st: Nomenclature when using random (mixed) effects modeling

["James W. Shaw" <shaw@pharmacy.arizona.edu>]

I have a question regarding nomenclature.  In most of my reading, random 
effects models are used with cross-sectional time series.  In such 
cases, "i" is used to refer to a grouping variable (e.g., subject, 
firm), while "t" is used to designate time.  However, I have seen a few 
papers in which "t" clearly does not refer to time.  For example, a 
number of studies have used random effects modeling to estimate the 
health state value system for the EQ-5D (a self-reported quality of life 
index).  In these studies, each respondent was asked to rate (on a scale 
ranging from -1 to 1) a random selection of 12 of the 243 health states 
described by the EQ-5D.  Thus, "i" referred to respondent (the random 
effect), while "t" referred to health state.  My question is as follows: 
what would one call this type of analysis?  Hierarchical analysis? 
Multi-level modeling?  I presume that the terms "panel data" and 
"cross-sectional time series" would be inappropriate.

As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

James Shaw 
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