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MEASUREMENT OF CONCEPTS (CONTINUED):Scales and Indexes

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CRITERIA FOR GOOD MEASUREMENT:Convergent Validity >>
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Research Methods ­STA630
VU
Lesson 17
MEASUREMENT OF CONCEPTS (CONTINUED)
STATEMENTS:
No.
Statements
S. Agree Agree Undecided Disagree S. Disagree
I have a good opportunity for
1
advancement in my job
I feel very comfortable with my co-
2
workers
My pay is adequate to meet my necessary
3
expenses
My work gives me a sense of
4
accomplishment
5
My boss is impolite and cold
6
My job is a dead-end job
7
The company of my co-workers is boring
Pay at my level is less as compared to
8
other organizations
Most of the time I am frustrated with my
9
work
My boss praises good work and is
10
supportive
There is a chance of frequent promotions
11
in my job
My co-workers are a source of inspiration
12
for me
13 I receive reasonable annual increments
14 My work is very challenging to me
15 My boss is adept in his work
We have an unfair promotion policy in
16
our organization
Working style of my co-workers is
17
different from mine
18 The old-age benefits are quite adequate
19 Most of the time I do routine work
20 My boss does not delegate powers
Opportunity for promotion is some-what
21
limited here
My co-workers try to take credit of my
22
work
My pay is commensurate with my
23
qualification
52
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Research Methods ­STA630
VU
Scales and Indexes
Scales and indexes are often used interchangeably. Social researchers do not use a consistent
nomenclature to distinguish between the two.
A scale is a measure in which a researcher captures the intensity, direction, level, or potency of a
variable construct. It arranges responses or observations on a continuum or in series of categories. A
scale can use a single indicator or multiple indicators.
An index is a measure in which a researcher adds or combines several distinct indicators of a construct
into a single score. The composite scores is often a simple sum of the multiple indicators. Indexes are
often measured at the interval or ratio level.
Researchers sometimes combine thee features of scales and indexes in a single measure. This is
common when a researcher has a several indicators that are scales (i.e. that measure intensity or
direction). The researcher then adds these indicators together to yield a single score, thereby creating an
index.
Types of Scales
A scale refers to any series of items that are arranged progressively according to value or magnitude,
into which an item can be placed according to its quantification. In other words, a scale is a continuous
spectrum or series of categories.
It is traditional to classify scales of measurement on the basis of the mathematical comparisons that are
allowable with these scales. Four types of scales are nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.
Nominal Scale
A nominal scale is the one in which the numbers or letters assigned to objects serve as labels for
identification or classification. This measurement scale is the simplest type. With nominal data, we are
collecting information on a variable that naturally or by design can be grouped into two or more
categories that are mutually exclusive, and collectively exhaustive.
Nominal scales are the least powerful of the four scales. They suggest no order or distance relationship
and have no arithmetic origin. Nevertheless, if no other scale can be used, one can almost always one
set of properties into a set of equivalent classes.
Ordinal Scale
Ordinal scales include the characteristics of the nominal scale plus an indicator of order. If a is greater
than b and b is greater than c, then a is greater than c. The use of ordinal scale implies a statement of
"greater than" or "less than" without stating how much greater or less. Other descriptors can be:
"superior to," "happier than," "poorer than," or "above."
Interval Scale
Interval scales have the power of nominal and ordinal scales plus one additional strength: they
incorporate the concept of equality of interval (the distance between 1 and 2 equals the distance between
2 and 3). For example, the elapsed time between 3 and 6 A. M. equals the time between 4 and 7 A. M.
One cannot say, however, 6 A.M. is twice as late as 3 A.M. because "zero time" is an arbitrary origin.
In the consumer price index, if the base year is 1983, the price level during 1983 will be set arbitrarily as
100. Although this is an equal interval measurement scale, the zero point is arbitrary.
53
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Research Methods ­STA630
VU
Ratio Scale
Ratio scales incorporate all thee powers of the previous scales plus the provision for absolute zero or
origin. Ratio data represent the actual amounts of variable. Measures of physical dimensions such as
weight, height, distance, and area are the examples. The absolute zero represents a point on the scale
where there is an absence of the given attribute. If we hear that a person has zero amount of money, we
understand the zero value of the amount.
54
Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION, DEFINITION & VALUE OF RESEARCH
  2. SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF RESEARCH & ITS SPECIAL FEATURES
  3. CLASSIFICATION OF RESEARCH:Goals of Exploratory Research
  4. THEORY AND RESEARCH:Concepts, Propositions, Role of Theory
  5. CONCEPTS:Concepts are an Abstraction of Reality, Sources of Concepts
  6. VARIABLES AND TYPES OF VARIABLES:Moderating Variables
  7. HYPOTHESIS TESTING & CHARACTERISTICS:Correlational hypotheses
  8. REVIEW OF LITERATURE:Where to find the Research Literature
  9. CONDUCTING A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW:Write the Review
  10. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK:Make an inventory of variables
  11. PROBLEM DEFINITION AND RESEARCH PROPOSAL:Problem Definition
  12. THE RESEARCH PROCESS:Broad Problem Area, Theoretical Framework
  13. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH:Ethical Treatment of Participants
  14. ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH (Cont):Debriefing, Rights to Privacy
  15. MEASUREMENT OF CONCEPTS:Conceptualization
  16. MEASUREMENT OF CONCEPTS (CONTINUED):Operationalization
  17. MEASUREMENT OF CONCEPTS (CONTINUED):Scales and Indexes
  18. CRITERIA FOR GOOD MEASUREMENT:Convergent Validity
  19. RESEARCH DESIGN:Purpose of the Study, Steps in Conducting a Survey
  20. SURVEY RESEARCH:CHOOSING A COMMUNICATION MEDIA
  21. INTERCEPT INTERVIEWS IN MALLS AND OTHER HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS
  22. SELF ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES (CONTINUED):Interesting Questions
  23. TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION:Guidelines for Questionnaire Design
  24. PILOT TESTING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE:Discovering errors in the instrument
  25. INTERVIEWING:The Role of the Interviewer, Terminating the Interview
  26. SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TERMINOLOGY:Saves Cost, Labor, and Time
  27. PROBABILITY AND NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING:Convenience Sampling
  28. TYPES OF PROBABILITY SAMPLING:Systematic Random Sample
  29. DATA ANALYSIS:Information, Editing, Editing for Consistency
  30. DATA TRANSFROMATION:Indexes and Scales, Scoring and Score Index
  31. DATA PRESENTATION:Bivariate Tables, Constructing Percentage Tables
  32. THE PARTS OF THE TABLE:Reading a percentage Table
  33. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH:The Language of Experiments
  34. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH (Cont.):True Experimental Designs
  35. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH (Cont.):Validity in Experiments
  36. NON-REACTIVE RESEARCH:Recording and Documentation
  37. USE OF SECONDARY DATA:Advantages, Disadvantages, Secondary Survey Data
  38. OBSERVATION STUDIES/FIELD RESEARCH:Logic of Field Research
  39. OBSERVATION STUDIES (Contd.):Ethical Dilemmas of Field research
  40. HISTORICAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH:Similarities to Field Research
  41. HISTORICAL-COMPARATIVE RESEARCH (Contd.):Locating Evidence
  42. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION:The Purpose of FGD, Formal Focus Groups
  43. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION (Contd.):Uses of Focus Group Discussions
  44. REPORT WRITING:Conclusions and recommendations, Appended Parts
  45. REFERENCING:Book by a single author, Edited book, Doctoral Dissertation