Nesselroade, Gerstorf, Hardy, and Ram (this issue) propose to "filter out" idiosyncrasies of dynamic processes at the level of the individual through the application of dynamic factor analysis. The problem that they deal with is that individuals may differ in the items that are "salient" for a given construct, so that the same measurement model…

This study investigates the effects of sample size, factor overdetermination, and communality on the precision of factor loading estimates and the power of the likelihood ratio test of factorial invariance in multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Although sample sizes are typically thought to be the primary determinant of precision and power,…

Similarities between latent class models with K classes and linear factor models with K-1 factors are investigated. Specifically, the mathematical equivalence between the covariance structure of the two models is discussed, and a Monte Carlo simulation is performed using generated data that represents both latent factors and latent classes with…

Problem Statement: What do teachers and students in Turkey perceive as the common characteristics of effective physics teachers? Purpose of Study: The first aim was to investigate the common characteristics of effective physics teachers by asking students and teachers about the effects of teacher characteristics on student physics achievement and…

This study investigated teachers' beliefs about the changes needed to improve student learning in low-performing schools. The study employed a new instrument, the Need for Change Assessment (NCA), which solicited teachers' perceptions of the need for change in areas such as reading and math programs, classroom instruction, and school policies.…

This article describes a research project into the self-efficacy and anxiety of college English students at four universities in China. A total of 738 participants completed a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy and anxiety in writing in English. This was immediately followed by a writing task. The questionnaire used a seven point Likert type…

The purposes of this study were to validate an instrument of attitudes toward science and to investigate grade level, type of school, and gender differences in Taiwan's students' personality traits and attitudes toward science as well as predictors of attitudes toward science. Nine hundred and twenty-two elementary students and 1,954 secondary…

This paper discusses the advantages and problems related to factor analysis by minimizing residuals (minres). It is shown that this method fails if the starting point of iterations is not well chosen. A suitable starting point is suggested. (Author)

Demonstrates that the weighting procedure proposed by E. Cureton and S. Mulaik (1975) can be applied to the Direct Oblimin approach of D. Clarkson and R. Jennrich (1988) to provide good results. The rotation method obtained is called Weighted Oblimin. Compared this method to other rotation methods with favorable results. (SLD)

Discusses the use of analytic rotation in exploratory factor analysis, giving particular attention to situations in which there is a complex factor pattern. Standard results are believed to yield poor solutions. Discusses some little known but interesting rotation criteria and examines methods for weighting variables. Illustrates the procedures.…

Building on previous studies centred on the interaction between adviser and advisee in masters thesis projects, in which a qualitative approach was used, the present study uses factor analysis to identify the factors that determine either a successful or unsuccessful outcome for the masters thesis project. There were five factors relating to the…

Component loss functions (CLFs) similar to those used in orthogonal rotation are introduced to define criteria for oblique rotation in factor analysis. It is shown how the shape of the CLF affects the performance of the criterion it defines. For example, it is shown that monotone concave CLFs give criteria that are minimized by loadings with…

This paper addresses the development and validation of the Interagency Collaboration Scale (ICS), a 17-item self-report measure that investigates secondary special educators' perceptions of interagency collaboration. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on data from a sample (N = 260) of secondary special educators who are members of the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which spirituality is addressed in supervision as reported by licensed professional counselor supervisors (LPC-S), licensed professional counselors (LPC), and licensed professional counselor interns (LPC-I). This study utilized a descriptive explanatory non-experimental research design. A…

This study examined the factorial structure of three related constructs, math self-concept, math self-efficacy, and math anxiety, across 41 countries. One factorial structure was achieved at both between- and within-country levels. Within-country variations of the self-constructs were also noted in relation to math performance: Self-concept showed…