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…

Researchers express growing concern over the increasing higher education achievement gap between subgroups of Black American students (e.g., Massey, Mooney, Torres, & Charles, 2007). Whereas the number of degrees awarded to Black females has consistently grown for each of the past twenty years, the number of degrees awarded to Black males during…

Seventy-three Latino middle school students participated in a longitudinal study of the preschool antecedents of their mathematics achievement. Path analysis indicated that family resources (parents' educational level, occupation, and income) predicted home literacy activities, which predicted combined early Spanish literacy and English language…

Latent trajectories of credit hour accumulation were modeled using three independent samples of community college students. Five qualitatively distinct patterns of persistence emerged from these samples: Full-time, long-term; 2 years and out; long-term decliners; part-time, long-term; and one term and out. Follow-up analyses using measures on the…

The relationship between goal-orientation, intrinsic/extrinsic motivation for the teaching profession, previous achievement and entrance scores was investigated among teacher applicants (Study 1; N=230), and student teachers (Study 2; N=114). Utilizing path-analyses the following relationships were found in both studies, between: (a) mastery goals…

Background: Recent research on student learning in higher education has identified clear associations between variations in students' perceptions of their academic environment and variations in their study behaviour. Aims: This research investigated a general theoretical model linking students' demographic characteristics, perceptions and study…

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…

The purposes of this study are: (1) to demonstrate the superiority of simple ridge regression over ordinary least squares regression through theoretical argument and empirical example; (2) to modify ridge regression through use of the variance normalization criterion; and (3) to demonstrate the superiority of simple ridge regression based on the…

A causal model that explains variations in individual judgements concerning the fairness of equality or inequality, based on a new Index of Evaluated Equality, is proposed. (Author/AM)

Presents and illustrates structural equation modeling (multivariate analysis with latent variables, also called causal modeling or covariance structure analysis), discussing issues and problems related to the use of this methodology, possible applications of structural equation modeling to counseling psychology research, and resources for further…

Response to Freedman's critique of path analysis discusses appropriate ways to represent social processes in numerical form and the use of path analysis to achieve that goal. Discusses two main issues: the selection of variables and whether multiple regression can be used to model social processes. (RB)

Discusses the theoretical aspects of structural modeling rather than its applications. Considers the basic hypothesis in structural modeling and concludes that it can be an effective tool in some research contexts, though not all. (RB)

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)

The use of structural equation modelling in curriculum evaluation is discussed in two stages: first, a process model for curriculum evaluation from instructional theory is derived; second, the structural equation model derived from the process analysis and its applications to curriculum evaluation are described. (BW)

This study of the relationship of perceived role to satisfaction with a job presents four plausible models based on the variables role accuracy compliance, performance evaluation, and satisfaction. These models are evaluated by path analysis. Compliance and performance evaluation are shown to be important variables mediating the relationship…