Chapter 8: Factor Analysis

Working with a large number of variables can be tedious. If the variables are really just different measurement values of a more general variable, a global variable values can be created to facilitate and simplify the work. Factor analysis is a form of constructing a general variable, called a factor, with a set of variables under it. The technique also contributes to solving the multi-connection problem. Factor analysis sees the process of shrinking the data.

The main purpose of Factor Analysis is to make the data set easier to explain by making it smaller. Sometimes, the researcher may have many interrelated variables in his hands. The variables in question may be a factor or a set of variables that are different forms of measures of a general variable.