Measurement and Instruments for a Quantitative Research Plan - Coursework Example

Measurement and Instruments for a Quantitative Research Plan Measurement andInstruments for a Quantitative Research Plan 1. What levels of measurement will be important for your study?  The levels of measurement that will be most important for my research study are nominal and ratio measurements. For example, nominal measurement will be used in my research study to name the attributes and variables such as developing economies, transitional economies and developed economies. Nominal level of measurement is applicable because these attributes can either in ascending or descending order. Nominal scale of measurement involves use of names of given variables that can not be categorized as either greater or smaller. For this kind of study names of various countries will be categorized using numbers or other labels. This in essence means that such form of measurement attributed to various variables increase both reliability and validity of the research undertaken. Lastly, nominal measurement will not include categorization of variables that can not be ranked either in ascending or descending order nor can they be mathematically manipulated not unless they are coded appropriately. Another level of measurement that will be critically important in this kind of research study is ratio measurement (Gay, 1996). This measurement level will be used in constructing the ratio of FDI inflows (in terms of dollars) between the developed and developing economies. For example, the research will use ratio measurement to compare FDI inflow to developing countries in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. The amount of dollars used in the investment has been classified using ratio level measurement so that a comparison can be done of various years that bring out the aspect of reliability. Generally ratio scales helps to comprehend the whole study and understand the general objectives of the study as a whole. Interval scale and ratio scales allows for mathematical manipulation of data so that one can confidently talk in terms of comparative mean, mode, median and standard deviation in relation to other researches that concern the same area of study. This therefore enforces the aspects of reliability. 2. How will you ensure content validity, empirical validity & construct validity for the study? According to Martyn (2009), content validity refers to an estimate of how much a measure is representing every element of the research. In my research, 1 will ensure content validity by using statistical methods to evaluate how well my research is constructed. For example, during my research surveys, I will forward each of my research questions to foreign investments experts so that they can rate them, give their opinion as well as make useful suggestions regarding the relevance and usefulness of the research questions used in measuring how Foreign direct investment(FDI) impact economic growth in developing countries. The opinions, corrections and recommendations from the expert analysts and professionals will then be subjected to statistical analysis and I will then use the results to modify the research questions so as to improve the content validity (Creswell, 2009). Construct validity is the extent to which inferences can be made from the concepts and observations in the research study. To ensure construct validity in my research, I will first of all make sure that all the data obtained in the research are able to support the theoretical structure of the research (Salkind, 2009). In this regard, I will measure the theory underlying the construct before evaluating the adequacy of the research methods in measuring the construct. Similarly, I will also ensure that the theories and the hypothesis of my research are corresponding with reality. For example, to measure the impact of FDI on the economic growth of developing countries, I will first of all seek the definition of foreign direct investment and list some of its impacts on developing countries according to my own observation. I will then as a panel of specialists to evaluate my construct. Using the opinions and recommendations of the experts, I will reformulate the initial construct and ensure its validity. Empirical validity does not however apply in my research design because the research does not involve any statistical measurement of the correlation of scores or values. 3. How will you ensure reliability for the measurement in your study?  Reliability of measurement in a research is concerned with the consistency of a particular measurement with regard to random error. In quantitative researches, reliability of measurement is largely concerned with the probability of getting similar results when the same research technique is used repeatedly (Celia and Graham, 2005). There are a number of methods that can be used to ensure the reliability of my research study. One of these methods is Test- retest reliability. Generally this is a measure of reliability over a given period of time. In most cases, the reliability of data collected using surveys or questionnaires are affected by a number of circumstantial factors such as time of the day and the mood of the respondent. Consequently retesting the responses after a given period of time can effectively be used to ensure the reliability for the research measurement (Slavin, 1994). Another method that I will use to ensure the reliability for the measurement of my research study is increasing the sample sizes of my research designs. For example to collect reliable data regarding the opinion of the respondents on how FDI impact on the economic growth of developing countries, I will find more people with knowledge on Foreign direct investments and ask them different questions but based on the same construct. The many different questions are then split into halves and administered to the different target respondents. Reliability for measurement can also be assured by measuring the degree to which different respondents agree on their opinions regarding the construct. This method is popularly known as inter-rater reliability. Lastly, I will also use internal consistency method to ensure the reliability for the measurement of my research study. This method involves administering a single measurement instrument to a large group of people on one occasion to help in the estimation of the reliability for the measurement in the study. For example, the reliability of the measurement instrument can be determined by estimating how the research items reflecting the same construct are yilelding similar or dissimilar results. In this regard, a wide variety of internal consistency measures such as the correlations, variance and coefficient alphas can be used to determine the consistency of the research results. For example, using, coefficient alphas, I will search for coefficient alphas during literature review to determine the correlation between the measurements used in the study. Consequently a coefficient alpha greater than 80 will mean that the research measurement is reliable (Feldt and Robert, 1999). On the other hand, I will have to explain the limitations of all the measurements with lower alphas (questionable reliability). 4. What are the strengths and limitations of the measurement instrument you have selected in terms of reliability and validity?  I have selected Surveys and questionnaires as the measurement instrument to be used in the research study regarding the impact of FDI on economic growth of developing countries. According to Kirk and Miller (2006), this measurement instrument is able to gather responses in a standardized way thus ensuring the reliability and consistency of the results. Additionally questionnaires and surveys are easy to analyze and the data entry and tabulation of the results can effectively to done by common statistical software packages thus ensuring valid results. Lastly, with regard to research bias, survey and questionnaire may have some level of biasness depending on how the research is conducted. On the other an important limitation of this measurement instrument is that individual surveys or questionnaires at a single point of time fail to yield accurate measures of the concepts intended to be measured and therefore the validity of the results may be low (Brannen, 1992). Consequently, although the chosen measuring instrument may provide reliable results, they may not be valid. Another possible limitation of using this kind of measurement instrument is that ensuring reliability may be time consuming. This is particularly because a reliable research will involve testing and retesting and other methods of establishing the validity of the results and these methods may take a longer period of time. References Brannen, J. (1992). Mixing Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Research. New York: McMillan publishers. Celia T., Graham R. (2005). Quality of qualitative analysis. Retrieved, September, 28, 2012, from http://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/Intro_QDA/qualitative_analysis.php.  Creswell, J.(2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Denzin, N., Lincoln, S. (1994). Handbook of Quantitative Research. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications. Gay, L. (1996). Educational research: Competencies for analysis and application.  Upper Saddle River: Merrill. Kirk, J., Miller, M.(2006). Reliability and validity in quatitative research. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications Feldt, L., Robert B.(1999). Reliability. In: Linn, Robert(ed.): Educational Measurement. 3.ed. New York: Macmillan. 105-146. Martyn S. (2009). Content Validity. Retrieved September, 27, 2012 from Experiment Resources: http://www.experiment-resources.com/content-validity.html Maylor, H., and Blackman, K. (2005).Research Business & Management. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan Salkind, N. (2000). Exploring Research. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Slavin, R. (1994). Research Methods in Education: A Practical Guide: New York: Prentice Hall publishers. Read More