Reliability of Measurement Tools

Reliability of an instrument
is the degree of consistency with
which it measures the attribute it
is supposed to measure.
 Aspects of Reliability Assessed in Data Collection Tools
• Stability – refers to the extent to which the same results are obtained
on repeated administrations of the instrument.
- test-retest reliability (this is usually through the use of Pearson
Product Moment coefficient (r)]
• Internal Consistency – the degree to which the subparts of an
instrument are all measuring the same attribute or dimension, as a
measure of the instrument’s reliability - also mean homogeneity
- Split half reliability - items are divided into two comparable
halves for scoring, creating two separate scores for each subject.
- Cronbach’s alpha coefficient- a reliability index that estimates the
internal consistency or
homogeneity of a measure composed of several items or parts (Likert
Scale).
- Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) – a method of calculating an
internal consistency reliability coefficient for a scaled set of items when
the items are dichotomous (Yes/No).
 Aspects of Reliability to assess… contd.

n Equivalence – Measuring instruments exist in two or more

forms called equivalent, parallel, or alternative forms.
- two approaches:
a. When different observers/researchers are using
an instrument to measure the same
phenomena at the same time.
b. When two presumably parallel instruments are
administered to individuals at about the same
time.
4. Test Item Reliability - item analysis to see how each item
relates to every other item and to the instrument as a
whole.
VALIDITY OF Measuring Instruments

Validity refers to the degree to

which an instrument measures what it
is supposed to be measuring.
Validity Measure of Data Collection Instruments

 Face Validity – Most subjective

refers to whether the instrument looks as though
it is measuring the appropriate construct.
 Content Validity – the degree to which the items
in an instrument adequately represent the
universe of content.
Useful with questionnaires, and inventories.
Done through the use of a panel of experts.
Validity Measure of Data Collection
Instruments cont.
 Construct Validity – ability to measure an abstract
construct and the degree to which the instrument reflects
the theoretical components of the construct.
 Known groups method- a test can discriminate
between individuals that are known to have the trait
and those who do not.
 Convergent Validity – two measures believed to
reflect the same underlying phenomenon will yield
similar results or will correlate highly: two IQ tests
 Discriminant Validity: a construct can be differentiated
from others – the results of an intelligence test
should not correlate with gross motor skills