6.6: Critical Analysis
- Page ID
- 64102
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Many research studies measure abstract concepts using the process of conceptualization and operationalization. Some studies develop their own measurement methods and include conceptualization and operationalization as part of the research project. For these studies one should carefully examine the dimensions and the indicators to obtain a clear understanding of how the construct was conceptualized and operationalized. Familiarity with how the measurement system was developed will aid in understanding how the concept is measured and how the corresponding results can be interpreted. Furthermore, when assessing a measurement system, one should critically think about whether the dimensions and indicators make sense for what the researchers are attempting to measure. As someone critically evaluating research, you should consider whether the dimensions and indicators are consistent with what you would consider to be facets of the concept and determine if you feel that some important issues are left out of the dimensions or indicators. The authors should provide some justification for their conceptualization of the construct, either based on expert opinion or previous research.
Once conceptualization and operationalization have been considered, the measurement system should be evaluated in terms of validity and reliability. Note that you may not be familiar with the technical details of how a particular measurement system is evaluated in terms of these two issues, but there should be some statement in the research that states that this process has been done, and what limitations were revealed. You can also consider what method was used to assess both the validity and reliability of the measurement system. For example, construct validity and criterion validity are usually more powerful than face and content validity. The best measurement systems have been assessed using more than one method. In any case it should always be remembered that researchers must assess both validity and reliability to argue that the measurement system can be used effectively. The results of the study should be evaluated with these limitations in mind.
A study that used an established measurement scale has added legitimacy to the research results. However, one must ensure that the authors of the research employed the measurement system as it was intended, and that the same construct was measured.
In summary, the key questions in critically analyzing measuring abstract information in a study are:
- What dimensions are used to conceptualize the construct? Do these dimensions make sense in terms of what the researchers are attempting to measure?
- What are the indicators within each dimension? Do these indicators make sense in terms of what the researchers are attempting to measure with each dimension?
- How is the measure operationalized? What is the measurement scale? What is the range of the measurements?
- Has the validity of the measurement system been evaluated? What methods were used to validate the measurement system? Were any limitations revealed?
- Has the reliability of the measurement system been evaluated? What methods were used to study the reliability of the measurement system? Were any limitations revealed?
- If an established measurement system is being used, are the authors of the research using the measurement system in the way it was intended? Is the measurement system measuring the same construct as the authors of the researchers intend to measure?