Mixed and Multilevel Models

Three Designs that Look Like Repeated Measures, But Aren’t

June 19th, 2020 by

Repeated measures is one of those terms in statistics that sounds like it could apply to many design situations. In fact, it describes only one.

A repeated measures design is one where each subject is measured repeatedly over time, space, or condition on the dependent variable

These repeated measurements on the same subject are not independent of each other. They’re clustered. They are more correlated to each other than they are to responses from other subjects. Even if both subjects are in the same condition.  (more…)


Member Training: A Gentle Introduction to Multilevel Models

January 31st, 2020 by

In this Stat’s Amore Training, Marc Diener will help you make sense of the strange terms and symbols that you find in studies that use multilevel modeling (MLM). You’ll learn about the basic ideas behind MLM, different MLM models, and a close look at one particular model, known as the random intercept model. A running example will be used to clarify the ideas and the meaning of the MLM results.

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Multilevel, Hierarchical, and Mixed Models–Questions about Terminology

October 11th, 2019 by

Multilevel models and Mixed Models are generally the same thing. In our recent webinar on the basics of mixed models, Random Intercept and Random Slope Models, we had a number of questions about terminology that I’m going to answer here.

If you want to see the full recording of the webinar, get it here. It’s free.

Q: Is this different from multi-level modeling?

A: No. I don’t really know the history of why we have the different names, but the difference in multilevel modeling (more…)


Member Training: Elements of Experimental Design

August 1st, 2019 by

Whether or not you run experiments, there are elements of experimental design that affect how you need to analyze many types of studies.

The most fundamental of these are replication, randomization, and blocking. These key design elements come up in studies under all sorts of names: trials, replicates, multi-level nesting, repeated measures. Any data set that requires mixed or multilevel models has some of these design elements. (more…)


Regression Diagnostics in Generalized Linear Mixed Models

March 25th, 2019 by

What are the best methods for checking a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) for proper fit?

This question comes up frequently.

Unfortunately, it isn’t as straightforward as it is for a general linear model.

In linear models the requirements are easy to outline: linear in the parameters, normally distributed and independent residuals, and homogeneity of variance (that is, similar variance at all values of all predictors).

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Eight Ways to Detect Multicollinearity

February 25th, 2019 by

Stage 2Multicollinearity can affect any regression model with more than one predictor. It occurs when two or more predictor variables overlap so much in what they measure that their effects are indistinguishable.

When the model tries to estimate their unique effects, it goes wonky (yes, that’s a technical term).

So for example, you may be interested in understanding the separate effects of altitude and temperature on the growth of a certain species of mountain tree.

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