Question 1

The nurse researcher notes that test-retest correlations were r = 0.79 when given over 4-week intervals. This is interpreted to indicate what?
A) Equivalence
B) Discriminability
C) Reliability
D) Homogeneity

Accepted Answer

The test-retest correlation coefficient (r = 0.79) indicates the consistency of the test results over time, which is a measure of reliability. A high correlation suggests that the test produces stable and consistent results across different administrations.

Question 2

Which measures used to test reliability are specific for homogeneity? (Select all that apply.)
A) Test-retest reliability
B) Item-to-total correlation
C) Parallel or alternate form
D) Split-half reliability
E) Kuder-Richardson coefficient
F) Cronbach's alpha
G) Interrater reliability

Accepted Answer

Homogeneity refers to the extent to which items on a test measure the same construct or trait. Measures specific for testing homogeneity include B) Item-to-total correlation, which assesses how well each item correlates with the total score; D) Split-half reliability, which involves dividing the test into two halves and correlating the scores; E) Kuder-Richardson coefficient, specifically KR-20, which is used for dichotomous items; and F) Cronbach's alpha, which is used for tests with items on a continuous scale and assesses internal consistency.

Question 3

In testing an instrument consisting of 25 items for homogeneity using the "item-to-total" correlation, 8 items were found to have a low correlation to the total. The nurse researcher interprets this information to mean that the researcher should do what?
A) Use the instrument without changes.
B) Use the instrument only with a multitrait-multimethod approach.
C) Retain the 8 items with low correlation and delete the other 17 items.
D) Delete the 8 items with low correlation and retain the other 17 items.

Accepted Answer

In the context of testing an instrument for homogeneity using the "item-to-total" correlation, items that show a low correlation with the total score are typically considered not to align well with the overall construct being measured. Therefore, deleting these items can improve the instrument's internal consistency and focus, making the remaining items more representative of the construct.

Question 4

Which measures used to test reliability are specific for equivalence? (Select all that apply.)
A) Test-retest reliability
B) Item-to-total correlation
C) Parallel or alternate form
D) Split-half reliability
E) Kuder-Richardson coefficient
F) Cronbach's alpha
G) Interrater reliability

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which measures used to test reliability are...

Question 5

The nurse researcher notes that the initial test for reliability of an instrument has been conducted on a sample that has different characteristics from those of the current study sample. The researcher should do what?
A) Conduct a pilot study on the current sample to determine whether reliability is maintained.
B) Use the instrument with the current sample because reliability holds across samples.
C) Use the Kuder-Richardson formula to recalculate the reliability coefficient.
D) Discard or reject the instrument.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The nurse researcher notes that the initial...

Question 6

When validity of an instrument is determined, the nurse researcher assesses what? (Select all that apply.)
A) Stability
B) Variance
C) Accuracy
D) Precision

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to how accurately an instrument measures what it is supposed to measure. Accuracy is directly related to validity as it indicates how close the measured values are to the actual (true) values. Precision, while often related to reliability, in the context of validity, refers to the consistency of the measurement, which indirectly affects how accurately the instrument can measure the intended variable. Stability and variance are more directly related to reliability than to validity. Stability refers to the consistency of measurements over time, and variance refers to the spread of scores, which can affect reliability but is not a direct measure of validity.

Question 7

A newly developed instrument is found to have a Cronbach's alpha of 0.82. The nurse researcher interprets this to mean what?
A) The instrument has no internal consistency.
B) The instrument has a low degree of internal consistency.
C) The instrument has a moderate degree of internal consistency.
D) The instrument has a relatively high degree of internal consistency.

Accepted Answer

Cronbach's alpha is a measure of internal consistency, where values range from 0 to 1. A value of 0.82 indicates a relatively high degree of internal consistency, suggesting that the items within the instrument are measuring the same underlying concept.

Question 8

A nurse researcher would want to use a Cronbach's alpha coefficient to establish the internal consistency of an instrument in which case?
A) When questions are open-ended
B) When questions/statements demand a yes or no response
C) When the instrument uses a Likert-type response scale
D) When the instrument is designed to measure more than one concept

Accepted Answer

Cronbach's alpha is a measure of internal consistency, meaning how closely related a set of items are as a group. It is most appropriate for scales with multiple Likert-type items where respondents rate their level of agreement or disagreement on a consistent scale, as it assesses the coherence of the items in capturing the underlying construct.

Question 9

How should the nurse researcher describe variability in test scores attributed to error rather than to actual differences in behavior? (Select all that apply.)
A) Random error
B) Variance error
C) Persistent error
D) Systematic error

Accepted Answer

Random error and systematic error both describe variability in test scores due to error rather than actual differences in behavior. Random error refers to the unpredictable and unsystematic variation that can occur in any measurement process, while systematic error refers to a consistent, predictable error that occurs the same way each time a measurement is made.

Question 10

Which type of reliability exists when consistency of observation, measured by a correlation coefficient, is noted between two or more research assistants who record their observations of an event at the same time?
A) Internal consistency
B) Parallel forms
C) Test-retest
D) Interrater

Accepted Answer

Interrater reliability refers to the consistency or agreement of observations made by two or more raters or observers. In the given scenario, research assistants are recording their observations of an event at the same time, and the consistency of their observations is measured by a correlation coefficient. This is an example of interrater reliability, as it is assessing the consistency between different raters. The other options listed are different types of reliability, but they are not relevant to the scenario described. Internal consistency refers to the degree of consistency between different items or questions within the same measure. Parallel forms reliability refers to the degree of consistency between different versions of a measure. Test-retest reliability refers to the consistency of scores on a measure over time.

Question 11

A group of researchers developing an instrument performed a test-retest on the instrument with an interval of 5 days. This testing resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.38. The nurse researcher interprets this as being indicative of what?
A) Instrument is stable; high reliability
B) Instrument is stable; low reliability
C) Instrument is unstable; high reliability
D) Instrument is unstable; low reliability

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient of 0.38 is relatively low, indicating that the instrument is not producing consistent results over time (i.e., it is unstable). This suggests low reliability.

Question 12

Testing of a new instrument demonstrates that it has a high degree of internal consistency. What does this indicate to the nurse researcher?
A) The instrument is appropriate to use to measure a single concept.
B) The instrument has low measurement error and high error variance.
C) More refinement of the instrument is necessary before it can be applied.
D) The instrument is valid, but the reliability has yet to be determined.

Accepted Answer

When a new instrument demonstrates a high degree of internal consistency, it indicates that the different items or questions on the instrument are measuring the same underlying concept consistently. This means that the instrument is appropriate to use to measure a single concept or construct. Internal consistency is a measure of the extent to which different items on an instrument are related to each other, and is usually assessed using Cronbach's alpha or a similar statistic. A high degree of internal consistency indicates that the items are measuring the same thing, which is an important aspect of construct validity. It does not necessarily mean that the instrument has low measurement error or high error variance, or that more refinement is necessary, although these issues may need to be addressed separately. Reliability is a related but distinct concept from internal consistency, and refers to the consistency of measurement over time or across different raters.

Quiz 15: Reliability and Validity

The nurse researcher notes that test-retest correlations were r = 0.79 when given over 4-week intervals. This is interpreted to indicate what?

Which measures used to test reliability are specific for homogeneity? (Select all that apply.)

In testing an instrument consisting of 25 items for homogeneity using the "item-to-total" correlation, 8 items were found to have a low correlation to the total. The nurse researcher interprets this information to mean that the researcher should do what?

Which measures used to test reliability are specific for equivalence? (Select all that apply.)

The nurse researcher notes that the initial test for reliability of an instrument has been conducted on a sample that has different characteristics from those of the current study sample. The researcher should do what?

When validity of an instrument is determined, the nurse researcher assesses what? (Select all that apply.)

A newly developed instrument is found to have a Cronbach's alpha of 0.82. The nurse researcher interprets this to mean what?

A nurse researcher would want to use a Cronbach's alpha coefficient to establish the internal consistency of an instrument in which case?

How should the nurse researcher describe variability in test scores attributed to error rather than to actual differences in behavior? (Select all that apply.)

Which type of reliability exists when consistency of observation, measured by a correlation coefficient, is noted between two or more research assistants who record their observations of an event at the same time?

A group of researchers developing an instrument performed a test-retest on the instrument with an interval of 5 days. This testing resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.38. The nurse researcher interprets this as being indicative of what?

Testing of a new instrument demonstrates that it has a high degree of internal consistency. What does this indicate to the nurse researcher?