

Comments on the uses of statistical analysis in social sciences within the context of Freedman's "As Other's See Us: A Case Study in Path Analysis." Points out that there is an unacknowledged gap between statistical principles and the data analysis that social scientists use. (RB)

Examines D. A. Freedman's criticism of path analysis, agreeing with Freedman's criticism of its application to nonexperimental data in the social sciences. Argues that Freedman's overall conclusions, however, are too pessimistic. (RB)

Makes a distinction in methodological work between building and applying statistical models for the processes that generate data for the social sciences and applying that data to available statistical methods. Agrees with Freeman that researchers need to think more about underlying social processes. (RB)

Reviews application of causal modeling in family research. Discusses uses of and critics' views of causal modeling to explain reasons for controversial position of causal modeling in social sciences. Reviews requirements for effectively implementing causal modeling strategy, commenting on some attempts of family researchers to use it. Includes…

Early procedures for the analysis of multivariate panel data do not rest on well-specified statistical models. Recent approaches based on path analysis suffer from the defects of variable standardization and lack of attention to measurement error. The paper formulates a measurement model for quantitatively scaled multivariate panel data. The model…

Duncan's interpretation of his research on the nature and process of the distribution of rewards in the U.S. stratification system is questioned. Statistical and conceptual flaws are noted in Duncan's work and their implications explored. A reanalysis of primary survey data is presented and, based on a reinterpretation of this data, a…

Tries to develop a method for empirical evaluations of the impact of a school system on measurable cognitive and affective outcomes in students. Concentrates on the Partial Least Squares (PLS) methodology, and illustrates the potential of PLS for system analysis. (BW)