Plausible Values can be used to describe the competencies of individuals at a group level. Based on the individual responses to the respective competence tests and on additional background characteristics, the probability distribution of each person's competence is first determined, from which several values are randomly drawn. The analysis is then calculated individually for each Plausible Value and summarized into an overall result. This approach allows estimates of effects at the population level to be adjusted for measurement error and is therefore particularly suitable for inferential statistical tests in correlation and mean value analyses.

Further information on the estimation and handling of Plausible Values in the context of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) as well as instructions and application examples for using the R package NEPSscaling to generate one's own Plausible Values can be found in the NEPS Survey Paper 71 by Anna Scharl, Claus H. Carstensen and Timo Gnambs. This text can be downloaded from our website along with the R package itself and the application examples.

Website on Plausible Values