Answering Old Questions: The Potential of Multilevel Models
Keywords
hierarchical data, multilevel models, longitudinal data, growth curve models
Abstract
A number of disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences address data that are quantitative and hierarchical. Examples include quantitative data on students who attend various schools, psychiatric patients who are treated by different mental health specialists, and workers who are employed by different types of firms. Longitudinal data are also hierarchical in the sense that data on individuals are collected at different time points. Similar to students being nested in schools, observations may be nested within individuals. This paper discusses a set of very useful statistical tools, known as multilevel models, that may be used to examine hierarchical data. It begins with a general description of these models and then provides specific examples that address common social science research issues. It also discusses software that makes these models available for even the novice social statistician.
Original Publication Citation
Hoffmann, John P. 2001. “Answering Old Questions: The Potential of Multilevel Models.” Sociological Theory and Methods (Japan) 16(1): 61-74.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Hoffmann, John P., "Answering Old Questions: The Potential of Multilevel Models" (2001). Faculty Publications. 3930.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/3930
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2001
Permanent URL
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/6740
Publisher
Sociological Theory and Methods
Language
English
College
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Department
Sociology
Copyright Use Information
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