Exploratory Research Observational Methods

Exploratory Research Observational Methods



Exploratory Research Observational Methods

This paper analyses the article written by Nahid Golafshani. The article highlights the importance of reliability and validity in qualitative research. The author holds the point of view that Reliability and validity are two basic concepts in test theory. Reliability refers to the consistency of measures. One type is the test-retest reliability (Trochim, Donnelly, 2007). In this approach, a test is administered to the same group of people twice, with a certain interval between the two administrations. If most examinees get similar test results across the two occasions, evidence is established for high reliability.

This type of reliability is also called temporal stability. There are a number of factors that may affect this type of reliability. One factor is the memory effect. If a test is given twice within a short period of time, the examinees will most likely remember their answers to the exam the second time they take the exam. This may result in unusually high correlations between two sets of test scores, hence high reliability. On the other hand, if there is too long a period between two test administrations, students may not remember what they have learned previously (Cozby, 2009). This may lead to lower test scores at the second administration.

The second type of reliability is the alternate-form, or equivalent-form, reliability. It refers to the comparability of test scores one obtains if given two equivalent forms of the same test. Factors affecting this type of reliability include the extent to which the two forms are equivalent and the extent to which the conditions of two administrations are comparable.

As far as the validity in qualitative research is concerned, it refers to the extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure and the legitimacy or appropriateness of inferences one makes based on test scores (Creswell, 2009). Traditionally, validity is broken down into content, criterion-related, and construct validity. Content validity refers to the extent to which a test adequately samples the content domain that it tries to measure. The content validity of a fifth-grade math test, for example, may be established if it is determined that what the test covers adequately represents the important mathematical concepts and skills students learned in that grade. A useful tool is the test blueprint, which is often used during test development to link specific items to important instructional objectives. Expert ...