A Gentle Introduction to Random Slopes in Multilevel Modeling
…aka, how to look at cool interaction effects for nested data.
Do the words “random slopes model” or “random coefficients model” send shivers down your spine? These words don’t have to be so ominous. Journal editors are increasingly asking researchers to analyze their data using this particular approach, and for good reason.
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.
We often talk about nested factors in mixed models — students nested in classes, observations nested within subject.
But in all but the simplest designs, it’s not that straightforward. (more…)