Software Reviews : Lisrel/PrelisPublisher: Scientific Software Inc.,1525 East 53 Street,Suite 906,Chicago,IL 60615;312-684-4920;FAX [phone] Year of Publication: 1991 Version Reviewed: 7.20~I.20 Materials: Two double-density 3.5" disks;316-page LISREL manual and 146-page PRELIS manual in 3-ring binders Price: $460 ($530,386/486 Dos Extender of os/2 version;$590 Mac II version) Machine Specificity: Pc or Macintosh II System Requirements: 640K RAM (2M RAM in the Dos Extended version) in Pc version Effectiveness: Excellent User-friendliness: Good Documentation: Good for advanced students familiar with LISREL models,poor to fair for statistically knowledgeable students not familiar with LISREL

Abstract

LISREL/PRELIS has become the statistical package of choice for many social science graduate students and researchers who wish to develop multivariate linear models that handle measurement error and latent variables in a more sophisticated way than do traditional regression models. LISREL models are also partic-ularly appropriate when there is reciprocal causation or interdependence among causal variables. LISREL is a multivariate linear modeling method developed by Karl Joreskog (Uppsala University, Sweden). It addresses the problem of biased regression coefficients caused by use of variables that are measured with error, as is the rule in social science.