Help Desk

How many clusters do I need to fit a multilevel model?

February 6, 2017

In this edition of CBA Office Hours, Dan discusses a question that frequently comes up in our multilevel modeling workshop, namely, "How many clusters do I need to be able to fit a multilevel model?" Here, clusters refers to upper-level units, so in the case of individuals nested within groups, the groups, and in the case of repeated measures, the individuals studied...

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Syntax for Computing Random Effect Estimates in SPSS

September 27, 2016

Many programs can be used to fit multilevel models. For instance, in our multilevel modeling summer workshop, we demonstrate three programs: SAS, SPSS, and Stata. Unlike SAS, Stata, and many other programs, however, SPSS does not currently offer the option to output estimates of the random effects. Obtaining estimates of the random effects can be useful for a variety of...

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The Human Desire to Categorize

July 4, 2016

Whether colors in the rainbow, notes in a musical scale, types of coffee, or country versus pop singers, there is a natural human desire to categorize objects and experiences. A story that recently appeared in the New York Times by Tom Vanderbilt presents a wonderful exploration of how we all find comfort in defining, seeking out, and confirming categories in...

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Evaluating Interaction Effects

January 23, 2016

Often the most interesting research question is not whether a relationship between two variables exists but rather under what conditions the relationship holds. Put in statistical terms, we are often less interested in main effects than we are in interactions or moderation. An interaction implies that the magnitude of the relation between two variables differs as a function of some...

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Using Listservs to get Advice

December 7, 2015

Although a bit old school, listservs such as SEMNET (for latent variable models) and the Multilevel Discussion List remain useful resources when grappling with quantitative modeling issues. You can search the archives to see if your question has come up before or post a new question to obtain fresh feedback / opinions from list members. Quick tip: use the “receive...

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CenterStat's Help Desk is a blog in which Dan and Patrick respond to commonly asked questions about a variety of topics behavioral, educational, and health research including experimental design, measurement, data analysis, and interpretation of findings. The responses are intentionally brief and concise, and additional resources are provided such as recommended readings, provision of exemplar data and computer code, or links to other potential learning materials. Readers are welcome to submit their own questions for future Help Desk responses at [email protected].

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Modern Missing Data Analysis

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Machine Learning: Theory and Applications

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Sample Size Planning for Power and Accuracy

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Analyzing Intensive Longitudinal Data

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Longitudinal Structural Equation Modeling

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