[R] principal factor analysis

[Hans W. Borchers]

Jinsong Zhao <jszhao <at> mail.hzau.edu.cn> writes:

> 
> Hi,
> 
> Is there a function to do principal factor analysis in R?

Do a 'RSiteSearch("factor analysis")' and you will find several packages for
Factor Analysis, such as:

    FAiR        Factor Analysis in R
    FactoMineR  Factor Analysis and Data Mining with R

or  factor.pa(), "Principal Axis Factor Analysis", in package 'psych'.

It seems, 'common factors' is a more colloquial term used in PCA books, or did
you mean to compare 'principal components' with 'principal factors'?
 
> I am reading through ``A user's guide to principal components'' by J. E.
> Jackson. In Table 17.1, a comparison between principal components and
> common factors, and there is obvious difference between them. However, I
> don't know how to get the common factors.
> 
> Any suggestions? Thanks!
> 
> Jinsong
>