Application 5: Testing Factorial Invariance of Scales from a Measurement Scale (First-Order CFA Model) with AMOS

1. Key Concepts Conceptual notion of factorial invariance (i.e., equivalence) Analysis of covariance (COVS) versus means and covariance (MaCs) structures Evidence of partial measurement invariance Hierarchical set of steps involved in testing factorial invariance Chi-square-difference versus CFI-difference tests Working with multiple groups in Amos Manual versus Amos-automated approach to invariance testing Up to this

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Application 6: Testing Invariance of Latent Mean Structures (First-Order CFA Model) with AMOS

1. Key Concepts Distinguishing between observed and latent means Distinguishing between covariance and mean structures The moment matrix Critically important constraints regarding model identification and factor identification Illustrated use of the automated multigroup procedure in testing invariance Link between multigroup dialog box and automated labeling of Amos graphical models In the years since the

Application 7: Testing Invariance of a Causal Structure (Full Structural Equation Model) with AMOS

1. Key Concepts Importance of cross-validation in SEM Approaches to cross-validation in SEM Testing invariance for a programmed set of measurement and struc­tural parameters based on the Amos multiple-group automated approach Interpreting statistical versus practical evidence of tests for invari­ance based on the Amos multiple-group automated approach In Chapter 4, I highlighted several problematic

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Application 8: Testing Evidence of Construct Validity with AMOS: The Multitrait-Multimethod Model

1. Key Concepts The dual focus of construct validation procedures Convergent validity, discriminant validity, and method effects Reorientation of Amos Graphics models to fit page size Comparison of the correlated traits-correlated methods (CT-CM) and correlated traits-correlated uniquenesses (CT-CU) multitrait- multimethod models Warning messages regarding inadmissible solutions and negative variances Construct validity embraces two modes

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Application 9: Testing Change Over Time with AMOS: The Latent Growth Curve Model

1. Key Concepts Measuring change over three or more time points Intraindividual versus interindividual differences in change Factor intercept and slope as growth parameters Importance of the Amos plug-in menu Incorporating a time-invariant predictor of change Use of Amos Graphics interface properties option Behavioral scientists have long been intrigued with the investigation of change.

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Application 10: Use of Bootstrapping in Addressing Nonnormal Data with AMOS

1. Key Concepts SEM assumption of multivariate normality Concept of bootstrapping Benefits, limitations, and caveats related to bootstrapping Nonparametric (simple, naive) bootstrap Sample ML estimates versus bootstrap Ml estimates Bollen-Stine bootstrap option Two critically important assumptions associated with structural equation modeling (SEM) in the analysis of covariance and mean structures are that the data

Application 11: Addressing the Issues of Missing Data with AMOS

1. Key Concepts Unstructured versus structured missing data Basic patterns of missing data Ad hoc versus theory-based strategies for dealing with missing data Amos approach to dealing with missing data Missing (i.e., incomplete) data, an almost inevitable occurrence in social science research, may be viewed either as a curse or as a gold mine

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How to Install and Activate Stata on a Windows Computer

In this post, we will show you how to install and activate Stata, that is a software allowing you to store and manage data, undertake statistical analysis on your data, and create some really nice graphs. Most of its users work in research, especially in the fields of economics, sociology, political science, biomedicine and

How to Install and Activate Stata on a Mac Computer

Step 1: Download Stata 1. Go to http://download.stata.com/download. The following login box should appear in your browser. Enter your username and password (as provided in the email from Survey Design and Analysis), as well as the other information requested, and click ‘Log in’: 2. Select the ‘Mac’ option for your operating system: 3. Then

Quick Overview of Stata User Interface

Stata’s capabilities include data management, statistical analysis, graphics, simulations, regression, and custom programming. It also has a system to disseminate user-written programs that lets it grow continuously. This article introduces the core of Stata’s interface: its main windows, its toolbar, its menus, and its dialogs. 1. The windows The five main windows are the History,

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Using the Stata Viewer

The Viewer’s purpose The Viewer is a versatile tool in Stata. It will be the first place you can turn for help within Stata, but it is far more than just a help system. You can also use the Viewer to add, delete, and manage third-party extensions to Stata that are known as community-contributed

Getting help in Stata

Stata’s help system provides a wealth of information to help you learn and use Stata. To find out which Stata command will perform the statistical or data management task you would like to do, you should generally follow these

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Finding and Installing New Commands or User-Written Programs in Stata

Stata has a system to disseminate user-written programs that lets it grow continuously. So actually, there are a tremendous number of user-written programs for Stata available which, once installed, act just like official Stata commands. This article will show you how to find, install and update new commands or user-written programs in Stata. Finding

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Opening and saving Stata datasets

Opening and saving datasets in Stata works similarly to those tasks in other computer applications. There are a few differences, however. First, it is possible to save and open files from within Stata’s Command window. Second, Stata allows just one dataset to be active at any one time. That is, while it is possible

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Using the Data Editor in Stata

1. The Data Editor The Data Editor gives a spreadsheet-like view of data that are currently in memory. You can use it to enter new data, edit existing data, search through the dataset, and edit attributes of the data in the dataset, such as variable names, labels, and display formats, as well as value

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Using the Variables Manager in Stata

1. The Variables Manager This chapter discusses Stata’s Variables Manager. To get started, open the automobile dataset by typing sysuse auto, clear in the Command window. You open the Variables Manager by selecting Data > Variables Manager or clicking on the Variables Manager button . The Variables Manager is a tool for managing properties

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Importing data in Stata

One of the easiest ways to get data into Stata is often overlooked: you can copy data from most applications that understand the concept of a table and then paste the data into the Data Editor. Copying and pasting is a great way to bring data into Stata, but if you need a clear audit trail for your data, you will need another way to bring data into Stata. The rest of this chapter will explain how to do this. You will also learn methods that lend themselves better to repetitive tasks and methods for importing data from a wide

Labeling data in Stata

1. Making data readable This chapter discusses, in brief, labeling of the dataset, variables, and values. Such labeling is critical to careful use of data. Labeling variables with descriptive names clarifies their meanings. Labeling values of numerical categorical variables ensures that the real-world meanings of the encodings are not forgotten. These points are crucial

Listing data and basic command syntax in Stata

1. Command syntax This chapter gives a basic lesson on Stata’s command syntax while showing how to control the appearance of a data list. As we have seen throughout this manual, you have a choice between using menus and dialogs and using the Command window. Although many find the menus more natural and the

Creating new variables in Stata

1. Generate and replace This chapter shows the basics of creating and modifying variables in Stata. We saw how to work with the Data Editor in [GSW] 6 Using the Data Editor—this chapter shows how we would do this from the Command window. The two primary commands used for this are generate for creating