Chapter 12- Measurement + Data Collection Flashcards
What does measurement imply?
Quantification of information
Def measurement
The process of assigning numbers to variables
List the levels of measurement (4)
Nominal level of measurement
Ordinal level of measurement
Interval level of measurement
Ratio level of measurement
Def nominal level of measurement
Objects or events are named, categorized, or numbered
Numbers do not hold any significant value
Least rigorous of the measurement levels
Def ordinal level of measurement
Data that can be rank ordered as well as placed into categories #s obtained indicate the order rather than exact quantity of the variables
Def interval level of measurement
Can be placed in categories and ranked.
Also, the distance bx the ranks can be specified
Def ratio level of measurement
- data that can be recognized and ranked
- distance bx ranks specified
- true/ natural zero point identified
- highest, most precise level of data
Def zero point
There is a total absence of the quantity being measured
T/f - data can be converted to a higher level
F- data can be converted, but only to a lower level of measurement
What level of measurement would a researcher use of they were concerned with the precision of data
Interval
Or
Ratio
What level of measurement would a researcher if ranking or categorizing data is sufficient to answer the research questions or test the research hypothesis
Ordinal
Which level of measurement would a researcher use if categorizing the data is all that is needed
Nominal
What are the main considerations in determining the level of measurement for data (2)
- the level of measurement appropriate for the type of data that are being sought
- the degree of precision desired when it is possible to consider the data at more than one level
What are the 5 important questions of the data collection process
- who will collect the data
- when will the data be collected
- where will the data be collected
- what data will be collected
- how will the data be collected
Data collection methods are governed by…
- the research question
- hypothesis
- design of the study
- amt of knowledge available abt the variable interest
List the different types of collection data methods
Physiological measures Observation measures Self report questionnaires Interviews Attitude scales Psychological tests
What is the most frequently used data collection method
Quesitonaires
Def research instruments
Devices used to collect data
What is the benefit of using an already tested instrument
Helps connect the present study with the existing body of knowledge on the variables
What is the oldest and most well known sources of research instruments
MMY- mental measurement yearbooks
What criteria must an instrument have in order to be reviewed by the MMY
Must be commercially available
Be published in the English language
Be new, revised, or widely used since it last appeared in the MMY series
What factors help determine the size of the pilot study group
Time
Cost
Availability of person similar to the study subjects
What is practicality of an instrument
Cost and appropriateness for the study population
Def reliability of the instrument
Consistency and stability of the instrument
Presented as a correlation coefficient (-1-+1)
When isn’t risky to use an instrument
When it has a reliability of less than 0.7
Def stability of an instrument
Consistency of the instrument over time
Def equivalence reliability
Degree to which 2 forms of an instrument obtain the same results
Or
2 or more observers using a single instrument obtain the same results
Def alternate forms reliability/ parallel forms reliability
Comparisons of raters or observers using the same instrument
How is alternate forms reliability determined
By the degree to which 2 or more independant raters or observers are in agreement
Def internal consistency reliability
Aka scale homogeneity
Addresses the extent to which all items on an instrument measure the same variable
When is internal consistency reliability appropriate to use
When the instrument is examining one concept or construct at a time
Def validity
Ability to gather the data that it is intended to gather
How can validity be established
Through the use of a panel of experts
An examination of the existing literature on the topic
What are the 4 categories of validity
Face
Content
Criterion
Construct
Def face validity
When a preliminary shows that it is measuring what it is supposed to measure
Def content validity
The scope or range of items used to measure the variable
- are the number and type of items adequate to measure the concept or construct of interest?
What are the 3 methods to evaluating the content validity of an instrument
1- comparing the content of the instrument with the material available in the literature on the topic
2- use a panel of experts
3- test blue print design around the objectives for the content being taught and the level of knowledge that is expected
T/f - the exact degree of content validity can be developed?
False- actual degree of content validity is never established, but can be estimated
Def criterion validity
The extent to which an instrument corresponds to or is correlated with some criterion measure of the variable of interest
- assesses the ability of an instrument to determine subjects responses at the present time or predict subjects responses in the future
List the 2 types of criterion validity
Concurrent
Predictive
Def concurrent validity
Compares an instruments ability to obtain a measurement of subjects behavior that is comparable to some other criterion of that behavior
- does the instrument under consideration correlate with another instrument that measures the same behavior or responses?
Def predictive validity
Ability of an instrument to predict behavior or responses of subjects in the future
What validity is the the most difficult to measure
Content validity
Def content validity
The degree to which an instrument measures the construct it is supposed to measure
- measure font variable that is not directly observable
List the two methods to measure construct validity
Known groups procedure
Factor analysis
Def known groups procedure
Instrument under consideration is adminstered to 2 groups of ppl whose responses are expected to differ on the variable of interest
Def factor analysis
Used to identify clusters of related items on an instrument scale
Can measure one or several constructs
T/f - an instrument can be valid w/o being reliable
False- an instrument cannot be valid unless it is reliable
T/f- the reliability of an instrument tells nothing about the degree of validity of the instrument
True
Where can errors in data collection arise from?
Instrument inadequacies
Instrument administration biases
Environmental variations during the data collection process
Temporary subject characteristics during the data collection process
