Fundamentals of Measurement in Applied Research
Published on 22. November 2004
Book
Hardback
576 pages
978-0-205-38066-4 (ISBN)
Description
This text introduces students to the common measurement tools used in Education and Social Science Research so that they can design, produce, and use new research. This text will show how users of research and assessment tools can become proficient in the production of new instruments and understand the skills necessary for constructing new measures. Details of how psychometric, developmental, and interpretive approaches to measurement are used in a multitude of social sciences are reviewed and supporting activities show how researchers use key measurement concepts. The book can be covered one chapter at a time in a formal measurement course or used as a supplementary text for a course on research design.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 185 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
1002 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-205-38066-4 (9780205380664)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Content
Each chapter concludes with "Suggested Readings and Web Sites," "Learning by Doing," and "Endnotes."
Preface.
1. The Role of Measurement in Research.
Understanding the Structure of Research.
Is a New Study Always Necessary?
Defining a Measurement Purpose.
Differentiating Measurement Concerns.
2. Integrity in the Research Enterprise.
Ethical Principles.
Is a Study Warranted?
Interacting With Participants.
Identifying Appropriate Measurement Tools.
Implementing a Study With Accuracy.
Reporting Results.
Disseminating Findings.
Questioning Personal Judgment.
Learning Ethics.
3. Assumptions of Psychometric Measurement.
Coordinating Theory and Measurement.
Strategies for Linking Indicants and Constructs.
Measurement Language.
Numerical Representations.
Exploring Relationships Among Indicants.
Distortions and Other Response Effects.
Comparing Assumptions.
4. Measuring Attitudes.
Scale Development Procedures.
Types of Scales.
Person Scaling.
Stimulus, Then Person Scaling.
Dilemmas for Single Item Scales.
Simultaneous Stimulus and Person Scaling.
Evaluating the Qualities of Indicants: Item Analysis.
Evaluating Relationships Among Indicants: Reliability.
Evaluating Relationships between Indicants and Concepts: Validity.
Attitudes as Beliefs, Opinions, or Values.
5. Measuring Personality.
Types of Personality Measures.
Nomothetic Measurement.
Ideal Qualities of Indicants.
Dimensions of Reliability.
Validity Considerations.
Impediments to Measuring Personality.
Characteristics of Personality.
6. Measuring Intelligence and Abilities.
What is Intelligence?
What is Ability?
Differentiating Ability and Skill.
Differentiating Ability and Intelligence.
Establishing a Theoretical Blueprint.
Common Item Formats.
Item Analysis Procedures.
Reliability.
Validity.
Measuring General Cognitive Functioning.
7. Measuring Competence and Skills.
What is Competence?
Are Intelligence and Competence Different Constructs?
What is a Skill?
Designing Skill-Focused Tools.
Establishing a Skill-Based Blueprint.
Procedures for test construction.
Reliability.
Validity.
Measuring Specific Cognitive Functioning.
8. Measuring Behavior and Physiological Reactions.
Measuring Behavior
Measuring Physiological Reactions
Measuring Actions and Reactions
9. Assumptions of Developmental Measurement.
Dimensions of Change.
Types of Change.
Measuring Change.
Measuring Development.
10. Representing Structure and Functioning.
Some Common Structural Features.
Common Structural Forms.
Dilemmas in Defining Structures.
Questioning the Overdependence on Judgments.
Measuring Judgments and Explanations.
Investigators' Skills.
Calibrating Tools.
Standardization.
Generalizability.
Representing Development.
11. Measuring Temporal Change.
Steps in Theory-Building.
Challenges of Measuring Temporal Change.
Different Forms of Temporal Change.
Calibrating Temporal Variables.
Standardizing Temporal Variables.
Making Generalizations.
Verifying Development.
12. Measuring Diversity in Human Functioning.
Individual Variation.
Diversity.
Interactive Measurement.
Normative Measurement.
Calibrating Tools.
Standardizing Tools.
Supporting Generalizations.
Coordinating Individual Variation and Diversity.
13. Assumptions About Interpretive Measurement.
Approaches to Interpretation.
Types of Interpretive Research.
Purposes of Interpretive Research.
Minimizing Bias.
Dependability and Credibility.
Confirmability.
Purposes for Interpretive Measurement.
14. Measuring Cycles of a Life's Course.
Purposes for Exploring Individual Lives.
Measuring Identity.
Measuring Interactions.
Measuring Lives in Socio-cultural Contexts.
Means of Text Production.
Calibrating Measures.
Dependable and Credible Evidence.
Confirming Generalizations.
The Story of a Life.
15. Measuring Group Structures and Functioning.
Assumptions About Groups.
Purposes for Measuring Groups.
Minimizing Bias in Describing Groups.
Dependability and Credibility in Inferences.
Confirming Classifications, Networks, and Structures.
Groups as Levels of Organization.
16. Measuring Micro- and Macro-Cultures.
Analysis of Text.
Measuring Cultural Rituals.
Collecting Artifacts.
Combining Sources of Evidence.
Studying Cultures as Social Organizations.
References.
Appendices.
Tables.
Preface.
1. The Role of Measurement in Research.
Understanding the Structure of Research.
Is a New Study Always Necessary?
Defining a Measurement Purpose.
Differentiating Measurement Concerns.
2. Integrity in the Research Enterprise.
Ethical Principles.
Is a Study Warranted?
Interacting With Participants.
Identifying Appropriate Measurement Tools.
Implementing a Study With Accuracy.
Reporting Results.
Disseminating Findings.
Questioning Personal Judgment.
Learning Ethics.
3. Assumptions of Psychometric Measurement.
Coordinating Theory and Measurement.
Strategies for Linking Indicants and Constructs.
Measurement Language.
Numerical Representations.
Exploring Relationships Among Indicants.
Distortions and Other Response Effects.
Comparing Assumptions.
4. Measuring Attitudes.
Scale Development Procedures.
Types of Scales.
Person Scaling.
Stimulus, Then Person Scaling.
Dilemmas for Single Item Scales.
Simultaneous Stimulus and Person Scaling.
Evaluating the Qualities of Indicants: Item Analysis.
Evaluating Relationships Among Indicants: Reliability.
Evaluating Relationships between Indicants and Concepts: Validity.
Attitudes as Beliefs, Opinions, or Values.
5. Measuring Personality.
Types of Personality Measures.
Nomothetic Measurement.
Ideal Qualities of Indicants.
Dimensions of Reliability.
Validity Considerations.
Impediments to Measuring Personality.
Characteristics of Personality.
6. Measuring Intelligence and Abilities.
What is Intelligence?
What is Ability?
Differentiating Ability and Skill.
Differentiating Ability and Intelligence.
Establishing a Theoretical Blueprint.
Common Item Formats.
Item Analysis Procedures.
Reliability.
Validity.
Measuring General Cognitive Functioning.
7. Measuring Competence and Skills.
What is Competence?
Are Intelligence and Competence Different Constructs?
What is a Skill?
Designing Skill-Focused Tools.
Establishing a Skill-Based Blueprint.
Procedures for test construction.
Reliability.
Validity.
Measuring Specific Cognitive Functioning.
8. Measuring Behavior and Physiological Reactions.
Measuring Behavior
Measuring Physiological Reactions
Measuring Actions and Reactions
9. Assumptions of Developmental Measurement.
Dimensions of Change.
Types of Change.
Measuring Change.
Measuring Development.
10. Representing Structure and Functioning.
Some Common Structural Features.
Common Structural Forms.
Dilemmas in Defining Structures.
Questioning the Overdependence on Judgments.
Measuring Judgments and Explanations.
Investigators' Skills.
Calibrating Tools.
Standardization.
Generalizability.
Representing Development.
11. Measuring Temporal Change.
Steps in Theory-Building.
Challenges of Measuring Temporal Change.
Different Forms of Temporal Change.
Calibrating Temporal Variables.
Standardizing Temporal Variables.
Making Generalizations.
Verifying Development.
12. Measuring Diversity in Human Functioning.
Individual Variation.
Diversity.
Interactive Measurement.
Normative Measurement.
Calibrating Tools.
Standardizing Tools.
Supporting Generalizations.
Coordinating Individual Variation and Diversity.
13. Assumptions About Interpretive Measurement.
Approaches to Interpretation.
Types of Interpretive Research.
Purposes of Interpretive Research.
Minimizing Bias.
Dependability and Credibility.
Confirmability.
Purposes for Interpretive Measurement.
14. Measuring Cycles of a Life's Course.
Purposes for Exploring Individual Lives.
Measuring Identity.
Measuring Interactions.
Measuring Lives in Socio-cultural Contexts.
Means of Text Production.
Calibrating Measures.
Dependable and Credible Evidence.
Confirming Generalizations.
The Story of a Life.
15. Measuring Group Structures and Functioning.
Assumptions About Groups.
Purposes for Measuring Groups.
Minimizing Bias in Describing Groups.
Dependability and Credibility in Inferences.
Confirming Classifications, Networks, and Structures.
Groups as Levels of Organization.
16. Measuring Micro- and Macro-Cultures.
Analysis of Text.
Measuring Cultural Rituals.
Collecting Artifacts.
Combining Sources of Evidence.
Studying Cultures as Social Organizations.
References.
Appendices.
Tables.