Exam 4: Measurement

Gender is a good example of an interval level of measurement.

The administration of a scale to a research participant while he or she is engaged in two tasks simultaneously allows us to measure concurrent validity.

Comparing a set of responses to depression and anxiety scales would allow one to determine whether which of these types of validity is present:

Detail the strengths and weaknesses of gathering each type of data. Is it easy to gather? Is it difficult to decipher? How well would it fit the research interests you could be pursuing?

Match the key term to its definition. -Conceptualization

Face validity is less difficult to discern than content validity.

Match the key term to its definition. -Operationalization

Match the key term to its definition. -Construct validity

Match the key term to its definition. -Concept

To reduce idiosyncratic variation in responses to individual questions, social work researchers use:

Match the key term to its definition. -Content validity

Match the key term to its definition. -Inter-Observer Reliability

Match the key term to its definition. -Test-Retest Reliability

Depression is an example of a concept with multiple dimensions.

Match the key term to its definition. -Concurrent validity

Interrater Reliability is a useful measurement tool when the researcher is interested in assessing the degree to which the ratings reflect the reality that was being measured.

Experienced researchers are capable of gathering data without any systematic or random error.

Low levels of internal consistency are better as they demonstrate that the scale has individual questions addressing all the areas of interest for the researcher.

Scales are used to lessen problems of idiosyncratic variation in responses to single question indicators.

Propose measures of student satisfaction at the nominal, ordinal, and interval and ratio levels. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these measurement approaches. Suggest procedures for establishing validity and reliability of all of your satisfaction measures. Explain your rationale for each procedure.