Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30821600›Full record

ArticleCBE life sciences education2019

One Size Doesn't Fit All: Using Factor Analysis to Gather Validity Evidence When Using Surveys in Your Research.

Eva Knekta, Christopher Runyon, Sarah Eddy

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in CBE life sciences education, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 197 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
197citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

197 citing papers in PubMed.

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  2. Validation of a Patient-Created, Patient-Reported Experience Measure for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the United Kingdom.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
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  13. Amsterdam Self-Efficacy Scale for Tooth Removal (ASES-TR).European journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe · 2026
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137 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Eva KnektaDepartment of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Christopher RunyonDepartment of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712.
Sarah EddyDepartment of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Across all sciences, the quality of measurements is important. Survey measurements are only appropriate for use when researchers have validity evidence within their particular context. Yet, this step is frequently skipped or is not reported in educational research. This article briefly reviews the aspects of validity that researchers should consider when using surveys. It then focuses on factor analysis, a statistical method that can be used to collect an important type of validity evidence. Factor analysis helps researchers explore or confirm the relationships between survey items and identify the total number of dimensions represented on the survey. The essential steps to conduct and interpret a factor analysis are described. This use of factor analysis is illustrated throughout by a validation of Diekman and colleagues' goal endorsement instrument for use with first-year undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students. We provide example data, annotated code, and output for analyses in R, an open-source programming language and software environment for statistical computing. For education researchers using surveys, understanding the theoretical and statistical underpinnings of survey validity is fundamental for implementing rigorous education research.

Indexed as

Factor Analysis, StatisticalResearchSurveys and QuestionnairesBiologyGoalsHumansModels, EducationalPublicationsReproducibility of ResultsSample SizeStudents

Identifiers

PMID30821600
PMCPMC6757227

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-SA
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.