Multidimensional Scaling
Dates: This event has been cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Times: 9.30am to 4.30pm
Course Leaders: Professor Tony Coxon (Cardiff University & University of Edinburgh) and Phil Hawkins (SERAC, Cardiff)
Location: Glamorgan Building, Cardiff University
Overview
Multidimensional scaling (MDS) is a family of models, each one dealing with a particular sort of data, a given level of measurement (data-transformation) and a specific type of model. It gives a graphical representation of the data as a “map “ and thus gives a descriptive visualization of the data (“A picture is worth a thousand words”, Tukey) and also facilitates the interpretation of the underlying structure and relationships in the data. It has strong affinities with Principal Components, Clustering and Correspondence Analysis and Factor Analysis, but the advantage of MDS is that it can be used to analyze any kind of distance, association, correlation or similarity measure.
Who is the Course Aimed at?
Researchers wanting to know more about MDS and how it can be applied to their data.
Course Level
No previous knowledge or experience will be assumed, except for a basic understanding of simple statistics up to linear regression . A knowledge of EXCEL or SPSS is desirable but is not essential.
Course Content and Aims
Given the profusion of models and programs and their selective implementation in various computer packages, the user needs to know:
- the organising and differentiating principles of the field of MDS (Data –Transformation and Model) ,
- the range of applications and types of data that can be used directly (or that can be derived from quantitative and qualitative data),
- how to pre-process data and, if needed, choose an appropriate measure of dis/similarity,
- how to identify the appropriate MDS model, program and options for a given set of data ,
- how to follow through from the raw data to their MDS analysis,
- how to assess the solution and interpret the results.
The course aims to provide the basis for such knowledge, and to give hands-on experience of how MDS analysis is done. A two-day course can only provide an overview, but it will be amply illustrated with examples.
Day 1: will concentrate on a description and exposition of the basic MDS non-metric distance model and its properties, and how to run appropriate data in the basic programs (including interactive scaling).
Day 2: concentrates on how to describe, evaluate, assess and interpret the results. It will go on to consider some extensions of the basic model to different data-types (e.g. preference and sorting data), different transformations (including classic metric scaling), and different models (e.g. vector/factor).
Software
The training is not tied to one program or package, but will rely primarily on NewMDSX and PERMAP (interactive scaling). Programs from SPSS (principally PROXSCAL and PREFSCAL) will also be used.
Software used on the course (other than SPSS and EXCEL), a copy of Coxon, The Users Guide to MDS and all other course materials will be provided for students to take away with them upon completion of the course.
Preliminary Reading
Kruskal, J.B. and Wish, M. (1978). Multidimensional Scaling. Thousand Oaks: Sage. QASS No. 11
Coxon, A.P.M. “Multidimensional Scaling” , in Lewis-Beck, M.S., A. Bryman & T.F. Liao, eds (2004) The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Research Methods London: Sage, Volume II: pp 669 – 672
An annotated bibliography on theory and applications of MDS will be distributed before the Course.
Fee Information
Workshop fee per day:
UK Registered Postgraduate Student - £30
Staff at Any UK Higher Education Institution - £60
ESRC Funded Researcher - £60
Registered Charity or Public Sector Worker - £60
Other - £220
All fees include event materials, lunch, morning and afternoon tea. They do not include travel and accommodation costs.
A booking form for this event can be found by clicking here.
For further information please contact WISERD.events@cardiff.ac.uk
