As a social science researcher, you must become familiar and comfortable with the tests and scales others in your discipline choose to measure data. Sometimes critiquing the measurement methods of a study can help clarify how you yourself might employ these measurement instruments. In this Discussion, you will find an example of a test and a scale used in your discipline's literature, analyze its use in the study, and analyze the relationships among these instruments, populations, and the concepts of reliability and validity.
To prepare for this Discussion:
-
Search your discipline's literature for an example of a test and an example of a scale. For each example, determine the typical population and the reliability and validity.
-
What considerations need to be made to ensure that the scale and test examples are reliable and valid for another population?
-
With these thoughts in mind:
Write 2- or 3-paragraph analysis of the relationships among tests and scales, populations, and reliability and validity. Additionally, post 1 or 2 paragraphs describing the test and scale examples from your discipline, including the populations, the reliability and validity of each test, and whether the test and scale could be applied to another population.