A Practical Guide for Analyzing Large-Scale Assessment Data Using Mplus: A Case Demonstration Using the Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies Data. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yamashita, Takashi; Smith, Thomas J.; Cummins, Phyllis A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of educational and behavioral statistics. Volume 46:Number 4(2021)
• Page Start: 501
• Page End: 518
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: assessment data analysis -- sampling weights -- plausible values; Educational statistics -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Statistical methods -- Periodicals; 370.2
• DOI: 10.3102/1076998620978554
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-9986

Abstract

In order to promote the use of increasingly available large-scale assessment data in education and expand the scope of analytic capabilities among applied researchers, this study provides step-by-step guidance, and practical examples of syntax and data analysis using Mplus. Concise overview and key unique aspects of large-scale assessment data from the 2012/2014 Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) are described. Using commonly-used statistical software including SAS and R, a simple macro program and syntax are developed to streamline the data preparation process. Then, two examples of structural equation models are demonstrated using Mplus. The suggested data preparation and analytic approaches can be immediately applicable to existing large-scale assessment data.