...Validity and Reliability instruments are tools researchers use to collect data. They are also known as “tests.” In reference to instruments, validity is about the instrument itself, that is, “Is the test measuring what it is supposed to measure?” Reliability means, “Are the results of the test consistent over time?” Reliability and validity are often used in testing conditions. In order to compare students’ learning or the quality of teaching programs, tests are categorized by their validity (does the instrument measure what it claims to be measuring) as well as by their reliability (the same results yesterday, today and tomorrow). Reliability refers to the uniformity or stability of the test scores and validity refers to the precision of the assumptions or interpretations made from the resulting test scores. Both of these characteristics are important. However, in order to have validity you must begin with reliability. Reliability is possible without validity. In other words, you can make inferences from data which is solid (reliable), but just because the data is solid it does not mean that the inferences will be valid. Just because students in the same situation score reasonably the same no matter the conditions, does not mean that the tests are testing their learning capacities. I would be looking for the name of the test which gave the standardized data, when it was normed and if there is a more recent version of the test. It is necessary to know something about the derivation...
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...Reliability and Validity Walter Boothe BSHS/382 April 23, 2012 Staci Lowe Reliability and Validity In human services, research and testing is conducted in order to provide the most effective program possible. Testing methods should have both reliability and validity. They should be both consistent and specific. This paper will discuss two types of reliability and two types of validity and provide examples of how each can be applied to human services research. Additionally, this paper will discuss methods of gathering data in human services, and why it is vital that these methods have reliability and validity. Reliability Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure. A test is considered reliable if we get the same result repeatedly (Cherry, 2010).Regardless of the reason for testing administering a test , in order for it to be reliable , the results should be approximately the same each time it is administered. Unfortunately, it is impossible to calculate reliability exactly, but it can be estimated in a number of different ways (Cherry, 2010). Two specific types of reliability are inter –rater reliability and internal consistency reliability. Inter –rater reliability is assessed by having two or more independent judges score the test (Cherry, 2010). The scores are compared to determine the consistency of the rater’s estimates. One way to test inter-rater reliability is to have each rater assign each test item a score (Cherry, 2010). Next, test administrators...
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...Y METHODS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH From Theory to Practice Marguerite G. Lodico, Dean T. Spaulding, Katherine H. Voegtle METHODS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH Y METHODS IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH From Theory to Practice Marguerite G. Lodico, Dean T. Spaulding, Katherine H. Voegtle Copyright © 2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741 www.josseybass.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this...
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...VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY For the statistical consultant working with social science researchers the estimation of reliability and validity is a task frequently encountered. Measurement issues differ in the social sciences in that they are related to the quantification of abstract, intangible and unobservable constructs. In many instances, then, the meaning of quantities is only inferred. Let us begin by a general description of the paradigm that we are dealing with. Most concepts in the behavioral sciences have meaning within the context of the theory that they are a part of. Each concept, thus, has an operational definition which is governed by the overarching theory. If a concept is involved in the testing of hypothesis to support the theory it has to be measured. So the first decision that the research is faced with is “how shall the concept be measured?” That is the type of measure. At a very broad level the type of measure can be observational, self-report, interview, etc. These types ultimately take shape of a more specific form like observation of ongoing activity, observing video-taped events, self-report measures like questionnaires that can be open-ended or close-ended, Likert-type scales, interviews that are structured, semi-structured or unstructured and open-ended or close-ended. Needless to say, each type of measure has specific types of issues that need to be addressed to make the measurement meaningful, accurate, and efficient. Another...
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...Validity and Reliability The principles of validity and reliability are fundamental cornerstones of the scientific method. Together, they are at the core of what is accepted as scientific proof, by scientist and philosopher alike. By following a few basic principles, any experimental design will stand up to rigorous questioning and skepticism. \ What is Reliability? The idea behind reliability is that any significant results must be more than a one-off finding and be inherently repeatable. Other researchers must be able to perform exactly the same experiment, under the same conditions and generate the same results. This will reinforce the findings and ensure that the wider scientific community will accept the hypothesis. Without this replication of statistically significant results, the experiment andresearch have not fulfilled all of the requirements of testability. This prerequisite is essential to a hypothesis establishing itself as an accepted scientific truth. For example, if you are performing a time critical experiment, you will be using some type of stopwatch. Generally, it is reasonable to assume that the instruments are reliable and will keep true and accurate time. However, diligent scientists take measurements many times, to minimize the chances of malfunction and maintain validity and reliability. At the other extreme, any experiment that uses human judgment is always going to come under question. For example, if observers rate certain aspects...
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...Reliability and Validity Carmen Kbeir BSHS/382 March 26, 2012 Edessa Jobli Reliability and Validity Researchers employ a wide range of data collection methods to obtain information. Some of these methods are quantitative, such as experiments. Others are qualitative, like field studies. Within each of these methods are specific procedures that lead the researcher to various outcomes. The tools, or instruments, used to measure observations or statistics throughout the process are very important. To understand how well the instruments work and the extent to which the outcomes will produce similar results in the future, researchers examine different types of validity and reliability. Reliability is the extent to which an instrument produces consistent results and the probability that others can achieve the same results when reproducing the study. There are several types of reliability, including alternate-form reliability, internal-consistency reliability, item-to-item or judge-to-judge reliability, and test-retest reliability (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008). Internal-consistency reliability measures the amount of correlation between items on a test (Darity, 2008). The average correlation between items is indicated by item-to-item reliability. These types of reliability let the researcher know how well the items on a test go together (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008). A questionnaire or survey is not of much use if the questions on them are completely...
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...are reliable and valid. The following paragraphs will explore reliability, and validity. This paper will also explore data collection methods and data collection instruments that are used in human services research, and managerial research. Types of Reliability Reliability is defined as “the quality or state of being reliable; specifically: the extent to which an experiment, test, or measuring procedure yields the same result on repeated trials” ("Reliability," 2011). There are five types of reliability: alternate-form, internal-consistency, item-to-item, judge-to-judge, and test-retest reliability. Alternate-form reliability is the degree of relatedness of different forms of the same test (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008). Internal-consistency reliability is how reliable the test is as a whole or how judges score (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008). Item-to-item reliability and judge-to-judge reliability are almost the same. Item-to-item reliability is the reliability of any single item on average and judge-to-judge is the reliability of any singe judge on average (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008). Finally test-retest reliability is the degree of stability of a measuring instrument or test (Rosnow & Rosenthal, 2008). All types of reliability are used in human services research. It is very important the researcher makes sure that the tests that he or she is using are reliable. For example the alternate-form reliability, if the researcher gave his or her participants a test that will...
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...Validity, Credibility & Reliability Alicia Struck XBCOM/275 April 17, 2014 Daniel Anderson Validity, Credibility & Reliability Validity, credibility and reliability are key to any kind of data or information being used. Claims and their sources both need to be credible. Where the data came from needs to be taken into account. Do they have a vested interest in the outcome or the understanding to interpret said information? Reliability Having information be reliable means the data is dependable, accurate and honest. An example could be finding reliable websites. It is possible for anyone to make a website. There are certain things to look for when making the decision if it is reliable. A person could check the extension such as .gov (government), .edu (educational) or .mil (military). These are most likely reliable since they have to be applied for and their use is controlled (Sanger). Credibility When something is credible it must be believed or trustworthy. Credible loans are a big issue these days. When someone close to me received a loan, a few years ago, she was fooled. I say this because she ended up paying the wrong company back almost four thousand dollars. Apparently the company was posing as the original company she borrowed from. She was gullible and ended up calling Homeland Security because of the situation (Credibility, 2007). Validity. To be based on truth ot having a foundation is when you find information valid. An example could be in medicine...
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...Validity is a measure of the effectiveness of a given approach. A selection process is valid if it helps you increase the chances of hiring the right person for the job. It is possible to evaluate hiring decisions in terms of such valued outcomes as high picking speed, low absenteeism, or a good safety record. A selection process is not valid on its own, but rather, relative to a specific purpose. For example, a test that effectively predicts the work quality of strawberry pickers may be useless in the selection of a capable crew foreman. A critical component of validity is reliability. Validity embodies not only what positive outcomes a selection approach may predict, but also how consistently(i.e., reliably) it does so. In this chapter we will (1) review ways of improving the consistency or reliability of the selection process; (2) discuss two methods for measuring validity; and (3) present two cases that illustrate these methods. First, however, let’s consider a legal issue that is closely connected to validity: employment discrimination. Avoiding Discrimination Charges Avoiding content errors Reducing rater inconsistency VALIDITY OF SELECTION METHODS Validity refers to the quality of a measure that exists when the measure assesses a construct. In the selection context, validity refers to the appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of the inferences made about applicants during the selection process. It is concerned with the issue of whether applicants will...
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...Reliability In the field of Human Services, especially in the creation of programs, projects and approach strategies, it is important to measure the reliability of approaches and results. The following approaches are more often than not used to test reliability and are therefore the embodiment 'types' of how reliable an approach or strategy tested with them is: 1. Test-retest reliability - The test-retest method estimates the reliability of the test and the results gathered from it by administering the test to the same group of people at least twice over a set period. The results are then correlated and with a high reliability mark, the tests are seen as reliable. 2. Alternate Forms - Two groups are given the test and their scores are correlated. They do not necessarily have to come from the same population (i.e. test in India & test in Bangladesh) as long as there is a certain relationship. The score correlation becomes the reliability guide. 3. Split Half reliability - In terms of tests, half the items relate to the other half and it is the correlation between them in the test results that matter (i.e. half of the test or interview is about health and welfare issues and the other is about the economic state of the interviewee). 4. Inter-rater Reliability - As in contests where there are multiple judges, tests, contests, experiments and research are tested and marked by a set of qualified people. Their average assessment is then seen as reliable...
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...Helen Christine Smith Communication Process Model Misunderstanding example 1 1. Who was the sender? My boss of 1 day 2. Who was the receiver? Myself 3. What was the message? “Working in accounting department has some draw backs. One of these draw backs is that the first week of January is very critical. We really need your contribution tomorrow” 4. What was the channel used to send the message? Email 5. What was the misunderstanding that occurred? I felt that his message was not necessary because I am well aware of the responsibilities of and the importance of being in the office to close the books. 6. How could the misunderstanding have been avoided? Since he was a new boss to me and we had not established a working relationship yet, I should have called him to inform him that I was ill and would not be in the office that day but would definitely be in the next morning. If I would have spoken to him it would have been easy for me to determine his tone instead of reading into the message the exact opposite of the point he was trying to make. In fact when I spoke to him the next day he informed me that he was considering me for his open position based on what my previous boss told him about me and that he wanted to make sure that I would be available to start training. The position will be filled at the beginning of Q2 and he wanted to make sure that I continued to work closely with his team so I can get the hands on training that I need...
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...Childhood Obesity Shelli Jamerson BSHS 361 October2, 2012 Dr. Marlene Zychowicz Childhood Obesity In today’s society about one in three American children and teens are over weight, or obese nearly tripled the rate since 1963. Unfortunately obesity in children is a root cause for illness such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels. In conjunction with physical diseases, there are psychological and emotional issues as well. Children who suffer from obesity are prone to low self –esteem, negative self-image, and depression. Adults who were obese as children are more prone to earlier death in childhood (American Heart Association 2012). The percentages of obese children in America are at staggering numbers: 31.9% white males and 29.5% white females. 30.8% black males and 39.2, black females, 40.8% Hispanic males, and 35.0% Hispanic females (Center for Disease Control 2012). In this paper I will discuss possible solutions. Is there something the schools can do, or are doing, and are there community organizations who try to combat this issue? Or are social service agencies providing any relief? Is there anything else that can be done to help obesity in children in todays’ society, and are there educational programs developed to help alleviate the issue? Schools/ Community Organizations and Social Service Agencies In many schools they have implemented a healthy lunch program to try to combat the issue of obesity in children. At Andre Agassi...
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...Reliability and Validity in Personality Testing 02-16-2015 Introduction Psychological tests are often used in the selection of projective personnel (Anastasia & Urbina, 1997). The idea is that by using the scientific approach to personality and emotional intelligence testing in hiring, the employers will be able to increase the number of successful employees (Beaz lll, 2013). “Personality refers to an individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits”, which in relationship to a person’s projected Emotional Intelligence (EI) may lead to matching the right person to the right job. Job proficiency tests are used to select candidates for employment and are the number one tool used to match the right person to the right position (ND.gov, 2015). However, there are quite a few complaints about the fairness of this process and due to many court cases challenging the validity of these tests, many organizations have chosen to drop the assessment. A plaintiff must establish adverse impact upon a protected group by the employment practice used, in order to force an employer to show content validity in terms of examined traits to be consistent with job relatedness. In a court case against Target, the court found that the questions relating to personality traits in terms of religion and sexual orientation did not have any bearing on the desired emotional stability of the projective employee who had applied for the security officer’s job (Schaffer & Smidt...
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...When conducting research for an essay or research the researcher must have evidence that supports their writing from sources that can back up their ideas. If I can’t seem to find something creditable, resourceful I will not use the source. A couple of courses back that most reliable sources for the internet are .Gov .Edu. .Org .Mil. Com. Something’s you should look out for who is the author of the website and if the author doesn’t have credentials then the source is not reliable. I like to look a gossip columns about celebrities most of the time what they are saying is not true. Know if they say reliable sources then I might think it may be true. If a website seems old, it's probably best to steer clear. One way to check - look for a "last updated" date on the page or site. If a site looks poorly designed and inexperienced, chances are it was created by amateurs. This means the source is not reliable. But be careful - just because a website is professionally designed doesn't mean it's reliable. Many sources of information come from people or organizations that have a special interest in the information being presented. This can cause the information to be biased in a way that persuades the reader to believe the information being presented and form an opinion that shows favor to the reader or organization. Some drug companies tell you about all the benefits of their medication but not the side effects of the drug I think that why drug companies have a lot of people are suing...
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...BodPod Reliability and Validity: Especially in Male and Female Athletes. A Literature Review Research in Exercise Science BODPOD INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND The BODPOD is a fairly new form of body fat estimation introduced to the health and fitness world. BODPOD is a shortened term for the formally named air-displacement plethysmography. This tool for body composition estimation is called a two-compartment model, similar to hydrostatic weighing. Hydrostatic weighing is another two-compartment model that was around and used before the BODPOD’s existence. (Fields, Hunter & Goran , 2000) Also called under water weighing, hydrostatic weighing remains the gold standard for accurate measurements of body fat percentages. This can be an intimidating form of measurement because subjects are forced to be submerged underwater and exhale as much air as possible. Some Studies show that the hydrostatic method is still a more trusted means of estimation of body fat percentages and body density, while others show that their results are often times very similar. (Fields, Wilson, Gladden, Hunter, Pascoe & Goran, 2001) It is called two compartment because is measures two things, Body fat percentages (BF%) and body density (Bd), as opposed to a four compartment model which takes fat, water, minerals, and protein into account. (Sardinha, Silva & Teixeira, 2003) The BODPOD is a much cheaper and...
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