QUantitative Research

Application

Submit: Measurement and Instruments for a Quantitative Research Plan

This assignment covers the content in Week 4 and Week 5 on measurement instruments. The Week 4 Application included only the Week 4 content and related assignment questions. This week’s Application provides a review of the Week 4 Application in addition to the Week 5 content and assignment questions.

To prepare for this Application:

From Week 4 Content

Review Chapter 7, “Measurement” in the course text Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Consider the research plan you are developing for the Final Project. What levels of measurement will be important for your study? Why? How will you ensure content validity, empirical validity, and construct validity for your study? If any of these types of validity do not apply to your plan, provide a rationale. How will you ensure reliability for the measurement in your study? Consider the strengths and limitations of the measurement instrument you have selected in terms of reliability and validity.

From Week 5 Content

Review Chapter 18, “Index Construction and Scaling Methods” (pp. 414–415, 422–431) in the course text Research Methods in the Social Sciences. What scale is appropriate for you to use for your plan? Why? How do you know your scale is reliable and valid? If you can’t find reliability and validity for your scale, how would you demonstrate that the scale is reliable and valid? What test is appropriate for your plan? Identify it as norm or criterion referenced. What population is used for the scale and test (see Week 5 Discussion)? Provide references to the literature to support your choices and rationales.

The assignment:

Craft a 7- to 9-page paper that includes the following: The levels of measurement that will be important for your study and why. How you will ensure content validity, empirical validity, and construct validity for your study. If any of these types of validity do not apply to your plan, provide a rationale. How you will ensure reliability for the measurement in your study. The strengths and limitations of the measurement instrument you have selected in terms of reliability and validity. Which scale is appropriate for you to use for your plan and why. A justification of how you know your scale is reliable and valid. If you can’t find reliability and validity for your scale, describe how you would demonstrate that the scale is reliable and valid. What test is appropriate for your plan, and whether it is norm or criterion referenced. What population is used for the scale and test (see Week 5 Discussion). At least 10 references to the literature to support your choices and rationales.