MEASUREMENT

Research

January Gelera, RPh, MD

 CONTENT

Measurement

Measurement scales

Sources of error

Characteristics of good measurement.

 NATURE OF MEASUREMENT

Measurement - the process of applying numbers to objects

according to set of rule Cooper & Schindler, 2012
Example

Height - meters/feet
NATURE OF MEASUREMENT
Measurement in research consists of assigning numbers to empirical
events, objects or properties, or activities in compliance with a set of
rules.

This definition implies that measurement is a three-part process:

1. Selecting observable empirical events.

2. Developing a set of mapping rules: a scheme for assigning

numbers or symbols to represent aspects of the event being
measured.

3. Applying the mapping rule(s) to each observation of that

event.
EXAMPLE: AUTO SHOW (PROTOTYPES OF NEW
MODELS ARE ON DISPLAY)

You are interested in learning the male-to-female ratio among

attendees. You observe those who enter the show area.
“numbers as symbols within a mapping rule”
 MEASUREMENT SCALES

Levels of measurement or measurement scale means

different ways a data can be measured.
 MEASUREMENT SCALES
Four widely used classifications of measurement
scales:
NOMINAL SCALE

Assign numbers to objects where different numbers

indicate different objects

The numbers are merely descriptions and have no sense

of order or real meaning.
NOMINAL SCALE
Example 1: Gender in
research

M-1

F-2
NOMINAL SCALE

Example 2: Jersey number of

baseball players.

numbers are assigned to

differentiate between players

The numbers given have no

real meaning other than
differentiate between players.
ORDINAL SCALE

Unlike nominal scales, ordinal scales have meaningful

order but the interval between values in the scale may
not be equal and cannot be measured.

Examples of ordinal variables are rank, satisfaction,

spiciness of food, etc.
ORDINAL SCALE
Example 1
ORDINAL SCALE
Example 2
INTERVAL SCALE

Numbers here have order just like ordinal data but interval
have equal intervals between adjacent categories.

Also, differences between variables can be measured here.

Finally, there’s no true zero starting point.

INTERVAL SCALE

20 C 20 C 40 C 20 C 60 C
INTERVAL SCALE

True Zero
RATIO SCALE

In here the order matters, the differences are

measurable and there’s a true zero starting point.

Also, differences between variables can be measured

here.

Finally, there’s no true zero starting point.

RATIO SCALE

0 G means absence of weight

5G
10 G
2X
RATIO SCALE

80, 40, 75, 94, 77, 70

High School test scores of
students
40, 70, 75, 77, 80, 94
SOURCES OF ERROR

1. Respondent

2. Situational factors

3. Measurer

4. Instrument
SOURCES OF ERROR

1. Respondent

• Respondents may have opinion differences that is highly

influenced by race, socio-economic status and relationship to
the management. They may also suffer from temporary
factors like fatigue, boredom, anxiety, hunger, impatience, or
general variations in mood or other distractions; these limit
the ability to respond accurately and fully.
2. Situational Factor

• Occurs when uncontrolled environmental

conditions affect the interview
3. Measurer

• In here, the interviewer can distort responses by

rewording, paraphrasing, or reordering questions or
by inflections of voice and conscious or
unconscious prompting with smiles, nods, and so
forth, may encourage or discourage certain replies.
4. Instrument

• Error that deals with precision of instrument.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MEASUREMENT

3 major criteria for evaluating a measurement tool:

Validity - the extent to which a test measures what we actually

wish to measure.

Reliability - has to do with the accuracy and precision of a

measurement procedure.

Practicality - concerned with a wide range of factors of economy,

convenience, and interpretability.
VALIDITY

Means how accurate an instrument is measuring what it

is trying to measure or is a degree to which a test or
tool measures what it claims to measure or simply it
means the accuracy of a test.
RELIABILITY

It is the degree to which a test or tool produces similar

results under consistent condition or in other words the
you are trying to determine the precision of a test.
UNDERSTANDING VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY
pivot shift test to determine anterior cruciate ligament tear
PRACTICALITY

Practicality has been defined as economy, convenience,

and interpretability.
References

1. Cooper D, Schindler P. Business research methods [Internet]. Available from:

https://www.academia.edu/36718306/Donald_R_Cooper-
Business_Research_Methods_12th_Edition

2. Bryman A, Bell E. Business Research Methodology. Res Methodol [Internet].

2017;424. Available from: https://books.google.com.my/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=l7u6BwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=(Bryman+
%26+Bell,
+2015)&ots=AvRktdJUQl&sig=i1Iz0rJst1NPN8lSy7flARbOW6k&redir_esc
=y#v=onepage&q=(Bryman %26 Bell%2C 2015)&f=false
SALAMAT :)
VALIDITY
3 major forms:
RELIABILITY
it is not possible to calculate the reliability or consistency of a
research instrument but we can estimate it in 3 different ways: