1. Chapter 2 Theoretical statement:
Two concepts are theorized to be associated; this is the beginning of the research methods process
We must agree about the concepts (their definitions) and how they are associated (what will be observed and measured). This process is called explication

2. Explication
Explication is the process of attaching both meaning and measurement to an abstraction.
Conceptualization is the process of attaching meaning to the abstract concept
Operationalization is the process of attaching concrete measurement to the conceptual definition (variable)

3. Operational Definition
A set of processes and procedures that allow for empirical observation
Can be broken into two types:
Qualitative observations
Quantitative observations

4. Observation Observation implies a measurement of some kind
Variables are the aspects of a concept that will be observed and measured

5. Validity
Validity is a judgment that we agree upon regarding the degree of accuracy of a definition
The validity of a definition is the degree to which the definition accurately represents the concept (conceptual definition) or variable (operational definition)

6. Types of Validity Validity of measurement Validity of a test
Methodological validity

7. Validity of Measurement
Meaning analysis: the process of attaching meaning to concepts
Face validity
Content validity
Empirical analysis: how well our procedures (operational definition) accurately observe what we want to measure
Construct validity

8. Construct Validity
The degree to which our operational definitions accurately reflect the concepts they were designed to measure
Four levels of assessing:
Hypothesis testing
Discriminant validity
Convergent validity
Multi-trait/multi-method validity

9. Construct Validity
Hypothesis testing validity: the extent to which previous studies have successfully used the operational definitions in testing their hypotheses

10. Construct Validity Hypothesis testing validity
Discriminant validity: the ability to differentiate, with measures, the differences between similar concepts

11. Construct Validity Hypothesis testing validity Discriminant validity
Convergent validity: the extent that using different methods to explicate a concept or relationship produces similar results

12. Construct Validity Hypothesis testing validity Discriminant validity
Convergent validity
Multi-trait/multi-method validity: the process of assessing the levels of construct validity across time and studies

13. Validity of a Test
Pragmatic (criterion) validity: the process of creating a test or assessment tool to measure and predict
Concurrent validity: the ability of a test to measure a quality known to be in a group
Predictive validity: the ability of a test to forecast the development of a certain quality in a group

14. Reliability Reliability and validity are related
An operational definition may not be valid if it is reliable
However, an operational definition must be reliable to be valid

15. Reliability Stability (over time) Equivalence (of form or coders)
The consistency of an operational definition (the set of procedures agreed upon for observing some phenomenon)
Stability (over time)
Equivalence (of form or coders)
Internal consistency of indices (homogeneity of an index)

16. Reliability
Stability reliability: a test−retest reliability where we have a reliable measure to the extent that the instrument yields similar results over time

17. Reliability Stability reliability
Equivalence reliability: the degree of agreement among different instruments designed to measure the same phenomena whether by forms or coders

18. Reliability Stability reliability Equivalence reliability
Internal consistency: procedures that assess how well a set of items mathematically “go together” to allow them to be combined into a single measure

19. Measurement
The terms measurement and observation are used interchangeably
Empirical: another way to say observable or able to be experienced

20. Measurement Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio
Measurement is the set of procedures experts agree upon in observing a phenomenon
Four types of measurement
Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio

21. Measurement Exhaustive: there must be a category for every observation
Nominal: labels are used to differentiate categories
The categories must be:
Exhaustive: there must be a category for every observation
Mutually exclusive: there is only one category for every observation

22. Measurement
Nominal
Ordinal: categories that can be ranked along some continuum

23. Measurement Nominal Ordinal
Interval: equal distance between categories (numbers)
Likert scales

24. Measurement Nominal Ordinal Interval
Ratio: rankable categories that are equal distant from one another and have a true zero point; ratios can be calculated