Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis: Understanding Concepts and Applications [Hardcover]

Bruce Thompson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1591470935 | ISBN-13: 978-1591470939 | Publication Date: January 2004 | Edition: 1

This volume presents the important concepts required for implementing two disciplines of factor analysis - exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with an emphasis on EFA/CFA linkages. Modern extensions of older data analysis methods (e.g., ANOVA, regression, MANOVA, and descriptive discriminant analysis) have brought theory-testing procedures to the analytic forefront. Variations of factor analysis, such as the factoring of people or time, have great potential to inform psychological research. Thompson deftly presents highly technical material in an appealing and accessible manner. The book is unique in that it presents both exploratory and confirmatory methods within the single category of the general linear model (GLM). Canons of best factor analytic practice are presented and explained. An actual data set, generated by 100 graduate students and 100 faculty from the United States and Canada, is used throughout the book, allowing readers to replicate reported results and explore variations on reported analyses. Different combinations of these variables and participants are used to illustrate EFA and CFA applications. The book also includes a glossary, a notation summary, and various SPSS syntax files that readers may use to implement elegant factor analytic solutions. Instructors or students who seek a clear and concise text about factor analysis will find this book to be an invaluable resource.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 195 pages
• Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA); 1 edition (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591470935
• ISBN-13: 978-1591470939
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #542,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing, May 31, 2007

By 

Audrey AS "Audrey AS" (Boston, MA, USA and Paris, France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis: Understanding Concepts and Applications (Hardcover)

The book deals quite well with Exploratory Factor Analysis, but the confirmatory part is disappointing. The basics are well explained though. Although it is easy to follow, it doesn't exhaust the topic and doesn't tackle cases that are a little bit more complicated than too-easy-to-be-true book examples. Once you have your data that might be not normally distributed, you will hardly understand how to deal with a CFA with this book. When purchasing this book, I thought I would get answers such as "what goodness of fit indexes to use with non normal data? How do I proceed with SPSS or SAS to compute the CFA? etc."

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written, easy to follow, May 7, 2011

By 

Zee - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis: Understanding Concepts and Applications (Hardcover)

Many other books focus much on how to calculate and do not do too well at letting you understand the conceptual aspect of statistics. However, this book is about understanding the topic conceptually. Why do we do factor analysis? Etc. this is why I love it. It is written in very clear language, and has many useful references to go from. I highly recommend it.