Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM):

An Introduction to Key Concepts WithinCross-Sectional and Growth ModelingFrameworks

This manuscript provides an overview of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), as part of a seriesof papers covering topics relevant to consumers of educational research. HLM is tremendouslyflexible, allowing researchers to specify relations across multiple “levels” of the educationalsystem (e.g., students, classrooms, schools, etc.). The manuscript contains three chapters. InChapter 1, the concept of HLM is introduced, as well as topics that will be covered in the paper.Chapter 2 provides a basic overview of cross-sectional HLM models, complete with anillustrated example contrasting results of an HLM model with a standard single-level regressionmodel. The bulk of the manuscript is reserved for Chapter 3, which covers the application ofHLM to modeling growth. Chapter 3, again, concludes with illustrated examples. The manuscriptis concluded with an overall discussion of HLM and what was and was not covered within themanuscript.