Book Reviews

A Step-by-Step Approach to Using SAS for Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling, Second Edition
978-1-59994-230-8



"This is an excellent, user-friendly, and readable text providing a step-by-step guide for learning and understanding measurement and structural equation modeling with SAS. The text begins with principle component analysis and exploratory factor analysis, and continues with path analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and finally full structural equation models. (Appendices describe the basics for those new to SAS.) Each chapter addresses one of these methods. The chapters include applied examples and illustrate the syntax and output for each, providing both step-by-step procedures on how to undertake analyses and interpret findings. Chapters also include useful guidelines on how to report the results in a research paper. Furthermore, the book provides SAS users the methods for estimating sample size requirements and statistical power for path analyses, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation models.

I warmly recommend this book to those who wish to explore the world of measurement and structural equation models, particularly (but not only) if they wish to do it using the SAS program. I would also strongly recommend the book to teachers and to social scientists already working in the field who wish to deepen and improve their understanding of statistical procedures. The book will prove itself to be an indispensable tool in these endeavors. This text is suitable for both senior undergraduate and graduate courses."

Eldad Davidov
University of Zurich, Switzerland