GLM Hypothesis Testing - Type I Sums of Squares

Type I sums of squares involve a sequential partitioning of the whole model sums of squares. A hierarchical series of regression equations are estimated, at each step adding an additional effect into the model. In Type I sums of squares, the sums of squares for each effect are determined by subtracting the predicted sums of squares with the effect in the model from the predicted sums of squares for the preceding model not including the effect. Tests of significance for each effect are then performed on the increment in the predicted sums of squares accounted for by the effect. Type I sums of squares are therefore sometimes called sequential or hierarchical sums of squares.

Type I sums of squares are appropriate to use in balanced (equal n) ANOVA designs in which effects are entered into the model in their natural order (i.e., any main effects are entered before any two-way interaction effects, any two-way interaction effects are entered before any three-way interaction effects, and so on). Type I sums of squares are also useful in polynomial regression designs in which any lower-order effects are entered before any higher-order effects. A third use of Type I sums of squares is to test hypotheses for hierarchically nested designs, in which the first effect in the design is nested within the second effect, the second effect is nested within the third, and so on.

One important property of Type I sums of squares is that the sums of squares attributable to each effect add up to the whole model sums of squares. Thus, Type I sums of squares provide a complete decomposition of the predicted sums of squares for the whole model. This is not generally true for any other type of sums of squares. An important limitation of Type I sums of squares, however, is that the sums of squares attributable to a specific effect will generally depend on the order in which the effects are entered into the model. This lack of invariance to order of entry into the model limits the usefulness of Type I sums of squares for testing hypotheses for certain designs (e.g., fractional factorial designs).

Whole Model Tests

Six Types of Sums of Squares

Error Terms for Tests

Testing Specific Hypotheses

Testing Hypotheses for Repeated Measures and Dependent Variables

See also GLM - Index.