Factor Rotation Methods in Factor Analysis: An Application on Agricultural Data

Authors : Ayşe Sümeyye Can, Özgür Koşkan, Malik Ergin

Pages : 134-142

Doi:10.54975/isubuzfd.1370165

View : 83 | Download : 83

Publication Date : 2023-12-18

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :In this study, the rotation stage of factor analysis, which is one of the multivariate analysis methods, was examined. All stages of factor analysis have been defined. The material of the study consisted of a data set obtained from barley planted in 20 plots (replication) having 9 variables. In each plot, the average of 6 plants selected from that plot was used. The variables emphasized in the study were plant height, number of leaves, spike length, spike weight, grain yield, flowering period (days), harvest index, yield, and 1000-grain weight. Factors were obtained by principal component analysis, which is a factor extraction method, from the data set that met the prerequisites of the analysis. The criteria used in different factor rotations are given and based on these criteria, the formula that gives the optimum rotation angle for each data set was obtained. As a result, the formulas obtained for orthomax, varimax, quartimax, and equamax were applied to the factors obtained from the data set and the results were interpreted. As a result of factor rotation, when varimax, quartimax, and equamax methods were used, the values of the variables in terms of factor loads differed in each factor. This is a desirable situation for factor analysis results.
Keywords : Equamax, faktör analizi, orthomax, döndürme yöntemleri, varimax, quartimax