This article describes the logic and procedures behind testing for factorial invariance across groups in the context of construct validation. The procedures include testing for configural, measurement, and structural invariance in the framework of multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The forward (sequential constraint imposition) approach to testing for factorial invariance is described and illustrated for the cases of first-order and second-order CFA models; computer codes in Mplus are provided. Computations of the Satorra-Bentler scaled chi-square difference, used in testing for factorial invariance under lack of multivariate normality, are also described. Some points of caution related to testing and interpreting measurement invariance are provided as well.
This paper surveys the current state and capabilities of Three Dimensional Printing (3DP). Based on its technical background-the ink jet printing as known from the printer and plotter industry-a classification structure has been developed and proposed. Different printing techniques and process concepts, together with their advantages and limitations are described and analysed. A large variety of manufacturing applications such as rapid pattern making and rapid tooling using the 3DP process directly or as core technology, as well as further implications in design and engineering analysis, medicine, and architecture are presented and evaluated. Some research issues are also discussed. An attempt, based on the state of the art, to show weaknesses and opportunities, and to draw conclusions about the future of this important process wraps up this paper.
In this study, we revised the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI), a self-report instrument designed to assess students' awareness of reading strategies when reading school-related materials. We collected evidence of structural, generalizability, and external aspects of validity for the revised inventory (MARSI-R). We first conducted a confirmatory factor analysis of the MARSI instrument, which resulted in the reduction of the number of strategy statements from 30 to 15. We then tested MARSI-R for factorial invariance across gender and ethnic groups and found that there is a uniformity in student interpretation of the reading strategy statements across these groups, thus allowing for their comparison on levels of metacognitive processing skills. We found evidence of the external validity aspect of MARSI-R data through correlations of such data with a measure of the students' perceived reading ability. Given that this journal is oriented to second Kouider Mokhtari, Dimiter M. Dimitrov, Carla A. Reichard 220 language learning and teaching, our article also includes comments on the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS), which was based on the original MARSI and was designed to assess adolescents' and adults' metacognitive awareness and perceived use of ESL reading strategies. We provide a copy of the MARSI-R instrument and discuss the implications of the study's findings in light of new and emerging insights relative to assessing students' metacognitive awareness and perceived use of reading strategies.
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