(6) Research Instrument, Validity and Reliability

Cards (9)

  • data collection - is the process by which the researcher collects the information needed to answer the research problem.
  • data in research is a form of evidence. It justifies how researchers reach a decision
  • research instruments are basic tools researcher used to gather data for specific research problems.
  • Factors that need to be decided before constructing a research instrument:
    1. type of instrument
    2. reasons for choosing the type
    3. description and conceptual definition of its parts
  • characteristics of a good research instrument:
    1. concise
    2. sequential
    3. valid and reliable
    4. easily tabulated
  • ways in developing research instrument:
    1. adopting an instrument from previous related studies
    2. modifying an existing instrument
    3. make own instrument that corresponds to the current study
  • common scales used in quantitative research:
    1. likert scale
    2. semantic differential
  • likert scale - this is the most common scale used in quantitative research. Respondents were asked to rate or rank statements according to the scale provided.
  • semantic differential - a series of bipolar adjectives will be related by the respondents. This scale seems to be more advantageous since it is more flexible and easy to construct