topic 5 - measurement and scales

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



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



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.



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.



Level of Measurement

Levelof measureme

nt

Nominalmeasure(Scale)

Ordinalmeasure(Scale)

IntervalMeasure

(Scale)

RatioMeasure

(Scale)

Refer Page 63 – 67



Rating Scales

RATINGSCALES

Category

Scale

Semantic

Differential

ScaleLikert Scale

Summated

Rating

DichotomousScale

CategoryScale


Numerical

Scale

Fixed or

Constant

Sum Scale

Staple Scale



Ranking Scale

RankingScale

ComparativeScale

Paired

Comparison

Forced

Choice




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



THE END

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Topic 6 – Survey Method and

Secondary Data

topic 5 - measurement and scales

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