12-1

Chapter 12

Measurement

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

 12-2

Learning Objectives

• Understand . . .
• distinction between measuring objects,
properties, and indicants of properties
• similarities and differences between the four
scale types used in measurement and when
each is used
• four major sources of measurement error
• criteria for evaluating good measurement
 12-3

Measurement

“If you can’t measure it,

you can’t manage it.”

Bob Donath,
Consultant
 12-4

Measurement

Selecting
measurable phenomena

Developing a set of
mapping rules

Applying the mapping rule

to each phenomenon
 12-5

Exhibit 12-1 Characteristics

of Measurement
 12-6

Types of Scales

Nominal
Nominal

Ordinal
Ordinal

interval
interval

Ratio
Ratio
 12-7

Levels of Measurement

Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Ordinal
Ordinal

interval
interval

Ratio
Ratio
 12-8

Nominal Scales

• Mutually exclusive
and collectively
exhaustive categories
• Exhibits the
classification
characteristic only
 12-9

Levels of Measurement

Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Classification
Classification
Ordinal
Ordinal Order
Order

interval
interval

Ratio
Ratio
 12-10

Ordinal Scales

• Characteristics of
nominal scale plus an
indication of order
• Implies statement of
greater than and less
than
 12-11

Levels of Measurement

Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Classification
Classification
Ordinal
Ordinal Order
Order
Classification
Classification Distance
Distance
interval
interval Order
Order

Ratio
Ratio
 12-12

Interval Scales

• Characteristics of
nominal and ordinal
scales plus the
concept of equality of
interval.
• Equal distance exists
between numbers
 12-13

Levels of Measurement

Classification
Classification
Nominal
Nominal

Classification
Classification
Ordinal
Ordinal Order
Order
Classification
Classification Distance
Distance
interval
interval Order
Order
Classification
Classification Distance
Distance
Ratio
Ratio Order
Order Natural
NaturalOrigin
Origin
 12-14

Ratio Scales

• Characteristics of
previous scales plus
an absolute zero point
• Examples
– Weight
– Height
– Number of children
 12-15
Exhibit 12-4
Moving from Investigative to
Measurement Questions
 12-16

Sources of Error

Respondent Situation

Measurer Instrument
 12-17

Evaluating
Measurement Tools

Validity

Criteria
Criteria

Practicality Reliability
Reliability
 12-18

Validity Determinants

Content

Criterion Construct
 12-19

Increasing Content Validity

Literature
Literature
Search Content Etc.
Etc.
Search

Expert
Expert Question
Question
Interviews
Interviews Database
Database
Group
Group
Interviews
Interviews
 12-20

Validity Determinants

Content

Construct
 12-21

Increasing Construct
Validity

New
New measure
measure of
of trust
trust

Known
Known measure
measure of
of trust
trust

Empathy
Empathy

Credibility
Credibility
 12-22

Validity Determinants

Content

Criterion Construct
 12-23

Judging Criterion Validity

Relevance
Relevance

Freedom
Freedom from
from bias
bias
Criterion
Reliability
Reliability

Availability
Availability
 12-24

Exhibit 12-6 Understanding

Validity and Reliability
 12-25

Reliability Estimates

Stability

Internal
Equivalence
Consistency
 12-26

Reliability Estimates

Stability

Internal
Equivalence
Consistency
 12-27

Reliability Estimates

Stability

Internal
Equivalence
Consistency
 12-28

Reliability Estimates

Stability

Internal
Equivalence
Consistency
 12-29

Practicality

Economy Convenience Interpretability

 12-30

Key Terms
• Internal validity • Ratio scale
• Interval scale • Reliability
• Mapping rules – Equivalence
• Measurement – Internal consistency
• Nominal scale – Stability
• Objects • Validity
• Ordinal scale – Construct
• Practicality – Contents
• Properties – Criterion-related