PR Topic 7

INSTRUMENTATION
AND STATISTICAL
TREATMENT

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

Are tools that measure variables in the
study and are designed to obtain data on a
topic of interest from the subjects of
research
INSTRUMENTATION – the process of
developing an instrument as well as the
conditions under which the instrument
will be used
Characteristics of Research
Instrument

1. Validity
2. Reliability
3. Objectivity
Validity

Pertains to the defensibility of the inferences
formulated by the researchers from the collection
of data through the use of the instrument
Is established using a panel of experts and a field
test
The type of validity (content, construct, criterion,
and face) to use depends on the objectives of the
study
Reliability

Gives consistent results
whenever being used
Objectivity

The absence of subjective
judgments in the research
instrument
Notes:

A valid and reliable instrument
has undergone the process of
checking by experts, pilot testing,
and item analysis.
Three Types of Research
Instrument

Cognitive
Aptitude
Affective
Cognitive Research
Instrument

Measures intellectual processes such as
problem solving, analyzing and
reasoning
Ex. Achievement tests and conceptual
understanding tests
Aptitude Research
Instrument

Measures mental ability and are for
predicting performance of the subject
Ex. Process skills tests, critical thinking
tests, verbal reasoning tests, numerical
reasoning tests, and mechanical
reasoning tests.
Affective Research
Instrument

Assesses one’s feelings, attitudes, beliefs,
interests, personality, and values
Usually expressed in the Likert scale,
semantic differential scale, Thurstone scale,
Guttman scale, and rating scale
Ex. Behavior-rating scales, product-rating
scales, and attitude rating scales, and interest
inventory scales.
INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT

 Begins with deciding what type of research
instrument that you will use in the study.
 You should start with a statement about the
objectives of the research study, review existing
instruments with similar variables, how the data will
be used, the confidentiality of the data, how long will
it take for respondents to answer the interview or
survey, the language appropriate to the age group
and that every question that helps you answer the
research questions and questionnaires should use
appropriate scales.

You may also ask for demographic
information such as gender or age, if
relevant.
The number of items should be twice
the target number of items because
after item analysis, you will still have to
delete weak items.

Next, find experts in the field who will
validate the content of your instrument.
The instrument should be checked by a
language editor for face validation.
CONTENT VALIDATION – pertains to the
conceptual content of the instrument
FACE VALIDATION –refers to the structure
and language used in the study

After the content and face validation, pilot test
your instrument.
The actual number of respondents should double
the number of your target respondents in the
study to increase the validity and reliability of
your instrument
During pilot testing, determine the average time
the respondents took to answer the instrument.
Respondents can also comment on the reliability
of your instrument.

 After collecting data from the pilot test, you can now
use statistical tests to check the reliability of your
instrument.
 ITEM ANALYSIS - one way to check the reliability of

your instrument
- a statistical technique that measures the
effectiveness of a research instrument
- done by getting the difficulty and discrimination
indices of the research instrument

DIFFICULTY INDEX – pertains to the proportion
of students who answered the test item correctly
DISCRIMINATION INDEX - refers to how well an
assessment differentiates between high scorers and
low scorers. This means that you expect the high
performing students to select the correct option
more often than the low performing ones.
Item analysis is being done if the instrument is in
the form of a multiple choice wherein there is a
correct answer
Formula in Computing for
the Difficulty Index

 p = Np/N where p is the difficulty index, Np is the
number of test takers who got the item correctly, and
N is the t
 otal number of test takers in the group.
 RULE OF THE THUMB: If the item difficulty index is
more than 0.75, the item is easy; but if the difficulty
index is below 0.25, the item is difficult. Items with
difficulty indices of 0.75 and above and those with
difficulty indices of 0.25 and below need to be replaced
or revised. All the rest are good items.
Activity:

Construct a 10-item cognitive or
affective research instrument. Pilot
test and test the reliability of the
research instrument using item
analysis for cognitive instruments
and Cronbach’s alpha for affective
instruments.

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INSTRUMENTATION

 ITEM ANALYSIS - one way to check the reliability of

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