topic 5 - measurement and scales
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8/3/2019 Topic 5 - Measurement and Scales
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Learning Outcomes
• Define “conceptualisation” and
“operationalisation”;
• Explain the four types of scales used in
research;
• Prescribe the measures of quality used
and;
• Assess the sources of measurement
errors.
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Introduction
• The definition of concepts and the methods of
measuring the concepts will help the
researcher to determine the methods of
collecting and analysing data.
• The process of defining concepts is important
in a research so as to ensure that readers havethe same understanding as the researcher; this
will prevent any confusion or misunderstanding
by readers in interpreting the meaning of the
concept.
• Measurement of the variables is an integralpart of the research process.
• It is an important aspect of a research design.
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Conceptualisation• In a research, we use concepts that vary in levels of abstraction; from simple concepts such
as shoes, table, height, to the most abstract such as satisfaction, marketability, love and
stress.
• Conceptualisation is the mental process of making fuzzy and imprecise notions (mental
images-conceptions) into more specific and precise meanings to enable communication and
eventual agreement on the specific meanings of the terms or notions.
• We specify what we mean when we use a particular term.
• The process of conceptualisation will produce specification of the indicators of what we have
in mind on the concept we are studying.
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Conceptualisation
• For example, the concept of compassion may comprise different kinds of compassion. e.g.
there is compassion towards humans or animals.
• In addition, compassion may be an act or a feeling. It could also be seen in terms of
forgiveness or pity. The grouping of the concept is known as dimension.
• Thus, conceptualisation involves both specifying dimensions and identifying the various
indicators for each.
• The process of refining and specifying abstract concepts is called definition.
• By defining a concept, we get its meaning, which enables us to draw conclusions. The
concepts are specified using the following:
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Conceptualisation
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Operationalisation
•Once the concepts have been identified, the nextstep is the process of developing the specific
research procedures/operations that will result in
empirical observations representing those
concepts in the real world.
• The process of linking a conceptual definition to a
specific set of measurement techniques or procedures is called operationalisation.
• These are procedures to measure a concept
either through a collection of data from a survey
research or by conducting observation research.
The following example explains this (refer page
60).
• To be meaningful, the measurement must follow
rules that specify procedures of assigning
numbers to objects of reality.
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Variables• At the theoretical level, concepts and constructs are
used; whereas at the empirical level, the constructs are
transformed into variables.
• Thus, variables are the construct or property to be
studied.
• A variable consists of logical groupings or sets of
attributes/values.
• An attribute is the intensity or strength of attachment to
attitudes, beliefs and behaviours associated with a
concept. It is a characteristic or quality of a
concept/symbol to which numerals or values are
assigned.
• Two important characteristics of a variable are:
(a) Attributes composing the variable must be
exhaustive.
(b) Attributes composing a variable must be
mutually exclusive.
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Types of Variable
VARIABLE
InterveningModerating
Extraneous
Dependent Independent
Refer Page 61
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Measurement• The concepts used in a research are divided into
objects or properties..
• Objects are things of ordinary experience such as
shirts, hands, computers, shoes, books and papers.
Things that are not so obvious or not concrete such
as genes, nitrogen, attitudes, stocks and peer-group
pressure are also included as objects.
• Properties or attributes, on the other hand, are thecharacteristics of the objects.
• Indicants such as age, working experience and
number of reports done can be easily measured.
• However, properties such as an individual’s ability to
solve problems, motivation for success, politicalaffiliation and sympathetic feelings are more difficult
to measure.
• Since they cannot be measured directly, they have to
be measured by making inferences to the presence or
absence by observing some indicant or pointer measurement.
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Measurement
The accepted rules in using numbers to map the observation of the indicants include:
(a)Numbers ordered – One number is greater than, less than or equal to another number;
(b) Difference between numbers ordered – The difference between any pair of numbers is
greater than, less than or equal to the difference between any other pair of numbers; and
(c) The number series – has a unique origin indicated by the number zero.
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Level of Measurement
Levelof measureme
nt
Nominalmeasure(Scale)
Ordinalmeasure(Scale)
IntervalMeasure
(Scale)
RatioMeasure
(Scale)
Refer Page 63 – 67
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Rating Scales
RATINGSCALES
Category
Scale
Semantic
Differential
ScaleLikert Scale
Summated
Rating
DichotomousScale
CategoryScale
Refer Page 67 – 70
Numerical
Scale
Fixed or
Constant
Sum Scale
Staple Scale
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Ranking Scale
RankingScale
ComparativeScale
Paired
Comparison
Forced
Choice
Refer Page 71 – 72
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Measurement Quality
• Three major criteria are often used to determine the quality of a
measurement tool: reliability, validity and practicality.
• Reliability and validity are considered as the scientific criteria of
the measurement.
• Reliability can be assessed by posing the following questions
(Easterby-Smith, et al. 2002):
(a) Will the measures give the same results on other occasions?
(b) Will similar observations be reached by other observers?
(c) Is there transparency in how sense was made from the raw
data?
• Validity is concerned with truthfulness, that is, the matchbetween a construct, or the way the idea is conceptualised in a
conceptual definition and measures.
• Major threats to validity include history, maturation effects,
testing effects, instrument effects.
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Measurement Quality
• Practicality is concerned with the operational requirement of the
measurement process. The criterion of practicality involves the
aspects of economy, convenience and interpretability.
• To achieve a high degree of reliability and validity, one may
require high expenditure that may be beyond the budget for
research; thus there has to be some form of trade off between
the ideal measures and the budget.
• Data collection techniques are always dictated by budget
constraints and other economic factors.
• The measuring device should also be easy to administer; the
design of the instruments used should allow easy comprehension
and have complete and clear instructions.
• If the instrument is to be administered by people other than the
designer, then it must also be easy to interpret.
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Sources of Measurement Errors
SOURCES
Measureras anError
Source
Instrument as an
ErrorSource
Respondentas an Error
Source
Situational
Factors
Refer Page 75
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THE END
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Topic 6 – Survey Method and
Secondary Data