Week 6 – Module Topic inclusive of Sampling and Reliability Assignment

Week 6 – Module Topic inclusive of Sampling and Reliability Assignment

Week 6 – Module Topic inclusive of Sampling and Reliability

One valuable component of research includes data collection and the validity of your research information. Research is a serious initiative, think about what if your data, methodology or eventual outcome methods are not quite up to standard. Your sample sizes were not correct; your information was affected; you could disseminate the wrong information, thus affecting populations at large. We have an ethical responsibility to do the right thing for our perspective communities as well as our healthcare professionals. For those who choose to continue their studies at the doctoral level, research, it is methodology, its application to practice (for DNP candidates) and the generation of new knowledge (for Ph.D. candidates), will quickly discover the importance of mastering these skills or having access to available resources.

Chapter 8: Sampling

Let us explore the various types of sampling that will be involved in this module. Sampling is the process of selecting units (e.g., people, organizations) from a population of interest so that by studying the sample, we may somewhat generalize our results back to the population from which they were chosen. Please review chapter 8 in your Tappen class text.

Video: Sampling… What is sampling?

Article: Sampling in Research

http://www.indiana.edu/~educy520/sec5982/week_2/mugo02sampling.pdf

So how does one begin?

Population identification
Obtain a sampling frame
Look at a sampling frame specify (this can be done randomly or non-randomly)
Determine the sample size
Methods of sampling from a population

Simple random sampling. In this case, everyone is chosen entirely by chance, and each member of the population has an equal chance, or probability, of being selected. Please become familiar with the following concepts.

Systematic sampling.
Stratified sampling.
Clustered sampling.
Convenience sampling.
Quota sampling.
Judgment (or Purposive) Sampling.
Snowball sampling.
Chapter 9: Reliability

Class, when it comes to reliability and validity, these concepts are associated with the highest quality of measurement in your research endeavors. Chapter 9 has an emphasis on reliability, although there is mention of validity, much of this content is associated with your reading assignment in Chapter 10. However, since there is an overlap in these concepts, you will hear mention regarding the topic. I hope not to confuse anyone.

Please note that reliability is one of the most important qualities of a research tool. Think of reliability as an instrument of measure that determines the degree of consistency with which it measures the attribute for what it is supposed to measure. If a measuring tool is accurate, it is said to be reliable.

Estimation of reliability:

Stability – it is the extent to which the same results are obtained repeatedly during testing.
Test/Re-test method (p. 145).
Equivalence – shows the consistency of performance on different forms of the test; it is based on the correlation between performance on the different forms administered at the same time.
Inter rater method – this is estimated by having two or more trained observers watching the same event simultaneously and independently, then recording the relevant variable.
Intra rater method – scores are assessed by two tools by a single researcher, then the method is called the intra-rater method of calculating reliability.
Internal consistency – this shows the consistency of performance on the different pasts of items of the test taken at ta single setting.
Pilot study – it is the entire operation in a miniature version. It is a careful empirical checking of all phases of the study from the collection of data to their tabulation and analysis.
Summary Points:

Psychological researchers do not simply assume that their measures work. Instead, they conduct research to show that they work. If they cannot show that they work, they stop using them. You will see this while exploring the methodology section of your research.
There are two distinct criteria by which researchers evaluate their measures: reliability and validity. Reliability is consistency across time (test-retest reliability), across items (internal consistency), and across researchers (interrater reliability). Validity is the extent to which the scores represent the variable they are intended to.
Validity is a judgment based on various types of evidence. The relevant evidence includes the measure’s reliability, whether it covers the construct of interest, and whether the scores it produces are correlated with other variables they are expected to be correlated with and not correlated with variables that are conceptually distinct.
The reliability and validity of a measure are not established by any single study but by the pattern of results across multiple studies. The assessment of reliability and validity is an ongoing process.
Reference

Petty, R. E, Briñol, P., Loersch, C., & McCaslin, M. J. (2009). The need for cognition. In M. R. Leary & R. H. Hoyle (Eds.), Handbook of individual differences in social behaviour (pp. 318–329). New York, NY: Guilford Press

For additional clarification and supplemental resources, please access the following:

Video: Understanding Measurement Validity

Video: Reliability and Validity of Measurement

Article: Understanding Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol8/iss4/6/

Dr. Davis

ORDER NOW FOR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT: Week 6 – Module Topic inclusive of Sampling and Reliability Assignment

 

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.
Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.
One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.
I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.
Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.
In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.
Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).
Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.
APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).
Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.
I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.
Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.
As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.
It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.
LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.
Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.
Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?
Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.
Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.
Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.
If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.
I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.
As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.
Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:
Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.
Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.