Plausible Values can be used to describe the competencies of people at a group level. Based on the individual responses to the respective competence tests as well as on additional background characteristics, the probability distribution of each person's competence is first determined, and several values are randomly drawn from this. The analysis is then calculated individually for each Plausible Value and summarized into an overall result. This allows estimates of effects at the population level to be adjusted for measurement errors and is therefore particularly suitable for inferential statistical tests in correlation and mean value analyses. For further information on the estimation and handling of Plausible Values in the context of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) as well as for instructions and an example of the use of the R-package NEPSscaling for generating your own plausible values, please refer to the NEPS Survey Paper No. 71 by Anna Scharl, Claus H. Carstensen and Timo Gnambs.

NEPS Survey Paper No. 71