Factor Analysis: Determining the Number of Factors in EFA
Channel: Gavin T. L. Brown
Date: 2019-12-29

This is a lecture I gave at the Higher School of Economics Moscow 6th psychometric summer school in August 2019. 
This lecture covers procedures for determining the number of factors in a data matrix. Conventional techniques such as scree plot, eigenvalues, and simple structure are outlined. Advanced methods such as parallel analysis, Velicer's MAP, and Comparison Data are introduced. An alternative derived from confirmatory factor analysis is outlined. Examples with the Student Conceptions of Assessment data set are given. Evaluating results using various fit comparison techniques are described. Methods include change in chi-square and change in AIC.