Partial Correlation

One of the most interesting aspects of communication research is the insight it can provide into the ways individuals relate to one another. Communication research can help individuals improve their communication skills in personal and professional settings. Although the end result of communication research is exciting and useful, the way researchers study communication is rather difficult as there are often multiple explanations for the behaviors being studied. In order to create a solid understanding of communication processes, researchers try to isolate communication variables using statistical analyses such as partial correlations. This entry introduces partial correlations, paying specific attention to partial correlation formulas, reporting issues, and limitations.