Variables & Measurement🤓
A variable that varies in kind, not degree.
What is a categorical variable?
A characteristic that refers to the stability and consistency of an instrument.
What is reliability?
The most common measuring technique in social science research.
What is the Likert method?
This refers to a large target group from which a smaller group is selected for study, allowing inferences to be made about the larger population.
What are population and sample?
This the sampling strategy you are using in your research to ensure generalizability.
What is probability or representative sampling? Discuss as it relates to you.
A variable that varies in degree, not kind.
What is a continuous variable?
A characteristic that refers to whether a measuring instrument measures what it claims to measure.
What is validity?
A major collection of measurement tools used in psychology and social science.
What is the Mental Measurements Yearbook series?
A sampling strategy where each unit of the population has an equal chance of selection.
What is probability sampling?
This is the sampling strategy you're using to target participants with specific traits relevant to your research.
What is purposive or deliberate sampling? Discuss as it relates to you.
The process of using numbers to connect concepts to indicators when a continuum is involved.
What is measurement?
Different aspects of validity.
What is content validity, criterion-related validity, and construct validity?
These procedures can strongly affect data quality and survey response rates.
What is instrument administration?
A sampling strategy where the sample is drawn in a targeted way based on research needs.
What is purposive sampling?
You're using this method to analyze previously collected data for your research.
What is secondary analysis? Discuss as it relates to you.
Traits that are hidden and must be inferred from observable indicators.
What are latent traits?
Ways reliability can be measured.
What is consistency over time, and internal consistency when there are multiple items?
This ensures respondents are approached professionally, fully informed about the research purpose, confidentiality, and how their data will be used, improving cooperation and data quality.
What is informed consent?
Regardless of the sampling strategy, these three questions needs to be addressed in the research proposal (and report).
What are: how big will the sample be and why, how will it be chosen and why, and what claims will be made about its representativeness?
This is the measurement tool you're using to gather data through scaled responses in your research.
What is a Likert scale or other measurement tool? Discuss as it relates to you. Maybe some item examples?
Researchers have developed different measuring techniques.
What are equal appearing interval scale, cumulative scaling, and the method of summated ratings (Likert method)?
This refers to the variability in test scores caused by inconsistencies in measurement.
What is error variance?
These are the six main steps for constructing a measuring instrument.
What are defining the variable, selecting a measuring techniques, generating items, reviewing with a sample group, pre-testing, and item analysis?
This type of analysis involves re-analyzing previously collected data.
What is secondary analysis?
You're following this process to ensure participants understand the research purpose, confidentiality, and data usage.
What is informed consent? Discuss what you are doing specifically for your project if this relates to you.