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EDF 7932
Multivariate Analysis in Educational Research2009 Spring Term
Instructor:James Algina

Office:258E Norman Hall

Phone:

392-0724 ext. 247

Email:

algina@ufl.edu

Course Web Page: http://plaza.ufl.edu/algina/index.html
To help me keep track of email messages, please include EDF 7932 and your last namein the subject line of any correspondence sent via email about the course.

If you have never taken a course with me, please send me an email message today so I
can construct a distribution list for the class.

Office Hours: Tuesday 5:15-6:45 PM, Thursday 4:15-5:45 PM, and by appointment. (To set anappointment, it is best to send me an email indicating several times when you are free.)Course Materials
There is one text for the course. The book is recommended, not required.
Raykov, T., & Marcolides, G. A. (2008). An introduction to applied multivariate
analysis. New York: Routledge.
Topic
1. Introduction
2. Matrix Algebra
3. Principal Components Analysis
4. Discriminant Analysis
5. Canonical Correlation
6. Manova for Two groups
7. Manova for K groups
7. Manova for a Within-Subject factor
9. Manova for Mixed Designs
10. Missing data in multivariate analysis
11. Multidimensional Scaling
12. Cluster Analysis

Reading
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 7
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 4 (pp 99-113)
Chapter 4 (pp 116-146)
Chapter 5.(pp 147-160)
Chapter 5.(pp 160-179)

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Course Requirements
Exams
There will be one exam after topics 2 to 5 and a second exam after topics 6 to 9. The first exam
will take place the week after I complete Topic 5 and the second exam will take place the week
after I complete topic 9. You will have two hours (9:35-11:35) to complete an exam. I will begin
new material in the remaining class period on and exam day (11:45-12:35).
Data analysis problems
You will complete six data analysis problems, covering topics 3 to 9. The problem for aparticular topic will be due the third class period after the topic is completed.
Data analysis problems must be submitted electronically to algina@ufl.edu.
Paper
Choose one of the following four alternatives. This paper is Due Friday, April 24, 2009by 5:00 PM. Students in the Program in Research and Evaluation Methodology must choose
one of the last three options.
A. Conduct a research study in which multivariate analysis is the primary method ofanalysis. This kind of paper should be written in APA style and should include an introduction,method, results and discussion section at a minimum. The introduction should be a review of theliterature that culminates in the research questions to be addressed and a rational forinvestigating the questions.
I will evaluate the paper by using criteria typically used to judge papers submitted forpublication.
1. Is there a good rationale for the research?
2. Is the data collection clearly and adequately described?
3. Are the results presented clearly and in appropriate detail?
4. Are the results interpreted correctly?
5. Are the conclusions clearly justified by the results?
B. Present and illustrate a multivariate data analysis method that has not been presented
in class. This paper will include a didactic presentation as well as analyses of at least twoillustrative data sets.
C. Make a comparison of several (two or more) multivariate data analysis methods that3
can be used to analyze a given data set. The comparison should include a didactic presentationand comparison of the methods as well as analyses of at least one illustrative data set.
D. Write a literature review on a methodological issue in multivariate analysis.
The culminating section for a literature review must be either
1. a rationale for and design of a study to answer methodological problem that emerges
in the literature review;or
2. a guide to practice with regard to the methodological issue.
The latter would comprise decisions that need to be in an analysis, and criteria for making thosedecisions. Preparing a guide for practice should be undertaken only if the decisions and criteria
are sufficiently complex to make the guide a contribution to the literature on multivariate
analysis.
The criteria for evaluating the literature review section will be adequacy of coverage ofthe literature and the accuracy, clarity, and integration of the review. With regard to the last
three criteria, you must give sufficient detail to permit the reader to know what were thepurposes, methods and results of each study. Equally important, you must describe consistencies
and inconsistencies that emerge across the papers.
A guide to practice will be evaluated by the criteria of importance, clarity, andcorrectness.
A proposed research study will be evaluated in terms of clarity and quality of therationale and of the design.
You must submit a brief proposal for your paper (two pages or less) on or before
Friday, March 19, 2009.
Proposals and papers must be submitted electronically to algina@ufl.edu.

4Grade Scale
All work will be graded on a 16-point scale. The following relates the score range to letter
grades:Score Grade13-15A11-12 B+
9-10
B
7-8C+
5-6C
3-4D+1-2
D0E
To determine a score on which the final grade will be based exam scores will be averaged anddata analysis scores will be averaged. Then the average exam score, the average data analysis
score and the score on the final paper will be averaged.
Final grades will be based on the following scale, where a square bracket means including thebracketed score and a parenthesis means up to but not including the score.
Score Grade[13-15A[11-13)B+[9-11)
B
[7-9)
C+
[5-7)
C
[3-5)
D+[1-3)
D0ELate WorkFor data analysis projects, there will be a penalty of two points per class for any work that issubmitted late. For example, work that is due on a Tuesday but submitted on a Thursday will
receive a penalty of two points. For the final paper, there will a penalty of two points for asubmission after 5:00 PM on Friday, April 24, 2009. Final papers not received by 5:00 PM on
Monday, April 26, 2009 may result in an I grade for the course. If your final paper is notreceived by 5:00 PM on Friday, May 1, 2009, you will receive an E on the final paper.

5Class AttendanceStudents are expected to attend class unless they have a valid excuse for missing a class.
Examples of valid excuses are illness, attendance at professional conferences, and the like. The
last three topic are not covered by an exam. Nevertheless, students are expected to attend classwhen those topics are covered. Failure to do so without a valid excuse will result in a decreasein the final grade of half a grade point (e.g., an A will become a B+).
Academic HonestyStudents are expected to do their own work. You should not solicit help with yourexercises or your paper from other people including, students and faculty, nor should you
provide help to other students. Soliciting help includes discussing with other people, including
students and faculty, what the appropriate analysis of the data might be. Type the following
statement on the cover sheet for the paper and exercises:"On my honor I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment,"and sign the statement. By the University of Florida honor code, even if you do not type andsign this statement, it is implied when you submit an exercise or paper.
If you need to discuss an exercise or the paper, you should talk with me. Be advised howeverthat if your question is about the correct analysis for an exercise or I will usually require you tophrase your question about analysis in general and not about the specific exercise. If you know
the correct analysis and have a question about a computer program or formula to implement theanalysis, I will usually answer the question directly.
You are expected not to cheat on examinations.
In the event a violation of standards of academic honesty occurs, I will contact the Director ofStudent Judicial Affairs to determine if it is the first violation. If not I will turn the matter overto the Director of Student Judicial Affairs. For a first offense:
1. The exercise or the exam will receive a grade of zero.
2. Your grade in the course will be reduced by one-half a grade point.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who need reasonable modifications to complete assignments
successfully and otherwise satisfy course criteria are encouraged to meet with the instructor as
early in the course as possible to identify and plan specific accommodations. Students must
supply a letter from the UF Office for Students with Disabilities to assist in planning
modifications.