Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) & Scale Validation | KMO, Factor Loadings & Reliability

How do you perform Exploratory Factor Analysis and assess a questionnaire’s factor structure? This video explains EFA and scale validation, from data screening to reliability analysis. Understand KMO and Bartlett’s test before interpreting factor extraction and rotation. Learn how scree plots and parallel analysis inform factor retention, alongside theoretical reasoning. Follow examples to interpret factor loadings, identify cross-loading items, and document item-retention decisions. Explore reverse coding and considerations for analysing ordinal Likert-scale responses. The video also explains Cronbach’s alpha, corrected item-total correlations, and “alpha if item deleted.” Understand the distinction between internal consistency and dimensional structure, and why repeated EFA does not replace Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Use the closing checklist to organise your analysis and record decisions for your dissertation or research paper. Share your EFA or scale-validation questions in the comments.