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LIS 570

LIS 570. How can I measure that? Selecting Variables. Developing indicators for concepts. Summary. Define concepts Identify dimensions Identify variables Identify indicators Evaluate the indicators Moving from the abstract and theoretical to the empirical and measurable.

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LIS 570

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  1. LIS 570 How can I measure that? Selecting Variables. Developing indicators for concepts

  2. Summary • Define concepts • Identify dimensions • Identify variables • Identify indicators • Evaluate the indicators Moving from the abstract and theoretical to the empirical and measurable

  3. Descending the Ladder of Abstraction • Problem statement • Statement of Concepts • Abstractions • Not empirical • Process of making empirical • Operationalization (Bouma) • Clarifying concepts (De Vaus)

  4. Descending the Ladder of Abstraction • Process • Develop a conceptual definition for the concept(s) • locate a range of definitions • select one for the study • Find variables for the concept • Assess validity of variables

  5. Develop a Conceptual Definition • Conceptual definition • “Dictionary type definition” • Consists of more concepts • Leisure Activities of Interest“activities-apart from obligation to work, family & society to which a person turns at will” • “interests = those activities which people actively seek out”

  6. Locate and select a definition • Locate a range of definitions • everyday definitions • scholarly definitions • Select one definition • Useful • Appropriate • Relevant • Necessary to measure validity

  7. Delineate the dimensions of the concept • Many concepts have a number of different aspects or dimensions • should be distinguished • we may use one of these dimensions in the study • we may develop indicators for each dimension • E.g. What are the dimensions of leisure activity?

  8. Conceptual definitions • Importance of definition • Determines type(s) of data • Clarifies meaning for researchers, participants and readers • “interests” = “likes and dislikes” • leisure = “non-utilitarian activities

  9. Concepts and variables • Operationalization • finding measurable variables for concepts • Operational definition • defines a concept in empirical terms How can I measure that?

  10. Find Variables for the concept • Definition • Concept which varies in type or amount • Gender varies in type • Male or female • Time spent engaging in leisure activities varies in amount • Concept which is measurable • Concept to which values have been assigned. • Values must be - exhaustive; exclusive

  11. Variables • For most concepts there will be many variables • Leisure Activities of interest • Different types of Activities: • Engages in boxing • Engages in cooking • Amount of time engaging in leisure • Location of activity • Level of organisation

  12. Indicators • Indicators become the focus of questions asked and evidence gathered • An empirical observation that can be taken as evidence of particular attributes of a variable • eg male or female is an indicator of gender • Marital status? • Educational level?

  13. Indicators • To study the compassion of LIS570 students“a feeling of deep sorrow for living things stricken by misfortune” “a strong desire to alleviate the pain of living things” • indicators • cry when people die in movies • vomit at motor accidents • feel sad when the local possum stops coming for food

  14. Indicators • How many indicators should we use? • How do we develop indicators? • Measures developed in previous studies • observation, unstructured interviews • informants

  15. Evaluating indicators • Validity • the indicators measure the concept that we think they are measuring • appropriateness and relevance of the indicators • eg is educational level a valid indicator of social status? • reliability • we can rely on the answers that people give to the questions that we ask

  16. Levels of measurement • Any variable is composed of 2 or more categories or attributes • eg sex (male/ female); country of birth (Australia, USA, NZ etc) • Level of measurement refers to how the categories of the variable relate to one another

  17. Levels of measurement • Nominal - measuring a variable at this level involves naming the calibration units • (1) = Male  Value Label • (2) = Female  Value Label • Sample data: 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1

  18. Ordinal - involves arranging the calibration units into a logical order of rank Age (number of years) (1) 18-24 (2) 25-31 (3) 32-38 (4) 39-45 There is an order in the calibrations without any assumption that the distances between each calibrating unit are equal Levels of measurement

  19. Interval e.g.Number of hours; Values designate quantity; 2 more than 1 less than 3; Person 2 has more of the characteristic number of hours exercising (5 hours) than person 1 (2 hours); Difference between them is 3 hours Has order but also involves specifying an equal distance between each successive unit Levels of measurement

  20. Levels of measurement • Ratio • specifies a distance between each successive calibration • assumes there is a point at which the variable literally does not exist eg height and weight

  21. Which level to aim for (De Vaus) • Interval or ratio levels • precise averages can be calculated • ie what is the average sex of students at UW? • More powerful and sophisticated techniques of analysis are available • higher levels of measurement provide more information • interval level measures can be converted to ordinal or nominal level but not vice versa

  22. Summary - descending the ladder of abstraction Concept Dimensions Variables Indicators Validity & Reliability

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