Measurement and Instruments for a Quantitative Research Plan

Measurement and Instruments for a Quantitative Research Plan Begin: Measurement and Instruments for a Quantitative Research Plan This assignment covers the content in Week 4 and Week 5 on measurement instruments. Week 4 content and related assignment questions are listed below. Preparatory content and related assignment questions for Week 5 content are included in the Week 5 Application area. To prepare for this Application: Review Chapter 2, "Conceptual Foundations of Research" (pp. 24–32) and Chapter 7, "Measurement" in the course text Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Review Chapter 3, "Concepts" in the course text from RSCH 8100, A Primer in Theory Construction. Consider the research plan you are developing for the Final Project. What levels of measurement will be important for your study? Why? How will you ensure content validity, empirical validity, and construct validity for your study? If any of these types of validity do not apply to your plan, provide a rationale. How will you ensure reliability for the measurement in your study? What are the strengths and limitations of the measurement instrument you have selected in terms of reliability and validity? The assignment: Craft a 5- to 7-page paper that includes the following: The levels of measurement that will be important for your study and why. How you will ensure content validity, empirical validity, and construct validity for your study. If any of these types of validity do not apply to your plan, provide a rationale. How you will ensure reliability for the measurement in your study. The strengths and limitations of the measurement instrument you have selected in terms of reliability and validity. Provide at least 10 references to the literature to support your choices and rationales. Please proceed to the SPSS Practice. • Instructions - SPSS Practice In Weeks 7–11, you will be responsible for analyzing data using SPSS in some of your assignments. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you complete the SPSS exercises below and participate in the Statistics & SPSS Discussion below Week 12 to gain the maximum benefit. Practice Materials: Review the assigned readings in the course text Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data, focusing on Lessons 16 A/B, 17 A/B, and 18 A/B. Download the sample data files for Lessons 15 (Mac) or 16 (PC) of the course text Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data from http://www.pearsonhighered.com/salkind/#sam. Practice Exercise: Complete the activities for the assigned SPSS lessons. Optional but strongly encouraged: Visit the Statistics & SPSS Discussion area located under the Statistics button below Week 12. Ask any questions you may have, post tips about SPSS, or answer your colleagues' questions. Please proceed to Week 5. • Objectives - Week 4: Measurement, Validity, and Reliability Introduction When conducting research, the variables you seek to investigate must be categorized in a way to be measured correctly. A properly chosen or created measurement instrument ensures that the data you collect represent the variables in your study. This in turn will help you to validate your findings and prove their reliability. It is these steps that fortify your findings and conclusions and help other researchers trust your findings as a scholarly resource. This week, you will consider these concepts as they pertain to your discipline by drafting the next section of your Final Project on the measurements and instruments for your research plan. You will complete and submit this section in Week 5. Learning Outcomes By the end of this week, you should be able to: Differentiate between levels of measurement Compare validity of design to validity of measurement Please proceed to the Learning Resources. Resources Discussion Application SPSS Practice • Access Resources Required Resources Course Text: Research Methods in the Social Sciences Chapter 2, "Conceptual Foundations of Research" (pp. 24–32) Pages 24–32 of Chapter 2 examine the concepts of theoretical systems, the four levels of theory, and how these models represent aspects of the real world. Chapter 7, "Measurement" Chapter 7 presents the nature of measurement in research, describes the four levels of measurement—nominal, ordinal, interval, and rational—and concludes with descriptions of validity and reliability. This reading will be used in this week's Discussion and Application. Appendix C, " : The Summation Sign" Appendix C describes the meaning and rules for the use of sigma, the summation sign, in statistics. This resource is useful in this week's Discussion regarding measurement. Course Text from RSCH 8100: A Primer in Theory Construction Review Chapter 3, "Concepts" Chapter 3 presents different facets of concepts in scientific research. Review of this chapter will be useful as you write your Application. Course Text: Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data Lesson 16 A/B, "Creating an SPSS Graph/Chart" Lesson 17 A/B, "Enhancing SPSS Graphs/Charts" Lesson 18 A/B, "Using the Viewer and Pivot Tables," "Using the Viewer" Lessons 16, 17, and 18 introduce how to create graphs and charts, and how to use the viewer and Pivot tables in SPSS. You will work off these lessons in the SPSS Practice activity. Sample data files to accompany the course text Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data http://www.pearsonhighered.com/salkind/#sam Lesson 16 Data File 1 Lesson 17 Data File 1 Lesson 18 Data File 1 These data files accompany this week's SPSS Practice. Software: SPSS Research Toolki Readings Course Text: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Chapter 3, "Writing Clearly and Concisely" Chapter 4, "The Mechanics of Style" Chapter 6, "Crediting Sources" Chapter 7, "Reference Examples" Statistics and SPSS Web Site: SPSS Student Resource Center http://www-01.ibm.com/software/analytics/spss/academic/students/resources.html The student section of the SPSS Academic Resource Center is your one-stop shop for all your statistics and data-mining needs, including tutorials, reading lists, and training courses. Web Site: SPSS Technical Support http://www.spss.ie/support/index.html The SPSS student support site provides a knowledge base and assistance from SPSS Technical Support staff. Web Site: Web Center for Social Research Methods http://www.socialresearchmethods.net This Web site is for people involved in applied social research and evaluation. You'll find lots of resources and links to other locations on the Web that deal in applied social research methods. Web Site: Choosing the Correct Statistical Test in SAS, Stata and SPSS http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/mult_pkg/whatstat/default.htm UCLA's Academic Technology Services statistics table shows general guidelines for choosing a statistical analysis, and links showing how to do such tests using SAS, Stata, and SPSS. Optional Resources See the Suggested Bibliography for recommended books. Please proceed to the Discussion. Online Resources for Salkind Technical Support | myPearsonStore Jump to: Books by Neil J. Salkind | Books by Neil J. Salkind & Samuel Green Books by Neil J. Salkind Exploring Research, 6/e Neil J. Salkind ? Companion Website Exploring Research, 5/e Neil J. Salkind ? Companion Website Books by Neil J. Salkind & Samuel Green SPSS QuickStarts, 1/e Neil J. Salkind & Samuel Green ? Dataset Download Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data, 6/e Samuel Green & Neil J. Salkind ? Dataset Download Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data, 5/e Samuel Green & Neil J. Salkind ? Dataset Download •    Objectives - Week 4: Measurement, Validity, and Reliability Introduction When conducting research, the variables you seek to investigate must be categorized in a way to be measured correctly. A properly chosen or created measurement instrument ensures that the data you collect represent the variables in your study. This in turn will help you to validate your findings and prove their reliability. It is these steps that fortify your findings and conclusions and help other researchers trust your findings as a scholarly resource. This week, you will consider these concepts as they pertain to your discipline by drafting the next section of your Final Project on the measurements and instruments for your research plan. You will complete and submit this section in Week 5. Learning Outcomes By the end of this week, you should be able to: Differentiate between levels of measurement Compare validity of design to validity of measurement Please proceed to the Learning Resources. Resources     Discussion     Application     SPSS Practice •    Access Resources Required Resources Course Text: Research Methods in the Social Sciences Chapter 2, "Conceptual Foundations of Research" (pp. 24–32) Pages 24–32 of Chapter 2 examine the concepts of theoretical systems, the four levels of theory, and how these models represent aspects of the real world. Chapter 7, "Measurement" Chapter 7 presents the nature of measurement in research, describes the four levels of measurement—nominal, ordinal, interval, and rational—and concludes with descriptions of validity and reliability. This reading will be used in this week's Discussion and Application. Appendix C, " : The Summation Sign" Appendix C describes the meaning and rules for the use of sigma, the summation sign, in statistics. This resource is useful in this week's Discussion regarding measurement. Course Text from RSCH 8100: A Primer in Theory Construction Review Chapter 3, "Concepts" Chapter 3 presents different facets of concepts in scientific research. Review of this chapter will be useful as you write your Application. Course Text: Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data Lesson 16 A/B, "Creating an SPSS Graph/Chart" Lesson 17 A/B, "Enhancing SPSS Graphs/Charts" Lesson 18 A/B, "Using the Viewer and Pivot Tables," "Using the Viewer" Lessons 16, 17, and 18 introduce how to create graphs and charts, and how to use the viewer and Pivot tables in SPSS. You will work off these lessons in the SPSS Practice activity. Sample data files to accompany the course text Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Datahttp://www.pearsonhighered.com/salkind/#sam Lesson 16 Data File 1 Lesson 17 Data File 1 Lesson 18 Data File 1 These data files accompany this week's SPSS Practice. Software:SPSS Research Toolki Readings Course Text: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Chapter 3, "Writing Clearly and Concisely" Chapter 4, "The Mechanics of Style" Chapter 6, "Crediting Sources" Chapter 7, "Reference Examples" Statistics and SPSS Web Site: SPSS Student Resource Center http://www-01.ibm.com/software/analytics/spss/academic/students/resources.html The student section of the SPSS Academic Resource Center is your one-stop shop for all your statistics and data-mining needs, including tutorials, reading lists, and training courses. Web Site: SPSS Technical Supporthttp://www.spss.ie/support/index.html The SPSS student support site provides a knowledge base and assistance from SPSS Technical Support staff. Web Site: Web Center for Social Research Methodshttp://www.socialresearchmethods.net This Web site is for people involved in applied social research and evaluation. You'll find lots of resources and links to other locations on the Web that deal in applied social research methods. Web Site: Choosing the Correct Statistical Test in SAS, Stata and SPSS http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/mult_pkg/whatstat/default.htm UCLA's Academic Technology Services statistics table shows general guidelines for choosing a statistical analysis, and links showing how to do such tests using SAS, Stata, and SPSS. Optional Resources See the Suggested Bibliography for recommended books. Please proceed to the Discussion. Online Resources for Salkind    Technical Support|myPearsonStore Jump to:Books by Neil J. Salkind | Books by Neil J. Salkind& Samuel GreenBooks by Neil J. Salkind Exploring Research, 6/e Neil J. Salkind ?    Companion Website Exploring Research, 5/e Neil J. Salkind ?    Companion Website Books by Neil J. Salkind& Samuel Green SPSS QuickStarts, 1/e Neil J. Salkind& Samuel Green ?    Dataset Download Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data, 6/e Samuel Green & Neil J. Salkind ?    Dataset Download Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data, 5/e Samuel Green & Neil J. Salkind ?    Dataset Download •    United States •    [ change ] •    Home •    Solutions o    A smarter planet o    By industry ?    Aerospace and defense ?    Automotive ?    Banking ?    Chemicals and petroleum ?    Communications ?    Consumer products ?    Education ?    Electronics ?    Energy and utilities ?    Financial markets ?    Government ?    Healthcare ?    Insurance ?    Life sciences ?    Media and entertainment ?    Metals and mining ?    Retail ?    Travel and transportation o    By business need ?    Business analytics and optimization ?    Business intelligence ?    Enterprise marketing management ?    Enterprise resource planning ?    Product lifecycle management ?    Security ?    Strategy and change o    By IT issue ?    Application infrastructure ?    Business planning and alignment ?    Business process management ?    Commerce ?    Connectivity and integration ?    Data management ?    Enterprise content management ?    Information governance ?    Regulatory compliance ?    Security ?    Social collaboration ?    Virtualization ?    Web experience o    By Business Partner ?    IBM and Cisco ?    IBM and DassaultSystèmes ?    IBM and Oracle ?    IBM and SAP ?    More Alliance Partners ?    Business Partner solutions ?    Find a Business Partner o    Business consulting o    Cloud computing o    Energy & environment o    Financing o    Service oriented architecture (SOA) o    Smarter computing o    Small and medium business o    More •    Services o    IT services ?    All IT services ?    Business continuity and resiliency services ?    Data center services ?    Integrated communications services ?    Technical support services ?    Security services ?    Strategy and design services ?    Workplace services ?    IT services A-Z o    Business consulting ?    Global Business Services ?    Business analytics ?    Business strategy ?    Thought leadership o    Application services ?    All application services ?    Custom application development and system integration ?    Application management o    Outsourcing services ?    Applications outsourcing ?    Business process outsourcing ?    IT outsourcing and hosting o    Training o    Small and medium business o    Other services ?    Asset recovery ?    Consulting alliances ?    Software services ?    Systems lab services o    More •    Products o    Special offers o    Software ?    Software overview ?    Products ?    Trials and demos ?    Events and conferences ?    Business Analytics ?    - Cognos ?    - SPSS ?    Enterprise Content Management ?    Information Management ?    - DB2 ?    - Informix ?    - InfoSphere ?    Lotus ?    Rational ?    Tivoli ?    WebSphere ?    System z software o    Storage ?    All storage ?    Disk systems ?    Tape systems ?    Storage area networks ?    Network attached storage ?    Storage software ?    Hard drives/microdrives ?    Storage A to Z o    Servers & systems ?    All servers and systems ?    Systems software ?    Power Systems (AIX, IBM i, Linux) ?    System z (Mainframe) ?    System x (xSeries) ?    BladeCenter ?    Cluster systems ?    UNIX servers ?    Linux servers ?    Intel processor-based servers ?    AMD processor-based servers ?    OEM systems o    Internet security o    Networking o    Personal computers o    Point of sale o    Printing systems from InfoPrint o    Semiconductors o    Upgrades, accessories & parts o    Certified used servers & storage o    Communities o    Small business products o    Medium business products ?    Hardware ?    Software o    More •    Support & downloads o    Download ?    Fixes, updates and drivers ?    Trials and demos o    Troubleshoot o    Search o    Documentation o    Communities o    Plan o    Install o    Use o    Open a technical service request o    Customer support o    Former IBM products ?    Printing systems from InfoPrint ?    Lenovo ThinkPads and ThinkCentres o    More •    My IBM o    My accounts o    My profile o    My interests o    My community spaces o    My technical support o    My customer support ?    Shopping cart ?    Contracts ?    Orders and delivery ?    Inventory and maintenance ?    Invoices and payments ?    Self-service tools ?    More customer support o    Subscriptions o    More •    Welcome [ IBM Sign in ] [ Register ] •    IBM Software •    Business analytics •    SPSS •    Academic •    Students Resources SPSS Solutions for Education Student Resources Student support For license code issues and other technical support, please follow the steps outlined on the Support site. Learn with the software you’ll use in the workplace In today’s competitive job market, whether you’re preparing for a career in the academic, commercial or public sectors, you need to set yourself apart with marketable skills. As the demand for analytical skills continues to rise, competency with IBM SPSS solutions can help you distinguish yourself as an applicant. To support you as you develop your analytical skills, we offer a comprehensive series of video tutorials that will guide you through many fundamental techniques, a certification program to help you stand out with potential employers, and the IBM SPSS Student Resource Center filled with free statistics and data mining materials. New users can email [email protected] for access. Note:[email protected] cannot help with any license code or technical issues. Analytic Certification in Education (ACE) The ACE program is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your analytical proficiency by earning certification in IBM SPSS Statistics. Benefits include course materials, a 50 percent discount on the certification exam and official recognition of your status as a Certified IBM SPSS Statistics Expert. Popular downloads Memphis Police Department Video IBM Smarter Planet Leadership Series Video View Now________________________________________ IBM SPSS Solutions for Crime Prediction and Prevention Online Demo Law enforcement departments must do more with less. Find out how adding IBM SPSS predictive analytics solutions can help maximize resources and result in better policing. Get Adobe® Reader® Contact IBM Questions? Contact an SPSS specialist at: •    Hide •    Email IBM Or call us at: 800-543-2185 SPSS Offers and Resources City of Lancaster Case Study Customer Case Study [652KB] City of Lancaster takes a predictive approach to policing. Enhancing operational planning with deep insight into crime data. Visit www.norusis.com Enhance your learning with publications by MarijaNorusis Learn more Content navigation •    SPSS Solutions for Education •    Products •    Programs •    Education and Research •    Student Resources o    Tutorials for Students •    Education Administrators •    Support Related links •    Business analytics •    SPSS Developer Central •    Support Renewal FAQ •    About IBM •    Privacy •    Contact •    Terms of use •    Accessibility •    IBM Feeds •    Jobs • •    HOME •    SOFTWARE o    Software OverviewIBM-SPSS Software BundlesSurvey Scanning SolutionsIBM-SPSS Trial DownloadsIndustrySolutionsFAQ'sCUSTOMERS o    Customers OverviewIrish& U.K. Success StoriesGlobal IBM-SPSS Success StoriesCONSULTANCY o    Consulting SolutionsIndustrySolutionsConsultancyTeamSUPPORT o    Technical SupportLicensing& Installation FAQ'sInvoicingFAQ'sTechTipsDemos&TutorialsTRAINING o    Training OverviewTrainingCoursesTraining Boot CampsTrainingOffersTailoredTrainingFAQ'sCOMMUNITY o    Clear Knowledge AnalyticsEventsNewsNewsletterABOUT US o    About usWhat is Predictive Analytics?ContactusLocationmapCareers •    Support Support •    Licensing & Installation FAQ's •    Invoicing FAQ's •    Tech Tips •    Demos & Tutorials SPSS Ireland Support SPSS Ireland provides a variety of resources and options for assistance to ensure that your organisationmaximises the value it derives from its investment in IBM-SPSS software. In addition to our frequently asked questions for Software and Licensing & Installation, our team is available to answer all your technical queries. Our objective is to answer your questions as quickly and comprehensively as possible. The SPSS Ireland Support service is available from 09:00h to 17:00h, from Monday to Friday. Support queries are handled by e-mail. SPSS Ireland Contact us Site map Privacy PolicyWelcome! This website is for people involved in applied social research and evaluation. You'll find lots of resources and links to other locations on the Web that deal in applied social research methods. Some highlights of what is available: [test] The Knowledge Base An online hypertext textbook on applied social research methods that covers everything you want to know about defining a research question, sampling, measurement, research design and data analysis. Selecting Statistics An online statistical advisor! Answer the questions and it will lead you to an appropriate statistical test for your data. The Simulation Book A previously unpublished book of manual (i.e., dice-rolling) and computer simulation exercises of common research designs, for students and researchers to learn how to do simple simulations. Concept Mapping A resource guide for learning about structured conceptual mapping. It includes links to general introductory materials, research and case studies illustrating the use of the method, and information about software. Resources » Knowledge Base » Selecting Statistics » Simulation Book » Trochim Research » Trochim Presentations CORE: Cornell Office for Research on Evaluation What statistical analysis should I use? The following table shows general guidelines for choosing a statistical analysis. We emphasize that these are general guidelines and should not be construed as hard and fast rules. Usually your data could be analyzed in multiple ways, each of which could yield legitimate answers. The table below covers a number of common analyses and helps you choose among them based on the number of dependent variables (sometimes referred to as outcome variables), the nature of your independent variables (sometimes referred to as predictors). You also want to consider the nature of your dependent variable, namely whether it is an interval variable, ordinal or categorical variable, and whether it is normally distributed (see What is the difference between categorical, ordinal and interval variables? for more information on this). The table then shows one or more statistical tests commonly used given these types of variables (but not necessarily the only type of test that could be used) and links showing how to do such tests using SAS, Stata and SPSS. Number of Dependent Variables     Nature of Independent Variables    Nature of Dependent Variable(s) Test(s)    How to SAS    How to Stata    How to SPSS 1     0 IVs (1 population)     interval & normal     one-sample t-test     SAS Stata SPSS        ordinal or interval     one-sample median     SAS Stata SPSS        categorical (2 categories)     binomial test     SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     Chi-square goodness-of-fit     SAS Stata SPSS    1 IV with 2 levels (independent groups)    interval & normal     2 independent sample t-test     SAS Stata SPSS        ordinal or interval Wilcoxon-Mann Whitney test     SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     Chi- square test     SAS Stata SPSS            Fisher's exact test     SAS Stata SPSS    1 IV with 2 or more levels (independent groups)    interval & normal     one-way ANOVA     SAS Stata SPSS        ordinal or interval     Kruskal Wallis     SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     Chi- square test     SAS Stata SPSS    1 IV with 2 levels (dependent/matched groups)    interval & normal     paired t-test     SAS Stata SPSS        ordinal or interval     Wilcoxon signed ranks test     SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     McNemar    SAS Stata SPSS    1 IV with 2 or more levels (dependent/matched groups)    interval & normal     one-way repeated measures ANOVA     SAS Stata SPSS        ordinal or interval     Friedman test     SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     repeated measures logistic regression    SAS Stata SPSS    2 or more IVs (independent groups)    interval & normal     factorial ANOVA     SAS Stata SPSS        ordinal or interval     ordered logistic regression    SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     factorial logistic regression     SAS Stata SPSS    1 interval IV     interval & normal     correlation     SAS Stata SPSS            simple linear regression     SAS Stata SPSS        ordinal or interval     non-parametric correlation     SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     simple logistic regression     SAS Stata SPSS    1 or more interval IVs and/or 1 or more categorical IVs     interval & normal     multiple regression    SAS Stata SPSS            analysis of covariance    SAS Stata SPSS        categorical     multiple logistic regression    SAS Stata SPSS            discriminant analysis     SAS Stata SPSS2 or more     1 IV with 2 or more levels (independent groups)    interval & normal     one-way MANOVA     SAS Stata SPSS2 or more     2 or more     interval & normal     multivariate multiple linear regression     SAS Stata SPSS2 sets of 2 or more     0     interval & normal     canonical correlation     SAS Stata SPSS2 or more     0     interval & normal     factor analysis     SAS Stata SPSSNumber of Dependent Variables     Nature of Independent Variables    Nature of Dependent Variable(s) Test(s)    How to SAS    How to Stata    How to SPSS This page was adapted from Choosing the Correct Statistic developed by James D. Leeper, Ph.D. We thank Professor Leeper for permission to adapt and distribute this page from our site. •    Instructions - Discussion Post your responses to the Discussion based on the course requirements. After you have completed the Discussion, please proceed to the Application. Post to Discussion To access this week's Discussion, click on the Post to Discussion link above. Additionally, please paste your initial Discussion post into a Microsoft Word document, save it with the file name "WK4Disc+last name+first initial.doc", and submit it to Turnitin via the View/Complete link below. Discussion Turnitin - Week 4 Levels of Measurement and Concepts of Validity Selecting a method to accurately measure variables can be a complex task. Some data can be transformed from one level of measurement to another, and other data cannot. Measurement instruments must also be validated to prove they accurately measure the variables in question. In this Discussion, you will consider the measurement of data and compare measurement validity to the concept of design validity, introduced in Week 2. To prepare for this Discussion: Review Chapter 7, "Measurement," and Appendix C in the course text Research Methods in the Social Sciences. What is an example of data that can be transformed from one level of measurement to another, and another example of data that cannot be transformed? Why is validity for measurement so difficult to establish? How are the concepts of validity for design and for measurement similar and different? What is the relationship between reliability and validity? With these thoughts in mind: Post by Day 3 a 3-paragraph response: 1 paragraph in which you differentiate between the levels of measurement by providing an example of data that can be transformed from one level of measurement to another and another example of data that cannot be transformed. Include an explanation for why some data can be transformed and some cannot. 2 paragraphs comparing the concept of validity for design to the concept of validity for measurement. When appropriate, be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the reading(s) and/or video program(s) and use APA format. Read a selection of your colleagues' postings. Respond by Day 5 to at least two of your colleagues' postings in one or more of the following ways: Ask a probing question. Share an insight from having read your colleague's posting. Offer and support an opinion. Validate an idea with your own experience. Make a suggestion. Expand on your colleague's posting. Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made. •    Instructions - Application Begin: Measurement and Instruments for a Quantitative Research Plan This assignment covers the content in Week 4 and Week 5 on measurement instruments. Week 4 content and related assignment questions are listed below. Preparatory content and related assignment questions for Week 5 content are included in the Week 5 Application area. To prepare for this Application: Review Chapter 2, "Conceptual Foundations of Research" (pp. 24–32) and Chapter 7, "Measurement" in the course text Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Review Chapter 3, "Concepts" in the course text from RSCH 8100, A Primer in Theory Construction. Consider the research plan you are developing for the Final Project. What levels of measurement will be important for your study? Why? How will you ensure content validity, empirical validity, and construct validity for your study? If any of these types of validity do not apply to your plan, provide a rationale. How will you ensure reliability for the measurement in your study? What are the strengths and limitations of the measurement instrument you have selected in terms of reliability and validity? The assignment: Craft a 5- to 7-page paper that includes the following: The levels of measurement that will be important for your study and why. How you will ensure content validity, empirical validity, and construct validity for your study. If any of these types of validity do not apply to your plan, provide a rationale. How you will ensure reliability for the measurement in your study. The strengths and limitations of the measurement instrument you have selected in terms of reliability and validity. Provide at least 10 references to the literature to support your choices and rationales. Please proceed to the SPSS Practice. •    Instructions - SPSS Practice In Weeks 7–11, you will be responsible for analyzing data using SPSS in some of your assignments. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you complete the SPSS exercises below and participate in the Statistics & SPSS Discussion below Week 12 to gain the maximum benefit. Practice Materials: Review the assigned readings in the course text Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data, focusing on Lessons 16 A/B, 17 A/B, and 18 A/B. Download the sample data files for Lessons 15 (Mac) or 16 (PC) of the course text Using SPSS for Windows and Macintosh: Analyzing and Understanding Data from http://www.pearsonhighered.com/salkind/#sam. Practice Exercise: Complete the activities for the assigned SPSS lessons. Optional but strongly encouraged: Visit the Statistics & SPSS Discussion area located under the Statistics button below Week PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET AN AMAZING DISCOUNT :)