Structural Equation Modelling for Ecologists and Evolutionary Biologists
(SEMR02)
https://www.prstatistics.com/course/structural-equation-modelling-for-ecologists-and-evolutionary-biologists-semr02/
This course will be delivered by Dr. Jonathan Lefcheck (author of the
piecewise package) from the 19th - 23rd November 2018 in Glasgow City
Centre.
Course Overview:
The course is a primer on structural equation modelling (SEM) and
confirmatory path analysis, with an emphasis on practical skills and
applications to real-world data.
Structural equation modelling is a rapidly growing technique in ecology
and evolution that unites multiple hypotheses in a single causal
network. It provides an intuitive graphical representation of
relationships among variables, underpinned by well-described
mathematical estimation procedures. Several advances in SEM over the
past few years have expanded its utility for typical ecological
datasets, which include count data, missing observations, and nested or
hierarchical designs.
We will cover the basic philosophy behind SEM, provide approachable
mathematical explanations of the techniques, and cover recent extensions
to mixed effects models and non-normal distributions. Along the way, we
will work through many examples from the primary literature using the
open-source statistical software R (www.r-project.org). We will draw on
two popular R packages for conducting SEM, including lavaan and
piecewiseSEM.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own data, as there will be
opportunities throughout the course to plan, analyze, and receive
feedback on structural equation models.
Course Programme
Day 1
Introduction to SEM
Module 1: What is Structural Equation Modeling? Why would I use it?
Module 2: Creating multivariate causal models
Module 3: Fitting piecewise models
Readings: Grace 2010 (overview), Whalen et al. 2013 (example)
Day 2
SEM Using Likelihood
Module 4: Fitting Observed Variable models with covariance structures
Module 5: What does it mean to evaluate a multivariate hypothesis?
Module 6: Latent Variable models Module 7: ANCOVA revisited &
Nonlinearities
Readings: Grace & Bollen 2005, Shipley 2004
Optional Reading: Pearl 2012, Pearl 2009 (causality)
Day 3
Piecewise SEM
Module 8: Introduction to piecewise approach
Module 9: Incorporation of random effects models
Model 10: Autocorrelation Reading: Shipley 2009; Lefcheck 2016
Day 4
Advanced Topics with Likelihood and Piecewise SEM
Module 11: Multigroup models and non-linearities
Module 12: Composite Variables
Module 13: Phylogenetically-correlated data
Module 14: Prediction using SEM
Module 15: How To Reject A Paper That Uses SEM
Readings: Grace & Julia 1999, von Hardenberg & GonzalezâVoyer 2013
Day 5
Open Lab and Final Presentations
Email oliverhoo...@prstatistics.com
Check out our sister sites,
www.PRstatistics.com (Ecology and Life Sciences)
www.PRinformatics.com (Bioinformatics and data science)
www.PSstatistics.com (Behaviour and cognition)
--
Oliver Hooker PhD.
PR statistics
2018 publications -
Alternative routes to piscivory: Contrasting growth trajectories in
brown trout (Salmo trutta) ecotypes exhibiting contrasting life history
strategies. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. DOI to follow
Phenotypic and resource use partitioning amongst sympatric lacustrine
brown trout, Salmo trutta. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.
DOI 10.1093/biolinnean/bly032
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