Scale development : theory and applications Robert F. DeVellis

Includes bibliographical references and index

1. Overview General Perspectives on Measurement Historical Origins of Measurement in Social Science Later Developments in Measurement The Role of Measurement in the Social Sciences Summary and Preview Exercises2. Understanding the Latent Variable Constructs versus Measures Latent Variable as the Presumed Cause of Item Values Path Diagrams Further Elaboration of the Measurement Model Parallel Tests Alternative Models Exercises Note3. Reliability Methods Based on the Analysis of Variance Continuous versus Dichotomous Items Internal Consistency Reliability Based on Correlations Between Scale Scores Reliability and Statistical Power Generalizability Theory Summary Exercises Notes4. Validity Content Validity Criterion-Related Validity Construct Validity Exercises5. Guidelines in Scale Development Step 1: Determine Clearly What it is You Want to Measure Step 2: Generate an Item Pool Step 3: Determine the Format for Measurement Step 4: Have Initial Item Pool Reviewed by Experts Step 5: Consider Inclusion of Validation Items Step 6: Administer Items to a Development Sample Step 7: Evaluate the Items Step 8: Optimize Scale Length Exercises Note6. Factor Analysis Overview of Factor Analysis Conceptual Description of Factor Analysis Bifactor and Hierarchical Factor Models Interpreting Factors Principle Components versus Common Factors Confirmatory Factor Analysis Using Factor Analysis in Scale Development Sample Size Conclusion Exercises7. An Overview of Item Response Theory Item Difficulty Item Discrimination Guessing, or False Positives Item-Characteristic Curves IRT Applied to Multiresponse Items Conclusions Exercises8. Measurement in the Broader Research Context Before Scale Development After Scale Administration Final Thoughts Exercises

This book presents complex concepts in a way that helps students to understand the logic underlying the creation, use, and evaluation of measurement instruments, and to develop a more intuitive feel for how scales work.