Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA): Table Specifications Startup Panel - Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) Tab

Select the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) tab of the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA): Table Specifications Startup Panel to access the options described here. Use these options to specify the input table for the multiple correspondence analysis.

Input. Three data file format options are available in the Input group box: Raw data (requires tabulation), Frequencies with grouping variables, and Frequencies w/out grouping vars.

Depending on the Input method selected (see above), one or more of the following option buttons will be available.

Variables (Factors in Burt Table). Click the Variables (Factors in Burt Table) button to display the standard variable selection dialog box, in which you select the variables that will be used in the analysis. The Burt table (see also Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) - Introductory Overview will be computed for the categories of the selected variables.

Codes for grouping variables. Click the Codes for grouping variables button to display the Select Codes for Coding Variables dialog. Use this dialog to enter the codes (numbers or text labels) that define the categories for the selected variables. Note that the Codes for grouping variables button is only available after the Variables (e.g., factors in the Burt table) are selected.

Supplementary columns (variables). Click the Supplementary columns (variables) button to display the standard variable selection dialog, in which you designate the variables to be analyzed as supplementary columns (variables). Note that unlike in simple correspondence analysis, where supplementary columns and rows can be added from the Correspondence Analysis Results dialog box - Supplementary points tab, in multiple correspondence analysis it is required that the supplementary columns also define a valid Burt table. Therefore, in this case, specify all variables for the analysis via the Variables (Factors in Burt Table) button, and then select the subset of those variables that are to be treated as supplementary columns via the Supplementary columns (variables) button. The variables selected as supplementary columns will not be used for the computation of eigenvalues and eigenvectors (see Computational Details), but coordinate values will be computed for those columns and reported in the spreadsheet and plots of coordinates.

Variable with frequencies/counts. Click the Variable with frequencies/counts button to display the standard variable selection dialog, in which you select the appropriate variable that will be used in the analysis (i.e., the variable containing the measure of correspondence, similarity, confusion, association, etc.). Only positive values or zero are allowed in this variable (e.g., STATISTICA does not permit negative frequencies). Note that the Variable with frequencies/counts button is only available when the Frequencies with grouping variables option button is selected via the Input group box.

Variables with frequencies. Click the Variables with frequencies button to display the standard variable selection dialog, in which you select the appropriate variables that will be used in the analysis. The data in the selected variables (and cases) are expected to define a valid Burt table (see the Introductory Overview - MCA). Note that the Variables with frequencies button is only available when the Frequencies w/out grouping vars option is selected via the Input group box.

Specify structure of table. Click the Specify structure of table button to display the Specify the dimensions of the table dialog, in which you enter the factor names (e.g., survival, age, location) and the number of levels for each factor (e.g., 2, 3, and 3). When processing the data, STATISTICA will automatically check whether the respective data specify a valid Burt table. Note that the Specify structure of table button is only available after Variables have been selected.

For examples and more detailed information on specifying tables for Multiple Correspondence Analysis, see Raw Data (Requires Tabulation), Frequencies with Grouping Variables, and Frequencies without Grouping Variables. See also, Multiple Correspondence Analysis.