Course Syllabus

Required Text & Readings

• Bollen, K. A. (1989). Structural Equations with Latent Variables. New York: Wiley.
• Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (1996). Chapter 13: Principal Components and Factor Analysis. In Using Multivariate Statistics, 3rd Ed., pp. 635-707. New York: Harper-Collins.

Optional Texts

• Bollen, K. A., & Long, J. S., Eds. (1993). Testing Structural Equation Models.Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
• Joreskog, K., & Sorbom, D. (1996). LISREL 8: User's Reference Guide. Chicago, IL: Scientific Software.

Approximate Course Schedule

Policies and Procedures

Course Components

Homework --- 20%

Students are expected to complete weekly homework assignments. The assignments are to be word processed when appropriate. Some assignments, however, would be difficult to word process and may be hand written (such as matrix algebra). Each student may turn in any one assignment one week late without asking for permission beforehand. Word processed assignments should be spell checked and proof read for grammar; hand written assignments should neat, clear, and very legible.

Course Project --- 20%

Each student will complete a course project, typically involving the analysis of a data set using one of the techniques studied during the course. Students should start looking for a good data set immediately. If you do not have a suitable data set already, you may want to talk with your advisor, other faculty, or the instructor. One could also tackle a project geared to address a more methodological issue. The course project does not need to be a small dissertation; extensive literature reviews are not necessary. Students are expected to discuss their projects with the instructor frequently.

Presentations --- 20%

Students are expected to make several presentations during the course of the semester.

• Each student will be assigned a fit statistic to present in class (roughly 10 minute presentation).
• Students will also select four articles from the literature in their field that use (1) exploratory factor analysis, (2) confirmatory factor analysis, (3) path analysis, and (4) covariance structure modeling techniques. Copies of the articles need to be turned in during the second week of class so that they may be placed on reserve. The students will then present their articles in class after we finish each topic. Additionally, students may be called upon to discuss various aspects of the paper he or she has selected in the course of class discussions.

Class Participation --- 20%

As a seminar class, students are expected to participate very actively each day. This participation can take the form of making comments, asking questions, or responding to another students' question or comment.

Students are expected to attend every class session, although it is to be expected that conferences and other professional activities often take us away from the classroom. Students do not need to ask for permission to be absent from class when they are not scheduled to present, but excessive absences will have a negative effect on the class participation grade.

Students are also expected to read the appropriate chapters in the text, as well as the journal articles supplied by all students (to be placed on reserve) so as to be prepared to discuss the material and participate fully in the seminar. Especially with the textbook, students do not need to read every word laboriously and repeatedly until every concept is crystal clear. If we could do that, none of us would need this class. You should read the chapters closely enough, however, to formulate coherent questions or at least to know where you "lost it."

Final Oral Exam --- 20%

Students will make a brief (5-10 minute) presentation about their course project and answer questions from the instructor and other students as an oral final exam. Students will be evaluated not only on the merits of their project work and their presentation but also on the quality of the questions asked of other students during their presentations.

Grading Policies

Final grades will be assigned using the "camel" distribution. Graduate courses typically exhibit a bimodal distribution in which the students form two separate clumps: "A" students in the higher clump; "B" students in the lower clump, and the occasional "C" students as lower-tail outliers.

Computers, Software, Labs

LISREL

Scientific Software, Inc. has made a student version of LISREL available for free. This version, however, is limited to 20 observed variables in PRELIS and 12 observed variables in LISREL models.

In addition, LISREL 8 has been installed on all machines in the PRC.

• Download LISREL Free Version

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty, in any form, will not be tolerated. Copying homework, presenting someone else's work without citation as one's own, or other forms of plagiarism, cheating, or academic dishonesty will result in a grade of ``F'' and referral to the student judicial office.