Reliability and Validity in Research Flashcards
Reliability
- One of the central concepts in quantitative research
- Reliability means whether your data collection techniques and analytical procedures would reproduce consistent findings if they were repeated on another occasion or if they were replicated by another researcher
- Would a particular technique (or survey question) yield the same result each time?
Threats to Reliability
- Participant error – any factor which adversely alters the way in which a participant performs
- Participant bias – any factor which produces a false response
- Researcher error – any factor that alters researcher’s interpretation
- Researcher bias - any factor which induces bias in the researcher’s recording of responses
How to Improve Reliability - Test-Retest Method
• In numerous studies it is appropriate to make the same measurement more than once. If the results vary, it means your measurement method is unreliable
How to Improve Reliability - Split-Half Method
• Reliability is achieved when responses to the same questions divided into two randomly selected halves are about the same
How to Improve Reliability - Using Established Measures
• Use established measures used in previous research
How to Improve Reliability - Reliability of Research Workers
• Objectivity, free from biases, following the protocols precisely
Validity
A term describing a measure that accurately reflects the concept it is intended to measure
Internal Validity
Approximate truth about inferences regarding causal relationships (when causal relationships between two variables are demonstrated)
• why do we believe these two causal relationships exist
External Validity
The approximate ‘truth’ of generalizations drawn from a study.
• If we can generalize the findings to other relevant groups or settings (sampling techniques – if the sample is representative)
