Factor Analysis

[Ismail Noor]

Dear List,........................................(the original posted message is in the bottom)

 

I have posted this on the list several months ago and received responses from both Dr. Art Kendall and Dr. Stephen Brand. Let me first thank them for their responses and advise. Both have contributed significantly to the list. Every one should appreciate their efforts.

 

Here are the responses I got to my question:

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1) 

Each scale item is reflected if necessary and then summed or averaged into a scale score.
After you check on the keying via RELIABILITY, you just let the scale scores represent all the interesting variance in the items that were used to construct them.

That greatly reduces the number of variables that would be used in any analysis.

Art Kendall
Social Research Consultants
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2)

 

Ismail,
In order to carry out factor analysis, you should have multiple subjects per variable rather than multiple variables per subject. If you want to reduce the number of variables in the study, apply scoring systems that have been previously validated by investigators based upon larger samples, as Art has suggested.
HTH,
Stephen Brand, Ph.D.

www.StatisticsDoc.com

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I have not worked on the data since the. Now my question is that, I need help with constructing a syntax that allows me to calculate the scale scores and does the factor analysis on the data. I am not comfortable with syntax writing, I am not used to syntax writing at all. Please scroll down for the original message. I have attached the two surveys used for this study. I appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks
 

Ismail K. Noor, Ph.D.,
[hidden email]

Research Consultant

1335 Culver Avenue

Dearborn, Michigan 48124

 

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Ismail Noor <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Wed, June 23, 2010 3:31:03 PM
Subject: Factor Analysis

Dear All at the List,

 

My client wanted to determine the obstacles facing female faculty in three different universities, in three different countries, that hindering their achievement motivation in their scholarly research and academic development. For that, two different surveys were used to collect needed data; one for the faculty at those universities and one for the administrators. A total of 63 faculty members and 17 administrators were surveyed. Each survey was consisted of several scales to measure different factors. The faculty survey has 240 variables, including the demographic variables, and the administrators’ survey has 157 variables, including demographic variables.

In addition to the descriptive analysis, I propose to subject the total number of variables (240 for faculty, and 157 for administrators’’) to a factor analysis, as a data reduction technique, to isolate measures and factors that best evaluate the integrated model of faculty motivation (adopted from Pintrich, 1994) the researcher used. For that, a “varimax factor rotation” analysis will be employed. A stepwise regression analysis will then be conducted followed by a standard path analysis to estimate the direct and indirect effect of each measure and factor in the model that best portray the process and provide key insights into the motivation productivity of female faculty.

I am asking for a second opinion on my analysis plan. How does this analysis plan sound to you? I appreciate any thoughts on this. I forgot to state that I am using SPSS for my analysis.

 

Ismail K. Noor, Ph.D.,
[hidden email]

Research Consultant

1335 Culver Avenue

Dearborn, Michigan 48124

Please note: I offered to attach copies of the two surveys used for this study, but the List did not allow me to do so and rejected my posting...............