Approaches To the Analysis of Complex Contingency Tables

Abstract

Social scientists have available a wide array of techniques for the analysis of complex contingency tables. This paper discusses the factors which should be considered in choosing which of the various techniques to use. The theme emphasized here is that the analyst should evaluate the techniques within the context of the substantive questions he seeks to answer. The specific factors discussed are categorized into three groups: representation of the dependent variable, independent variable models, and estimation procedures.