Reference no: EM133535549

Homework: Tests and Measurements

Length: 8 to 10 pages.

Details about the project paper homework:

The main purpose of this research paper is to evaluate two measures of a construct and select the best one. This homework is designed to examine how well you can apply the knowledge you have acquired about basic principles of measurement to this task. Select a construct and two measures of that construct. You are required to receive approval on your tests and construct before proceeding.

The purpose of this paper is not solely to summarize this information. It is to present it in a way that enables you to reflect critically on two measures and their utility in practice. Papers that solely summarize the below information without engaging in critical reflection will be given lower grades.

Note that an in-depth reflection is required overall, so please make sure to critically reflect upon the information that you present (e.g., reliability, validity, implications of missing information, etc.).

You are expected to obtain information from a variety of sources, such as test manuals, journal articles, PSYC INFO and/or Google Scholar, books, and reference guides. These sources need to be appropriately cited using APA style (7th edition). I encourage a variety of article types, but you will want to have a large portion of your articles (at least half, possibly up to 75%) be empirical articles focused specifically on examining the validity and reliability of the tests.If you can locate a recent meta-analysis or review article on your construct and tests, that will be gold! Those article types provide a summary and comparison across many studies in a single citation.

Address the following sections and questions in your paper:

I. Definition and historical context of measure: What is your construct of interest and the two measures you will be comparing? Provide brief description of the construct as well as situate it within it's historical context. When was it developed? By whom, and for what initial purpose? Has the construct or purpose changed over time?

II. General Descriptive Information: What is the title of the test? Who is the author of the test? Who publishes the test and when was it published (include dates of manuals, norms, and supplementary materials)? How long does it take to administer the test? How much does it cost to purchase the test (cost of test, answer sheets, manual, scoring services, etc.)?

III. Purpose and Nature of the Test: What does the test measure (include scales)? What does the test predict? What population was the test designed for (e.g., age, type of person)? What is the nature of the test (e.g., behavioral observation, self-report, standardized or non-standardized, objective or subjective)? What is the format of the test (e.g., paper-and-pencil or computer, multiple choice or true/false)?

IV. Practical Evaluation: Is the test manual comprehensive (does it include information on how the test was constructed, reliability and validity, composition of norm groups; yes/no summary only- in depth information and reflection should be provided in the next section)? Is the test easy or difficult to administer? How clear are the administration guidelines? How clear are the scoring procedures? What qualifications and training does a test administrator need to have? Does the test have face validity?

V. Technical Evaluation: (This is about 50% of our paper) Is there a norm group? Who comprises the norm group? What types of norms are there (e.g., percentiles, standard scores)? How was the norm group selected? Are there subgroup norms (e.g., by age, gender, religion)? What is the estimate of the test's reliability? How was reliability determined? What is the evidence for the validity of the test? How was the evidence for validity gathered? What is the standard error of measurement? What are the confidence intervals? How do these differ across groups?

VI. Summary Comments: Give a summary statement of the design and content of each test, including with whom each test is designed to be used. Comment briefly on the adequacy of each test as a measure of what it was designed to measure. Based on the information previously provided in your paper, what do you see as being the strengths and weaknesses of each test? What further information and/or data are needed to improve the test and its uses? (Note: This is a summary. All key information - and no new information - should be provided here).

VII. Recommendation: What is your recommendation as to which test you should use? Is one test better to use with some populations than others? Does one test address limitations of the other - that is, might they be best used together? Give a strong rationale for your recommendation. You may wish to tie this section back to your scenario if applicable.