This paper is from Session 4F: Sensible use of multivariate software

which comes under Topic 4: Statistics education at the post secondary (tertiary) level

Other papers under session 4F ... 4F2: A sampling of analyses and software use for cluster randomized trials... 4F3: Applying idiographic research methods: two examples 4F4: Exploratory factor analysis in Mplus, R and SPSS

(Wednesday 14th, 11:00-13:00)

Effect sizes and confidence intervals for multivariate analysis: how complete are published accounts of research in psychology?

Presenter

• Fiona Fidler (La Trobe University, Australia)

Co-authors

• Jacenta Abbott (LaTrobe University, Australia)
• Geoff Cumming (LaTrobe University, Australia)
• Lisa L Harlow (University of Rhode Island, United States)

Abstract

Effect sizes (ESs) and confidence intervals (CIs) are widely advocated in psychology and other disciplines. To date most expository articles have focused only on univariate analyses, despite there being similarly good reasons for reporting and interpreting ESs and CIs following multivariate analyses. We surveyed articles published in leading psychology journals in 2008 to discover: a) which multivariate methods were in common use, b) what types of ESs accompany typical multivariate reports, c) whether CIs on ESs were routinely reported d) whether error bars are reported in figures and e) what software authors were using to conduct these analyses. Our results revealed varying traditions of ES reporting for different multivariate techniques, but CIs were in all cases rare. These results highlight areas for software development and for increased educational efforts.

Other papers under session 4F ... 4F2: A sampling of analyses and software use for cluster randomized trials... 4F3: Applying idiographic research methods: two examples 4F4: Exploratory factor analysis in Mplus, R and SPSS