A scree plot is used to
A) determine the order in which factors should be extracted.
B) determine the appropriate number of factors to interpret.
C) visually portray the correlations between extracted factors.
D) visually portray the results of a factor analysis.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A scree plot is used to identify the appropriate number of factors to interpret in a factor analysis. The scree plot shows the eigenvalues of each factor in descending order, and the “elbow” of the plot typically indicates where the meaningful factors end and the “noise” begins. By examining the scree plot, researchers can determine how many factors to interpret, thus reducing the risk of over-interpreting or under-interpreting the data.

A Scree Plot Is Used to