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.

Question

Quizplus · 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.

In Testing an Instrument Consisting of 25 Items for Homogeneity