Determining Reliability and Validity of a Measure - Essay Example

Wood and Ross-Kerr  (2010) defined reliability and validity, in research, as a way to refer to the “measurement of data as they will be used to answer research questions” (p. 198). In this case, the data a researcher collects becomes only as good as the instrument that was used to collect the data. In effect, it is essential to conduct an estimate regarding the level at which an instrument is valid and reliable since the reliability and validity of the instrument determine the application of the results in nursing practice.

The validity of a measure can be determined by its value. In addition, it can also be determined by whether it has measured what it is intended to measure in this case the measure being the face value of data, the content validity of the data, and by a panel of judges. In this case, the judges use their opinion to determine whether the tool measured its conceived measure (Wood & Ross-Kerr, 2010). On the other hand, the validity of an instrument can also be determined using pragmatic measures that test the practical value of an instrument while focusing on the research questions. With the constant determination of a tool or instrument as valid, there is no need for a researcher to test the reliability of an instrument. Nonetheless, there are three ways to determine the testing of the reliability of an instrument. First, reliability can be determined by testing the stability of the tools by producing dependable results over time. On the other hand, the second approach involves the test for equivalency. A test for equivalency involves testing whether the instrument was consistent while used by independent researchers. Finally, the test for reliability may involve testing the internal consistency of a tool by determining whether the measure of the consistency of the tool is in all parts (Wood & Ross-Kerr, 2010).