Other Homework Help

1. How do researchers determine reliability in a study? Describe the major types of each.

Reliability is about ensuring the method of measurement in a study stays as consistent as possible. Stability Reliability is determined by performing the experiment over and over again. If a similar result is observed more often than not, the study is considered reliable; however the more skewed the results, the less reliable they are believed to be. Equivalence Reliability is determined with Inter-Rater and Alternate Forms Reliabilities. Inter-Rater Reliability is the contrast between two scientific observers and Alternate Forms Reliability is the contrast between scales of data interpretation and their ability to skew the results. In order for the data to be scientifically significant, the designers need to make every effort to eliminate the inconsistencies of subjectivity. Another type is Internal Consistency, or homogeneity reliability, which uses multi-item scales to measure how multiple factors effect each other. (Grove & Gray, 2019)

How do researchers determine validity in a study? Describe the major types of each.

Validity is used to determine how effective the instrument in the study is at measuring the concept in question. Content Validity refers to how inclusive the tool is when measuring each and every aspect of study. If it is unable to measure certain aspects, the tool’s validity would decrease. Construct Validity refers to the ability of the tool or scale in question to measure what it claims to measure. And finally, Criterion Validity refers to the ability to hypothesize a subjects results on another variable based on their performance on the one prior. (Grove & Gray, 2019)

As a member of a journal club that is discussing the instructor assigned article in this course, what would you identify as strengths and / or weaknesses of the reliability and validity section of this article? Hint: Use Chapter 10 to help you answer these questions.

The stability of the study was strong. The results were consistent throughout the study. They also used widely accepted scales as frames of reference for measurement and negated any doubt of inter-rater reliability issues by having only one of the authors collect the data. The validity was also strong. Again, the scales they used were widely accepted as successful instruments of measurement in their own rights, but also effective ways to measure the data specific to the study. (Akin & Saydam, 2020; Grove & Gray, 2019)

Akin, B., & Saydam, B. K. (2020). The effect of labor dance on perceived labor pain, birth satisfaction, and neonatal outcomes. EXPLORE, 16(5), 310–317.

Grove, S. K., & Gray, J. R. (2019). Understanding nursing research: building an evidence-based practice (7th ed.). Elsevier, Inc.

2. Researchers determine reliability in studies utilizing a test and retest method meaning a test that is performed on one group should provide nearly equivocal results should that same test be performed on a different group. There are three major types of reliability methods. Stability reliability is “concerned with the reproducibility of scores with repeated measures of the same instrument” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 266). Equivalence reliability includes two subtypes including interrater reliability and alternate forms reliability. Interrater reliability is the “comparison of two observes in a study to determine their equivalence in measuring a concept” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 266) whereas alternate forms compares ” paper and pencil instruments to determine equivalence in measuring a concept” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 266). Lastly, internal consistency is “primarily used with multi-item scales in order to determine consistency” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 266).

Validity on the other hand will determine how well that particular tool “measures the concept which is being examined” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 267). Per Grove and Gray, there are three major types of validity measurements. Content validity “examines the extent to which a measurement method includes the major elements relevant to what is being measured” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 267). Construct validity “determines whether the instrument measures what it purports to measure” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 267). Lastly, criterion-related validity is determined “when a participant’s score on an instrument can be used to infer his or her performance on another variable” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p 267).

If I were to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the instructor assigned article, I would point out that this study had excellent construct validity, as the labor dance did demonstrate improved perceived pain and better outcomes with Apgar scores, however we do not know how reliable this study is because it was not conducted multiple times with different groups.

Grove, S., & Gray, J. (2019). Understanding nursing research: building an evidence-based practice (7th ed). St. Louis: Elsevier.