Ch 6 - Measurement Flashcards

1
Q

3 distinctions between qualitative and quantitative measurement techniques

A
  1. TIMING - think about variables and convert them into specific actions during a planning stage that occurs before and is separate from gathering and analyzing data
    QUAN - measurement occurs before data collected
    QUAL - occurs during data collection
  2. DATA THEMSELVES - quantitative - numbers - represents abstract ideas, qualitative - sometimes numbers more often spoken words, actions, sounds, symbols, physical objects, images - develop flexible ongoing processes to measure the data that leave those data in various shapes sizes and forms.
  3. HOW STYLES MAKE LINKAGES between data and concepts -
    QUAN - reflect on concepts before gathering data, measurement techniques that bridge concepts and data.
    QUAL - reflect on ideas before data collection - develop most of concepts during data collection - reexamines and reflects simultaneously and interactively
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2
Q

conceptualization

A

is the process of taking a concept and refining it by giving it a conceptual or a theoretical definition

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3
Q

conceptual definition

A

is a definition in abstract, theoretical terms

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4
Q

operationalization

A

links a conceptual definition to a specific set of measurement techniques or procedures, the concepts operational definition

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5
Q

Guidelines for Coming Up with a Measure

A
  1. Remember the conceptual definition
  2. Keep an open mind
  3. Borrow from other
  4. Anticipate difficulties
  5. Do not forget your units of analysis
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6
Q

Measurement process for QUAN

A

First conceptualization
Operationalization
Application of operational definition or measuring to collect the data

abstract ot concrete

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7
Q

conceptual hypothesis QUAN

A

A type of hypothesis in which researcher expresses variables in abstract, conceptual terms, and expresses the relationship among variables in a theoretical way

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8
Q

empirical hypothesis QUAN

A

a type of hypothesis in which the researcher expresses variables in specific terms and expresses the association among the measured indicators of observable

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9
Q

Conceptualization QUAL

A

QUAL - refine rudimentary working ideas during the data collection and analysis process - develop new concepts, formulate definitions for concepts, consider relationships among concepts, clear explicit definitions abstract - determined BY THE DATA

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10
Q

OPERATIONALIZATION QUAL

A

forms conceptual definitions out of rudimentary working ideas that they used while making observations or gathering data

instead of going from conceptual def to measurement operations - describe how specific observations and thoughts about the data contributed to working ideas that are the basis of conceptual definitions and theoretical concepts

operationalization - after the fact description

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11
Q

How to improve reliability

A

Conceptualize clearly

Increase level of measurement - more precise

Use multiple indicators of a variable

Pretests, pilot studies, replication

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12
Q

measurement validity

A

how well the conceptual and operational definitions mesh with each other

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13
Q

Content validity

A

is the full content of a definition represented in a measure

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14
Q

Criterion Validity

A

measurement validity that relies on some independent outside verification

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15
Q

Criterion validity > concurrent validity

A

relies on a pre-existing and already accepted measure to verify the indicator of a concept

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16
Q

criterion validity > predictive validity

A

measurement validity that relies on the occurrence of a future event or behavior that is logically consistent to verify the indicator of a concept

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17
Q

Qualitative researchers more interested in BLANK than validity

A

authenticity - fair honest and balanced account of social life from the POV of someone who lives it everyday

Credibility and transferability- external validity

18
Q

internal validity

A

no errors internal to the design - eliminating alternative explanations

19
Q

external validity

A

generalize from experimental research to settings or people that differ from the specific conditions of the study

20
Q

statistical validity

A

achieved when an appropriate statistical procedure is selected and the assumptions of the procedure are fully met

21
Q

Levels of measurement

A

an abstract but important and widely used idea.

Some ways in which a researcher measures a concept are at a higher more refined level and others are crude or less precisely specified

22
Q

Continuous variables

A

Infinite number of values or attributes that flow along a continuum - can be divided into smaller increments

23
Q

Discrete variables

A

relatively fixed set of separate values or variable attributes - contain distinct categories - religious affiliation

24
Q

Nomial

A

Difference among categories

discrete
religion

25
Q

ordinal

A

difference plus the categories can be ordered or ranked - likert

discrete

26
Q

Interval

A

Everything the first two do and can specify the amount of distance between categories - celsius

arbitrary 0s

continuous

27
Q

Ratio

A

everything all the other levels do plus there is a true 0

continuous

28
Q

Mutually exclusive attributes

A

individual or case fits into one and only one attribute of a variable

religion - can only only fit into one category

29
Q

exhaustive attributes

A

all cases fit into one of the attributes of a variable - every possible situation is covered - listing all religions

30
Q

Index/scales

A

both produce ordinal or interval level measures of a variable

information about variables and possible to assess the quality of measurement

31
Q

Index

A

summing or combining of many separate measures of a construct or variable

32
Q

Scale

A

Like an index is an ordinal interval or ratio measure of a variable expressed as a numerical score. most are ordinal

33
Q

two purposes of scales

A
  1. help in the conceptualization and operationalization processes - shows fit between indicators and construct
  2. scaling produces quantitative measures and can be used with other variables to test hypotheses
34
Q

standardization

A

the procedure to statistically adjust measures to permit making an honest comparison by giving a common basis to measures of different units

35
Q

concepts

A

the things studied

36
Q

measurement * the process moves from the general to the specific:

A

conceptual definition
* operational definition
* identify indicators (variables) related to the operational
definition
* we first arrive at a conceptual definition and then identify
measures of those concepts; e.g. MBM vs before and after-tax
low income

37
Q

quantitative data is more prone to _________ problems

A

validity

38
Q

qual data is more prone to _________ problems

A

reliability

39
Q

regardless of the level of measurement, every variable must
have two qualities:

A

the attributes must be exhaustive

  • the attributes must be mutually exclusive
40
Q
  • Index:
A

typically just adds/averages items

  • e.g. a political participation index would just add together
    how many these things a person did
  • vote
  • attend candidate debates
  • donate money to political party
  • sign on lawn during election

problem? Not all of the items in this index should be treated
equally

41
Q
  • Scales:
A

a technique for properly measuring the intensity of
items in relation to each other; most are ordinal level