RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS, VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

Summary

This video discusses various types of research instruments used in studies, focusing on researcher-made, standardized, and modified standardized instruments. Researcher-made instruments are custom-created for a specific study and must undergo validation and reliability testing. Standardized instruments are pre-existing tools that are validated and reliable, requiring no further testing. Modified standardized instruments are altered to fit new research contexts, necessitating revalidation and retesting. The video also distinguishes between validity (accuracy) and reliability (consistency) of instruments, emphasizing their importance for meaningful and trustworthy research outcomes.

Takeaways

• 😀 Researcher-made instruments are tools specifically created by the researcher for their study, tailored to the research's unique objectives.
• 😀 These instruments offer flexibility, allowing researchers to customize questions and response formats based on the study’s focus.
• 😀 Researcher-made instruments must be validated and their reliability tested to ensure they accurately measure what they are supposed to.
• 😀 Standardized instruments are pre-existing tools developed by other researchers that have already gone through rigorous validation and reliability testing.
• 😀 When using standardized instruments, there's no need to revalidate or retest their reliability, as they are already proven to be valid and reliable.
• 😀 Standardized instruments can be used across different settings, populations, and studies to enhance generalizability of research findings.
• 😀 Ethical protocols are essential when using standardized instruments: researchers must obtain permission from the original instrument’s creator.
• 😀 Modified standardized instruments are pre-existing tools that have been altered to fit the specific needs of a new study or population.
• 😀 When modifying a standardized instrument, researchers must revalidate and retest its reliability to ensure the changes don't compromise its accuracy or consistency.
• 😀 It is crucial to inform the original instrument's creator if modifications are made, including details about the changes and how they align with the study’s context.
• 😀 Validation refers to the **accuracy** of the instrument, ensuring it measures what it is supposed to, while reliability refers to the **consistency** of results when used repeatedly.

Q & A

What is a researcher-made instrument?

A researcher-made instrument is a data-gathering tool created by the researcher specifically for their study. It is tailored to fit the study's unique characteristics, objectives, and research questions.

What are the key advantages of using a researcher-made instrument?

The main advantage is flexibility. Researchers can customize questions and response formats based on the study's focus. However, careful development is necessary to ensure the instrument's validity and reliability.

Why is it important to validate and test the reliability of researcher-made instruments?

Since researcher-made instruments are custom-created, they need validation to ensure they accurately measure the intended concepts. Reliability testing ensures that the instrument consistently produces stable results when used under similar conditions.

What defines a standardized instrument?

A standardized instrument is a pre-existing tool that has been developed, tested, and validated by other researchers. It has already undergone rigorous testing and is designed to be consistently used across different research settings.

Do standardized instruments require further validation or reliability testing?

No, standardized instruments do not require further validation or reliability testing, as they have already undergone these processes during their initial development.

What ethical protocols must researchers follow when using standardized instruments?

Researchers must seek permission from the instrument's creator, informing them of the study's setting and population to ensure the instrument's appropriateness for the research.

What is a modified standardized instrument?

A modified standardized instrument is a pre-existing tool that has been altered to better suit the specific needs of a new research study. Modifications could include changes to content, cultural relevance, or linguistic appropriateness.

Why must researchers validate and test the reliability of modified standardized instruments?

Modifications may alter the original instrument's structure or purpose, which can affect its accuracy and consistency. Therefore, the instrument must be validated and its reliability retested to ensure its suitability for the new research context.

What are the key differences between validity and reliability in research instruments?

Validity refers to the accuracy of the instrument—whether it measures what it is supposed to measure. Reliability refers to the consistency of the results—whether the instrument produces the same results when used repeatedly under the same conditions.

How does the analogy of hitting a target help explain validity and reliability?

In this analogy, validity is represented by hitting the right target (accuracy), while reliability is shown by consistently hitting the same spot (consistency) each time the instrument is used under similar conditions.