GED4911

Research methods: scale construction and analysis

Not offered in 1999

Dr P L Gardner

12 points - 3 hours per week - Second semester - Clayton

Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have developed competence in writing, editing and scoring items for use in psychometric scales, especially those designed to measure attitudes and interests; understanding theoretical psychometric concepts (eg reliability, validity, item discrimination, internal consistency, unidimensionality) and the statistical procedures used to investigate these attributes; and conducting a small-scale project which demonstrates scale construction competence together with the ability to evaluate literature critically.

Synopsis In this subject, students are expected to develop understanding of the theory and practice of psychometrics. The focus of this subject will be primarily on the measurement of people's attitudes and interests, although the principles apply equally well to other areas, such as the measurement of personality characteristics or the evaluation of classroom environments. Students may enrol for this subject at either masters or doctoral level. Student enrolled for doctoral level work are expected to complete the same assignments as masters students, but at a high level of achievement, and will also be required to complete the final of three assignments as a project of greater scope and depth in a manner which demonstrates high level competence in psychometric theory, scale construction, data analysis and critical reviewing of the literature.

Assessment (Masters students): Five homework exercises: totalling 10% - Three assignments: 30% each - (Doctoral students): Five homework exercises: totalling 10% - Two assignments: 20% each - Project report (4000 words): 50%

Prescribed text for doctoral students

DeVellis R F Scale development: Theory and applications Sage Publications, 1991

Back to the 1999 Education Handbook