Use of Exploratory Factor Analysis in Published Research
Top Cited Papers
Open Access
- 1 June 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Educational and Psychological Measurement
- Vol. 66 (3), 393-416
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164405282485
Abstract
Given the proliferation of factor analysis applications in the literature, the present article examines the use of factor analysis in current published research across four psychological journals. Notwithstanding ease of analysis due to computers, the appropriate use of factor analysis requires a series of thoughtful researcher judgments. These judgments directly affect results and interpretations. The authors examine across studies (a) the decisions made while conducting exploratory factor analyses ( N = 60) and (b) the information reported from the analyses. In doing so, they present a review of the current status of factor analytic practice, including comment on common errors in use and reporting. Recommendations are proffered for future practice as regards analytic decisions and reporting in empirical research.Keywords
This publication has 82 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment: A Factorial Validity StudyEducational and Psychological Measurement, 1999
- Assessing individual differences in knowledge: Knowledge, intelligence, and related traits.Journal of Educational Psychology, 1999
- Is the EPQ Lie Scale bidimensional? Validation study of the structure of the EPQ Lie Scale among Finnish and Turkish university studentsPersonality and Individual Differences, 1999
- Development and Initial Score Validation of the Teacher Multicultural Altitude SurveyEducational and Psychological Measurement, 1998
- A further test of the general monitoring skill hypothesis.Journal of Educational Psychology, 1998
- Concreteness and imagery effects in the written composition of definitions.Journal of Educational Psychology, 1997
- Effects of preexisiting beliefs, epistemological beliefs, and need for cognition on interpretation of controversial issues.Journal of Educational Psychology, 1996
- Determining the number of components from the matrix of partial correlationsPsychometrika, 1976
- The Scree Test For The Number Of FactorsMultivariate Behavioral Research, 1966
- The Application of Electronic Computers to Factor AnalysisEducational and Psychological Measurement, 1960