Mike W.L., Cheung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-58). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.2 / ABSTRACT --- p.3 / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.5 / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION OF RESEARCH TOPIC --- p.8 / Structural equation modeling as an important statistical technique in behavioral sciences --- p.8 / Meta analysis as a statistical technique to combine information --- p.9 / Objectives of the present study --- p.10 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- COMMON METHODS USED IN SUMMARIZING RESEARCH FINDINGS AND THEIR PROBLEMS --- p.11 / Potential problems in individual study --- p.11 / Overviews of meta analysis --- p.12 / Common methods of summarizing research findings in SEM --- p.13 / Stage 1: Estimating the pooled correlation matrix --- p.14 / Test for homogeneity before combining --- p.14 / Correction for artifacts --- p.15 / Method 1: Averaging by the weighted correlation coefficients --- p.16 / Method 2: Averaging by the weighted Fisher z transformed correlation coefficients --- p.17 / Choices of weightings --- p.17 / Potential problems of common methods in stage1 --- p.19 / Stage 2: Fitting the proposed model --- p.20 / Potential problems of common methods in stage2 --- p.20 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- PROCEDURES OF THE NEW PROPOSED TWO-STAGE METHOD --- p.23 / Introduction --- p.23 / Terminology of SEM in single group --- p.23 / Terminology of SEM in multigroup --- p.26 / The proposed two-stage method --- p.27 / Stage 1: Estimating the pooled correlation matrix --- p.27 / An artificial example --- p.29 / Stage 2: Fitting the SEM model --- p.30 / Advantages of the proposed two-stage method --- p.31 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- SIMULATION STUDY OF THE PROPOSED METHOD WITH THE COMMON METHODS --- p.33 / Introduction --- p.33 / Method --- p.33 / Results and discussion --- p.38 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- A REAL EXAMPLE FITTING PATH MODEL --- p.44 / Introduction --- p.44 / A real example --- p.44 / Results and discussion --- p.45 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- "LIMITATIONS, FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND CONCLUSION" --- p.48 / Summaries of the proposed two-stage method and findings --- p.48 / Limitations and future directions --- p.49 / REFERENCES --- p.52 / APPENDIX A --- p.59 / APPENDIX B --- p.60 / APPENDIX C --- p.62 / FOOTNOTES --- p.82 / TABLE 1 TO TABLE8 --- p.84 / FIGURE CAPTION --- p.97 / FIGURE1 --- p.98 / FIGURE2 --- p.99

Cheung, Yu Hin Ray. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-49). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter CHAPTER ONE: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO: --- A UNIFIED BOOTSTRAP PROCEDURE --- p.7 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE: --- A SIMULATION STUDY --- p.10 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR: --- RESULTS --- p.18 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE: --- DISCUSSION --- p.33 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX: --- CONCLUSION --- p.37 / APPENDICES --- p.38 / REFERENCES --- p.46

The purpose of this exploratory research was to investigate potential factors (i.e. gender, time lapse between the latest statistics class and completion of the statistics test, grade point average (GPA), attitude towards statistics), which are associated with the comprehension and retention of statistical knowledge in Baccalaureate Psychology students. The criterion variable was statistical competency, which was measured in five subdomains: basic concepts, descriptives, correlation/regression, hypothesis testing, and inferential statistics.

While a variety of researchers have identified periodic recurrences in infant behavioral state with various time-series techniques, the appropriateness of techniques which identify periodic recurrences in all infants at all ages have been questioned. The purpose of this study was to compare the utility of four time-series techniques used in the analysis of periodic recurrences in the behavioral state of 21 newborns during a 2 hour observation period. For quiet sleep, active sleep and awake states the period length of the major rhythm was estimated by 1) binary spectrum analysis, 2) binary autocorrelation, 3) renewal time analysis, and 4) kappa analysis. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the period lengths identified by renewal time analysis were significantly shorter than those identified by the other three techniques for quiet and active sleep. Further, the kappa analysis and binary autocorrelation showed that awake states were significantly shorter than both active sleep and quiet sleep. Pearson product-moment correlations showed that the relation between the periods for a given state identified by each analysis ranged from .01 to .83. The results indicate that 1) renewal time analysis is more sensitive to state interruptions than the other techniques, 2) awake states may have a different period length than either quiet sleep or active sleep, and 3) although the four techniques identified state recurrences in almost all of the neonates, only a smaller subgroup of neonates displayed a pattern of technique agreement that would indicate a clearly rhythmic pattern of states. / M.S.

Cluster analysis refers to a type of statistical method designed to identify homogeneous groups within complex, multivariate data sets. In this study two newly developed genetic cluster analysis algorithms, GENCLUS and GENCLUS+, were validated by comparing their performance against that of three popular clustering techniques (Ward's method, K-means w/ random seeds, K-means w/Ward's centroids) and in an elaborate Monte Carlo study. Additionally, the ability of GENCLUS+ to determine the correct number of clusters was compared against that of three conventional procedures (Calinski and Harabasz, C-index, trace W). GENCLUS and GENCLUS+ achieved Rand recovery values slightly inferior to those of conventional methods. However, GENCLUS+ appeared to perform better than conventional methods in an empirical analysis, and genetic method solutions appear to possess high internal cohesion and external isolation. The mixed results are interpreted as an indication of a discrepancy between cluster theory and conventional data generation techniques. / Ph. D.

Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) uses the horse as a therapeutic apparatus in physical and psychological therapy. This dissertation suggests a more appropriate technique for measuring the effect of THR. A research survey of the statistical methods used to determine the effect of THR was undertaken. Although researchers observed clinically meaningful change in several of the studies, this was not supported by statistical tests. A logistic regression approach is proposed as a solution to many of the problems experienced by researchers on THR. Since large THR related data sets are not available, data were simulated. Logistic regression and t-tests were used to analyse the same simulated data sets, and the results were compared. The advantages of the logistic regression approach are discussed. This statistical technique can be applied in any field where the therapeutic value of an intervention has to be proven scientifically. / Mathematical Sciences / M. Sc. (Statistics)

Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) uses the horse as a therapeutic apparatus in physical and psychological therapy. This dissertation suggests a more appropriate technique for measuring the effect of THR. A research survey of the statistical methods used to determine the effect of THR was undertaken. Although researchers observed clinically meaningful change in several of the studies, this was not supported by statistical tests. A logistic regression approach is proposed as a solution to many of the problems experienced by researchers on THR. Since large THR related data sets are not available, data were simulated. Logistic regression and t-tests were used to analyse the same simulated data sets, and the results were compared. The advantages of the logistic regression approach are discussed. This statistical technique can be applied in any field where the therapeutic value of an intervention has to be proven scientifically. / Mathematical Sciences / M. Sc. (Statistics)