Cronbach’s alpha coefficient is a statistical test used to check the coherence and correlation between observed variables. This is an essential analysis step to eliminate garbage variables before using EFA. This relates to two aspects which are
the correlation between the variables themselves and the correlation of the scores of each variable with the total score.
Only variables with variable correlation - total correction (Corrected Iterm - Total Correlation) greater than 0.3 and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient greater than 0.6 will be considered acceptable and appropriate for inclusion in the Further analysis steps (Nunnally, 1978; Peterson, 1994; Slater, 1995).
After the investigation, the subject conducted the reliability test of the scale that decided to choose a language center using the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient.
The results are as follows:
4.2.1 Analytical results of the scale "Geographical location"
Table 4-12 Geographical Location Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.627 4
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-13 Geographical Location Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Loca1 11.2655 2.434 .544 .441
Loca2 11.0199 2.626 .550 .445
Loca3 11.4864 2.718 .618 .410
Loca4 11.0347 4.143 .007 .794
Source: Compiled by the author The component "Geographical location" consists of four observed variables (Loca1, Loca2, Loca3, Loca4). After checking Cronbach's Alpha, the results showed that there were variables Loca4 "Being near tourist centers where there are foreign visitors." with Corrected Item-Total Correlation of 0.007 less than 0.3, so it was disqualified. Then the "Geographic location" scale has only three variables. The result is different from the result of Doan Thi Hue's author with students at Nha Trang University when the author has eliminated the "Location" variable, but quite consistent with the results of the previous authors about decided to choose a
university like Nguyen Phuong Toan (2011), Tran Van Quy and Cao Hao Thi (2009), the results "Characteristics of the school: The school has a suitable position"
have a positive impact on students’ decision.
4.2.2 Analytical results of the scale "Marketing"
Table 4-14 Marketing Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.828 4
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-15 Marketing Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Mkt1 10.4715 5.568 .624 .797
Mkt2 10.3697 5.189 .664 .779
Mkt3 9.9677 5.519 .632 .794
Mkt4 9.9032 4.829 .705 .760
Source: Compiled by the author The "Marketing" component has 4 variables including Mkt1, Mk42, Mk43 and Mkt4. The analytical results show that the Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.828 is greater than 0.6 so the "Marketing" scale is reliable and is a good scale.
4.2.3 Analytical results of the scale "Training program"
The analytical results show that the Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.729 so the "Program" scale is reliable and if any observed variable is removed, the Alpha coefficient is less than 0.729. Therefore all five observed variables in this factor are
accepted and continue to be used in EFA factor analysis.
Table 4-16 Training program Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.729 5
Source: Compiled by the author
Table 4-17 Training program Item-Total Statistics Scale Mean if
Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Pro1 15.4119 7.521 .441 .704
Pro2 15.6005 8.111 .410 .711
Pro3 15.2978 7.220 .545 .659
Pro4 15.4665 7.011 .637 .622
Pro5 15.4739 8.444 .426 .705
Source: Compiled by the author 4.2.4 Analytical results of the scale "Training quality"
Table 4-18 Training quality Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.624 3
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-19 Training quality Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Qua1 7.3350 1.860 .463 .480
Qua2 7.9901 2.254 .363 .616
Qua3 6.9677 1.837 .477 .460
Source: Compiled by the author The results show that the Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.624 is greater than 0.6, then the "Training quality" scale is decent. Therefore all observed variables in this factor are accepted and continue to be used in EFA factor analysis.
4.2.5 Analytical results of the scale "Teachers"
The results show that the Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.611 is greater than 0.6, then the "Teachers" scale is meaningful. Therefore all three observed variables in this factor are accepted and continue to be used in EFA factor analysis.
Table 4-20 Teachers Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.611 3
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-21 Teachers Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Tea1 7.6253 1.429 .348 .608
Tea2 8.5881 1.243 .446 .474
Tea3 8.2233 1.134 .471 .433
Source: Compiled by the author 4.2.6 Analytical results of the scale "Tuition"
Table 4-22 Tuition Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.665 4
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-23 Tuition Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Fee1 10.3648 4.058 .347 .663
Fee2 10.8958 4.079 .491 .578
Fee3 10.1166 3.471 .573 .508
Fee4 11.2556 3.619 .403 .634
Source: Compiled by the author Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.665 is greater than 0.6, so the "Tuition"
scale is reliable. Therefore all observed variables in this factor are accepted and continue to be used in EFA factor analysis.
4.2.7 Analytical results of the scale "Facilities"
Table 4-24 Facilities Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.810 3
Source: Compiled by the author
Table 4-25 Facilities Item-Total Statistics Scale Mean if
Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Fac1 12.1216 2.923 .353 .646
Fac2 11.8536 2.901 .388 .622
Fac3 11.4491 2.532 .591 .482
Fac4 11.5931 2.739 .430 .594
Source: Compiled by the author The analytical results show that the Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.657 is greater than 0.6 than the "Facilities" scale is reasonable and if any observed variable is removed, the Alpha coefficient is less than 0.657. Therefore all observed variables in this factor are accepted and continue to be used in EFA factor analysis.
4.2.8 Analytical results of the scale "Recommendations from relatives and friends"
Table 4-26 Recommendations from relatives and friends Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.810 3
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-27 Recommendations from relatives and friends Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Rec1 8.0744 1.790 .666 .736
Rec2 7.7643 2.036 .718 .692
Rec3 7.7891 1.973 .609 .793
Source: Compiled by the author The Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.810 shows that the
"Recommendations from relatives and friends" scale is a good scale and if any observed variable is removed, the Alpha coefficient is less than 0.810. Therefore all observed variables in this factor are accepted and continue to be used in EFA factor analysis.
4.2.9 Analytical results of the scale "Brand"
Table 4-28 Brands Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.646 4
Source: Compiled by the author The analytical results show that the Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.646 is greater than 0.6, then the "Branding" scale is appropriate and if any observed variable is removed, the Alpha coefficient is less than 0.646. Therefore all observed
variables in this factor are accepted.
Table 4-29 Brand Item-Total Statistics Scale Mean if
Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Brand1 10.2605 4.472 .478 .539
Brand2 10.2630 5.145 .357 .622
Brand3 10.2779 4.664 .458 .555
Brand4 10.1787 4.635 .411 .588
Source: Compiled by the author 4.2.10 Analytical results of the scale “Connections and Bonding in class”
Table 4-30 Connections and Bonding in class Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.787 4
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-31 Connections and Bonding in class Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Con1 12.4218 3.717 .660 .705
Con2 12.5012 3.340 .611 .731
Con3 12.1489 4.102 .552 .757
Con4 12.2233 3.686 .576 .745
Source: Compiled by the author
All observed variables in this factor are accepted because the Coefficient Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.787 and if any observed variable is removed, the Alpha coefficient is less than 0.787.
4.2.11 Analytical results of the scale “Decision”
Table 4-32 Decision Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.854 6
Source: Compiled by the author Table 4-33 Decision Item-Total Statistics
Scale Mean if Item Deleted
Scale Variance if Item Deleted
Corrected Item- Total Correlation
Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted
Dec1 18.20 4.511 .640 .829
Dec2 18.15 4.545 .657 .826
Dec3 18.22 4.496 .642 .829
Dec4 18.17 4.578 .635 .830
Dec5 18.15 4.441 .664 .825
Dec6 18.18 4.620 .601 .837
Source: Compiled by the author The "Decision" scale consists of six observed variables. All of these 6 variables have Corrected Item-Total Correlation greater than 0.3 and Cronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted is smaller than Alpha variable - a total of 0.854, therefore they all should be accepted. In addition, Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient is quite high at 0.854 (greater than 0.6) so this scale is satisfactory. These variables are included in the next EFA factor analysis.
In summary, by analyzing Cronbach's Alpha for the scales affecting the decision of choosing a foreign language center of students in Ho Chi Minh City, there is only one observed variable on the scale "Geographic location" eliminated.
The remaining variables in the standard ranges will be used for further EFA analysis.