Science and Technology Studies Commons^™

Ignoring A Level In A Multilevel Model: Evidence From Uk Census Data, Mark Tramner, David Steel

Professor David Steel

Because of the inherent multilevel nature of census data, it is often appropriate to use multilevel models to investigate relationships between census variables. For a local population, the data available from the census allow a three-level nested model to be assumed, with an individual level (level 1), an enumeration district (ED) level (level 2), and a ward level (level 3). The consequences of ignoring one of the three levels in this model are assessed here theoretically. Empirical results, based on 1991 UK Census data, are also provided, comparing the variance components estimated from the three-level model with analyses based on …