Deck 10: Principles of Measurement

Question 1

Each multiple choice item on a final examination represents which level of measure?

A) Nominal.
B) Ordinal.
C) Interval/ratio.

Answer 1

Nominal.

Question 2

A researcher codes neighborhoods by zip code as follows:
i. 99201 = 1
ii. 99204 = 2
iii. 99207 = 3
iv. 99208 = 4
This coding represents what level of measure?

A) Nominal.
B) Ordinal.
C) Interval/ratio.

Answer 2

Nominal.

Question 3

Identify the level of measure represented by the response options to the following question:
What is your level of education?
1 = less than high school.
2 = high school completion or GED.
3 = some college.
4 = college degree.

A) Nominal.
B) Ordinal.
C) Interval/ratio.

Answer 3

Ordinal.

Question 4

A researcher codes blood glucose results as follows:
< 100 mg/dL = 1
100-140 mg/dL = 2
>140 mg/dL = 3
This coding represents what level of measure?

A) Nominal.
B) Ordinal.
C) Interval/ratio.

Question 5

Number of milligrams of medication is an example of what level of measure?

A) Nominal.
B) Ordinal.
C) Interval/ratio.

Question 6

Final scores on a multiple choice examination represent which level of measure?

A) Nominal.
B) Ordinal.
C) Interval/ratio.

Question 7

A visual analog scale yields what level of measure?

A) Ordinal.
B) Interval.
C) Ratio.

Question 8

Which of the following would provide the most sensitive measure of a concept such as pain intensity?

A) 7-point Likert-type scale.
B) 8-face graphic scale.
C) Visual analog scale.

Question 9

The term reliability is best understood as reflecting

A) appropriate use of a measure in a selected population.
B) consistency of measurement obtained with use of an identified instrument.
C) match between items on an instrument and the conceptual definition of the phenomenon being measured.

Question 10

Which of the following does not affect the reliability of measurement in a study?

A) Homogeneity of the obtained values for the measure.
B) Precision of the measure.
C) Systematic error.

Question 11

A researcher assessed an instrument's reliability by administering it to the same individuals on two occasions two weeks apart. This process is referred to as

A) intra-rater reliability.
B) internal consistency reliability.
C) test-retest reliability.

Question 12

Test-retest reliability assesses which type of reliability?

A) Equivalence.
B) Homogeneity.
C) Stability.

Question 13

Which of the following measures would be best suited for a 1-month test-retest reliability assessment?

A) Likert scale that measures attitude toward abortion.
B) Self-report scale that measures stress.
C) Test of basic research vocabulary among students taking a research course.

Question 14

Internal consistency reliability focuses on

A) clarity of wording.
B) consistency of understanding.
C) item sampling.

Question 15

Which type of reliability procedure is appropriate for observational data collection strategies?

A) Internal consistency reliability.
B) Intra-rater reliability.
C) Test-retest reliability.

Question 16

Which approach would be preferred for assessing the reliability of a self-report measure of mood state that is made up of 28 Likert scale items?

A) Cronbach's alpha.
B) Test-retest reliability.
C) Split-half reliability.

Question 17

Which type of reliability is described by Cronbach's alpha?

A) Equivalence.
B) Internal consistency.
C) Stability.

Question 18

Content validity focuses on an instrument's

A) completeness.
B) internal consistency.
C) sensitivity.

Question 19

A researcher compares patients' scores on a newly developed depression screening tool to nurses' ratings of a patient's mood state. This is an example of assessing

A) construct validity.
B) content validity.
C) criterion validity.

Question 20

A researcher is studying the effectiveness of two different anti-fungal medications on patients with toenail fungus. Study participants are randomized into two groups. A threat to validity with which the researcher will need to contend is

A) history.
B) maturation.
C) selection.

Question 21

Construct validity focuses on an instrument's

A) completeness.
B) conceptual accuracy.
C) sensitivity.

Question 22

A researcher could assess the construct validity of a depression screening tool by comparing

A) content of the tool's items with characteristics of depression that are identified in the literature.
B) performance of the tool with performance on an established depression screening scale.
C) scores of individuals who are and are not diagnosed with depression.

Question 23

Which type of validity would be most appropriate to assess for a scale designed to measure uncertainty in illness?

A) Construct validity.
B) Content validity.
C) Criterion validity.

Question 24

A researcher develops a scale to measure emotional stability and compare scores of 20 psychiatric patients and 20 surgical patients. This researcher is assessing

A) Construct validity.
B) Content validity.
C) Criterion validity.

Question 25

In qualitative research, reliability and validity are referred to as

A) transferability.
B) triangulation.
C) trustworthiness.

Question 26

Qualitative researchers translate the quantitative concept of generalizability to

A) reflexivity.
B) transferability.
C) trustworthiness.

Question 27

Which of the following is an exception to the general rule of thumb-collect data using the highest possible level of measurement?

A) When participants may not be able to accurately report the amount of a variable.
B) When participants provide the absolute amount of a variable (i.e., age or weight).
C) When participants provide too much information in response to a question.