This document discusses measurement in research and provides examples and guidelines. It covers topics such as selecting observable events, assigning numbers or symbols to represent aspects of events, applying mapping rules, and different levels of measurement including nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio scales. Reliability and validity are important criteria for good measurement. The document also discusses sampling methods like probability and non-probability designs as well as factors to consider for determining sample size.
IntroductionIntroduction
Measurement in researchconsists of
assigning numbers to empirical events in
compliance with a set of rules.
1)Selecting observable empirical events
2)Using numbers or symbols to represent
aspects of the events
3)Applying a mapping rule to connect the
observation to the symbol
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3.
Introduction (cont.)Introduction (cont.)
Example1:
To study people whom attend a computer
exhibition at PWTC where all of the
computer’s new models are on display. You
are interested in learning the male-to-female
ratio among visitors of the exhibition. You
observe those enter the exhibition area.
• Record male as ‘m’ and female as ‘f’ or
• Record male as ‘1’ and female as ‘2’.
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4.
Introduction (cont.)Introduction (cont.)
Example2:
To measure the opinion of people on
several new computer models. This can be
achieved by interviewing a sample of visitors
and assign their opinions to scales ranging
from Strongly Agree (1) … Neutral (3) … to
Strongly Disagree (5).
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5.
What is measured?Whatis measured?
Concepts used in research may be classified
as:
Objects
•Include the things of ordinary experience such
as people, automobiles, food etc.
Phenomena
•Things that are not concrete such as attitudes,
perception, opinion, satisfaction etc.
Properties
•Characteristics of the objects
6.
What is measured?(cont.)What is measured? (cont.)
• A person’s physical properties may be stated
in terms of weight, height, posture.
• Psychological properties include attitudes
and intelligence.
• Social properties include leadership, ability,
class affiliation or status.
7.
Rules of MeasurementRulesof Measurement
A rule is a guide that instructs us on what to do. An
example of a rule of measurement might be:
•Assign the numerals 1 through 7 to individuals
according to how productive they are. If the
individual is an unproductive worker with little
output, assign the numeral 1.
•If a study on office computer systems is not
concerned with a person’s depth of experience but
defines people as users or nonusers, a ‘1’ for
experience with the system and a ‘0’ for non
experience with the system can be used.
8.
Levels of MeasurementLevelsof Measurement
Variables can be further differentiated in terms of
the ‘level’ or nature of measurement that are
‘continuous’ or ‘discrete’ in their form.
Continuous variables
•Have an infinite number of values that flow along
a continuum.
•On a continuum, values can be divided and sub-
divided indefinitely in mathematical theory.
•Even a five-point scale could be divided into a
larger number of smaller units by sub-dividing
between each pair of points on the scale.
9.
Levels of MeasurementLevelsof Measurement
Discrete variables
• Have relatively fixed set of separate values or
variable attributes.
• Instead of a smooth continuum of values,
discrete variables contain distinct categories (eg.
Gender: Male and Female)
10.
Measurement LevelsMeasurement Levels
Continuousand discrete variables yield four levels
of measurement (degree of precision of
measurement).
The four levels of measurement are:
1.Nominal
2.Ordinal
3.Interval
4.Ratio
11.
Measurement LevelsMeasurement Levels
Discrete/
Categorical
(Frequency)
Continuum /
Continuous/
Scale
(Score)
Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio
Categories with no order.
Categories with some order.
Arranges objects according
to their magnitudes in units
of equal interval.
Arranges objects according
to their magnitudes in units
of equal interval & has a true
zero point.
12.
Nominal ScaleNominal Scale
•The simplest type of scale.
• A scale in which the numbers of letters assigned
to objects serve as labels for identification or
classification.
GENDER Males : 1
Females : 2
RACE Malays : 1
Chinese : 2
Indian : 3
13.
Ordinal ScaleOrdinal Scale
•A scale that arranges objects or alternatives
according to their magnitudes.
• A typical ordinal scale, example to rate services,
brands, and so on as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘fair’, or
‘poor’.
• We know ‘excellent’ is higher than ‘good’ but we
do not know by how much nor would we know
whether the gaps between ranks are the same
or different.
14.
Interval ScaleInterval Scale
•A scale that not only arranges objects according
to their magnitudes, but also distinguished this
ordered in units of equal interval.
• Example 1: Ratings of radio programs would
involve program evaluations using a five- or
seven-point scale.
• Hence, it would be possible not only to
determine which program was best liked,
second best liked, third best liked, etc. but also
the amount by which one program was more
liked than another.
15.
Interval Scale (cont.)IntervalScale (cont.)
• Example 2: If a temperature is 90 degree
Celsius, it cannot be said that it is twice as hot
as 45 degree Celsius.
• The reason for this is that 0 degree Celsius does
not represent the lack of temperature but a
relative point on the Celsius scale.
• Due to the lack of an absolute zero point, the
interval scale does not allow the conclusion that
90 is twice as great as the number 45, only that
the interval distance is two times greater.
16.
Ratio ScaleRatio Scale
•At the ratio level, it is possible to measure the
extent to which one variable exceeds another on
a particular dimension, and in addition, the scale
of measurement has a true zero point.
• Example: when measuring distance in meters,
zero means no distance at all. It is an absolute
and non-arbitrary zero point.
• When measuring money in currency values,
again zero means no money at all. The absolute
zero point is an important factor because such
scales also have exactly equal intervals between
the separate points on the scale.
17.
Criteria for goodmeasurementCriteria for good measurement
1. Reliability
The degree to which measures are free from
error and therefore yield consistent results.
The reliability of a measure indicates the
stability and consistency with which the
instrument measures the concept.
Example: imperfections in the measuring
process that affect the assignment of scores or
numbers in different ways each time a measure
is taken, such as a respondent who
misunderstands a question are the cause of
low reliability.
18.
Criteria for goodmeasurementCriteria for good measurement
2. Validity
Is a test of how well an instrument that is
concerned with whether we measure the right
concept.
There are two type of validity: Internal and
external validity.
Internal validity: concerned about issue of the
authenticity of the cause-and-effect
relationships
External validity: concerned about issue of the
generalizability to the external environment.
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Goodness of MeasuresGoodnessof Measures
1. Item Analysis
Test whether items in the instruments
should belong there. Steps:
1. Calculate Total Score
2. Divide respondents into high and
low score
3. Compute t-test for each item
4. Use only items that are significant
2. Reliability
Analysis
Is the measure without bias (error free)
and therefore consistent across time
and across items in the instrument?
i.e. is it stable and consistent?
3. Validity
Analysis
Is the instrument measuring the concept
it sets out to measure and not
something else?
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Goodness of MeasuresGoodnessof Measures
GOODNESS
OF DATA
Reliability
(Accuracy)
Validity
(Actuality)
Stability
Consistency
Test-retest
Parallel form
Interitem
consistency
Split-half
Logical
(content)
Criterion
related
Congruent
(construct)
Face
Predictive
Concurrent
Convergent
Discriminant
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ReliabilityReliability
Observed scores mayreflect true scores,Observed scores may reflect true scores,
but it may reflect other factors as well:but it may reflect other factors as well:
stable characteristics: two people having thestable characteristics: two people having the
same opinion may circle different responsessame opinion may circle different responses
transients personal factors such as moodtransients personal factors such as mood
situational factors, time pressure, timesituational factors, time pressure, time
variations in administration and mechanicalvariations in administration and mechanical
factorsfactors
Reliability: Stability and consistencyReliability: Stability and consistency
StabilityStability – over time, conditions, state of– over time, conditions, state of
respondentsrespondents
ConsistencyConsistency – Homogeneity of times; items can– Homogeneity of times; items can
measure the construct independentlymeasure the construct independently
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Reliability of MeasuresReliabilityof Measures
RELIABILITY
Stability Consistency
Test-retest Parallel form
Repeated
measures on
the same
respondent;
high correlation
– high reliability
Two comparable
sets of measures
for the same
construct; same
items, same
response format
but different
wording; Analysis -
correlation
Interitem Split-half
Consistency of
respondents’
answer to all the
items; high
correlation among
responses to the
items – Cronbach
α
Correlation
between two-
halves of a
measure;
correlation
between the
two halves
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ValidityValidity
Multiple indicators: -often used to capture aMultiple indicators: - often used to capture a
given construct e.g. attitude; togiven construct e.g. attitude; to
cover the domain of the constructcover the domain of the construct
robust - reduce random errorrobust - reduce random error
Cronbach alpha - measures intercorrelationCronbach alpha - measures intercorrelation
between indicators - they should be positivelybetween indicators - they should be positively
correlated but not perfectly correlatedcorrelated but not perfectly correlated
Construct ValidityConstruct Validity
Face validityFace validity
Convergent validity (Correlation to assess it)Convergent validity (Correlation to assess it)
Divergent validityDivergent validity
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Data Source: SamplingDataSource: Sampling
Two Central QuestionsTwo Central Questions
Do weDo we samplesample oror censuscensus??
If sample:If sample:
How to identifyHow to identify Who/whatWho/what to include into include in
the sample? - sampling designthe sample? - sampling design
HowHow manymany to include in the sample? -to include in the sample? -
sample sizesample size
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What is aGood Sample?What is a Good Sample?
RepresentativeRepresentative of the Populationof the Population
Estimates from sample areEstimates from sample are accurateaccurate
Estimates from sample areEstimates from sample are preciseprecise
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Steps in SamplingDesignSteps in Sampling Design
What is the relevantWhat is the relevant populationpopulation??
What are theWhat are the parametersparameters of interest?of interest?
What is theWhat is the sampling framesampling frame??
WhatWhat sizesize sample is needed?sample is needed?
What is theWhat is the typetype of sample?of sample?
How much will itHow much will it costcost??
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Types of SamplingTypesof Sampling
DesignDesign
Non-
probability
Design
Probability
Design
Convenience
Judgement
Quota
Snowball
Simple Random
Systematic
Stratified
Cluster
Simple Random
Stratified
Combination
Sampling
Design
One-stage design
Multistage design
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Choosing a SamplingChoosinga Sampling
DesignDesign
Is REPRESENTATIVENESS critical?
Area
samples
Only experts
have
information
Info from
special
interest
groups
QuotaJudgement
Quick,
unreliable
information
Relevant
information
about certain
groups
Convenience
Simple
random
Systematic
Cluster if not
enough RM
Double
samples
Equal sized subgroups?
Proportionate
stratified samples
Disproportionate
stratified samples
YES NO
Choose PROBABILITY design Choose NON-PROBABILITY design
NOYES
Generaliza
bility
Subgroup
Differences
Collect
localized
information
Information
about
subsets of
sample
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Sample Size: FactorsSampleSize: Factors
HomogeneityHomogeneity of sampling unitsof sampling units
ConfidenceConfidence levellevel
PrecisionPrecision
Analytical ProcedureAnalytical Procedure
Cost, Time and PersonnelCost, Time and Personnel
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Roscoe’s Rule ofThumbRoscoe’s Rule of Thumb
Larger than 30 and less than 500Larger than 30 and less than 500
appropriate for most researchappropriate for most research
A minimum of 30 for each sub samplesA minimum of 30 for each sub samples
Multivariate research: At least 10 timesMultivariate research: At least 10 times
the number of variablesthe number of variables
Simple Experiments with tight controlsSimple Experiments with tight controls
- samples as small as 10 to 20- samples as small as 10 to 20