This one is fundamental to securing valid results, as it sets the tone for the entire project. The research method you select needs to accurately reflect the type, format and depth of data you need to capture in order to suitably answer your questions.
Chances are the participant will get to this type of question and:. None of these potential outcomes are ideal, and all severely affect the validity of the overall results.
It sounds obvious, but the question type and wording itself truly steers the validity of quantitative research. As a rule, quantitative research is usually unmoderated, so if your questions are ambiguous or do not accurately reflect what you intend to ask, there is no opportunity to provide further explanation or for participants to ask questions.
Questions must be straightforward, free of jargon, and must mean the same thing to all who read it. Construct validity lays the ground for the construction of an initial concept notion, question, or hypothesis that determines the data to be collected.
Therefore, construct validity deals with determining the research instrument and what is intended to be measured. For example, to determine the anxiety level on different parameters the content validity helps to determine the role of every factor that contributes towards anxiety. The content validity category determines whether the research instrument is able to cover the content with respect to the variables and tests.
Face validity is a sub-set of content validity. In face validity, experts or academicians are subjected to the measuring instrument to determine the intended purpose of the questionnaire. Criterion validity helps to review the existing measuring instruments against other measurements.
This is to determine the extent to which different instruments measure the same variable. There are three sub-sets of criterion validity; convergent, divergent, and predictive. In the case of convergent , the results predict high correlation with the existing instrument i. The second subset is divergent , where the correlation with the measuring instrument is low. In such cases, the measuring instrument should be changed.
For example, if one of the instruments measures anxiety and the other instrument measures IQ level then there will be divergence. The entire research process should establish validity. This is important in order to ensure the capability of the instrument survey, interview, etc. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Sign in. Importance of determining validity in a research Traditionally, the establishment of instrument validity was limited to the sphere of quantitative research.
Construct validity and construction of an initial concept For example, the construct validity would determine whether the subject has high anxiety score in a survey. Further, it uses three different parameters to check validity: Homogeneity; research instrument measures one construct such as anxiety levels.
Convergence; the research instrument measures concepts which are similar to other instruments, in order to determine the convergence is results.
Theoretical evidence; when the findings are in sync with the theoretical evidence. Determining the required variable with content validity For example, to determine the anxiety level on different parameters the content validity helps to determine the role of every factor that contributes towards anxiety. Criterion validity in comparing different measuring instruments Criterion validity helps to review the existing measuring instruments against other measurements.
Internal validity is an estimate of the degree to which conclusions about causal relationships can be made based on the research design. Internal validity utilises three approaches content validity, criterion-related validity and construct validity to address the reasons for the outcome of the study. External validity is the extent the results of a study can be generalised to other populations, settings or situations; commonly applied to laboratory research studies.
This validity can usually be divided into population validity and ecological validity; essential elements in judging the strength of an experimental design. Skip to content. Previous Post:. This website uses cookies to improve your experience.
To produce valid generalizable results, clearly define the population you are researching e. Ensure that you have enough participants and that they are representative of the population. Reliability should be considered throughout the data collection process.
Plan your method carefully to make sure you carry out the same steps in the same way for each measurement.
This is especially important if multiple researchers are involved. For example, if you are conducting interviews or observations, clearly define how specific behaviours or responses will be counted, and make sure questions are phrased the same way each time.
When you collect your data, keep the circumstances as consistent as possible to reduce the influence of external factors that might create variation in the results. For example, in an experimental setup, make sure all participants are given the same information and tested under the same conditions.
Showing that you have taken them into account in planning your research and interpreting the results makes your work more credible and trustworthy.
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Generate your APA citations for free! APA Citation Generator. Reliability vs validity Reliability Validity What does it tell you? The extent to which the results can be reproduced when the research is repeated under the same conditions. The extent to which the results really measure what they are supposed to measure. How is it assessed? By checking the consistency of results across time, across different observers, and across parts of the test itself.
By checking how well the results correspond to established theories and other measures of the same concept. How do they relate? A valid measurement is generally reliable: if a test produces accurate results, they should be reproducible. You measure the temperature of a liquid sample several times under identical conditions. The thermometer displays the same temperature every time, so the results are reliable. A doctor uses a symptom questionnaire to diagnose a patient with a long-term medical condition.
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