Assessing Measurement Quality

Measurement instruments-questions, items, or tests-have been used in the social sciences to measure concepts of interest. A sufficient quality of the measurement instruments is crucial for drawing conclusions with respect to research results. In this course, we will introduce central measurement quality concepts - reliability, validity, minimization of method effects and processing errors - and we will discuss methods for accessing and evaluating quality. The main focus lies on the measurement of latent variables within the frame of the Classical Test Theory. Here, modern concepts of reliability, validity, and measurement equivalence are presented. In addition, we will show how to provide appropriate documentation of measurement instruments with respect to their measurement quality. The course focuses on the quality standards that were defined by a working group of the German Data Forum (RatSWD). We mainly use Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) to assess measurement quality.

Course leader

Dr. Natalja Menold is senior survey methodologist, researcher, and head of the team “Questionnaire Development & Evaluation” at GESIS.
Dr. Katharina Meitinger is a researcher at GESIS, Mannheim and a teaching associate at the chair for Statistics and Met

Target group

Participants will find the course useful if they:
- want to get an introduction into the evaluation of quality of measurement instruments;
- want to get familiar with existing quality standards in the area of the measurement instruments;
- want to learn strategies for increasing measurement quality.

Prerequisites
- Students should ideally develop or use measurement instruments for their own research;
- Basic knowledge of descriptive statistics and factor analysis (e.g., Principal Component Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis);
- Intermediate Knowledge on both SPSS and Mplus software.

Course aim

By the end of the course participants will:
- have a comprehensive understanding of measurement quality concepts;
- be familiar with appropriate documentation standards;
- be familiar with the most recent developments, literature, and best practices in the field.

Fee info

EUR 250: Student/PhD student rate.
EUR 350: Academic/non-profit rate.
The rates include the tuition fee, course materials, the academic program, access to library and IT facilities, coffee/tea, and a number of social activities.

Scholarships

10 DAAD scholarships are available via the Center for Doctoral Studies in Social and Behav-ioral Sciences (CDSS) at the University of Mannheim.
5 ESRA scholarships are available for participation in one main course.