3.11 Validity and Reliability Of Research

MeanThat
17 Mar 201609:20
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe video script emphasizes the importance of reliability and validity in research, which are crucial for defending a thesis. It defines reliability as the consistency of findings if the research were replicated, and discusses factors like participant and researcher errors and biases that can affect it. Validity is broken down into three types: construct, internal, and external. Construct validity ensures the research measures what it claims to, internal validity establishes a causal relationship, and external validity determines if findings can be generalized. The script advises on justifying these aspects during a thesis defense to demonstrate the research's robustness.

Takeaways
  • 🔍 **Reliability and Validity**: Research should be reliable (consistent findings if repeated) and valid (accurate representation of the concept being studied).
  • 📚 **Data Collection Techniques**: The methods used for data collection and analysis should be consistent to ensure reliability.
  • ⏰ **Participant Error**: Be aware of factors like time of day that can influence a participant's performance and responses.
  • 🗣️ **Participant Bias**: Consider the environment in which data is collected to prevent false responses due to fear of being overheard.
  • 🧐 **Researcher Error**: Avoid fatigue and other factors that may alter a researcher's interpretation or questioning techniques.
  • 🧑‍🔬 **Researcher Bias**: As researchers are subjective, it's important to strive for objectivity when interpreting results.
  • 📈 **Construct Validity**: Ensure that the research measures what it claims to measure by justifying methodological choices.
  • ⚖️ **Internal Validity**: Establish a causal relationship between variables, especially in experimental research, to demonstrate internal validity.
  • 🌐 **External Validity**: The findings should be generalizable to other settings or groups, which is about the representativeness of the sample.
  • 📝 **Justification of Research Nature**: When defending your research, justify the research nature and strategy chosen for achieving construct validity.
  • 🔗 **Causal Relationship Assumption**: For internal validity, explain why you believe the assumed relationship between variables exists.
  • 📊 **Sample Representativeness**: When assessing external validity, justify the choice of sample to ensure it is representative of the population.
Q & A

  • What are the two key terms that a researcher needs to be aware of when writing a research?

    -The two key terms are reliability and validity. Reliability refers to the consistency of research findings if the same methods are used again. Validity refers to whether the research measures what it claims to measure and if the findings can be generalized to other settings or groups.

  • What is meant by the term 'reliability' in research?

    -Reliability in research means that if the same data collection techniques and analytic procedures are used again, either by the same researcher at a different time or by a different researcher, the findings would be consistent.

  • What are the four factors that can influence the reliability of research?

    -The four factors that can influence the reliability of research are participant error, participant bias, researcher error, and researcher bias.

  • How can participant error affect the reliability of research?

    -Participant error can occur due to factors that adversely affect the way a participant performs. For example, the time of day when an interview is conducted can lead to different responses from participants.

  • What is participant bias and how can it affect the responses in an interview?

    -Participant bias is any factor that produces a false response. For instance, if an employee is interviewed in an open office setting, they may give falsely positive answers out of fear of being overheard by their manager or colleagues.

  • How can researcher error impact the reliability of research?

    -Researcher error can occur when the researcher's interpretation is altered due to fatigue or other factors. For example, if a researcher conducts multiple interviews in one day, they might not ask questions properly in the last few interviews due to tiredness.

  • What is researcher bias and how can it affect the recording of responses?

    -Researcher bias is any factor that induces bias in the researcher's recording of responses. As researchers are human, they can be subjective and may interpret the results in a subjective way, which can affect the reliability of the research.

  • What is construct validity and why is it important?

    -Construct validity is concerned with the extent to which research measures what it claims to measure. It is important because it ensures that the research methodology and choices made during the design of the research are appropriate and accurately reflect the intended construct.

  • How can a researcher justify their research's construct validity?

    -A researcher can justify construct validity by explaining the methodological choices made during the design of the research, such as the research nature, research strategy, and the rationale behind the selection of specific methods.

  • What is internal validity and what does it establish?

    -Internal validity is established when research demonstrates a causal relationship between two variables. It is particularly relevant in experimental research where the independent and dependent variables are clearly defined.

  • How should a researcher justify their research's internal validity?

    -A researcher should justify internal validity by explaining the rationale behind the assumption of a relationship between the independent and dependent variables, and why they believe this relationship exists.

  • What is external validity and what is it concerned with?

    -External validity is concerned with whether the research findings can be generalized to other relevant settings or groups. It asks about the representativeness of the sample used in the research and whether the findings from that sample can be applied to the entire population.

  • How can a researcher justify their research's external validity?

    -A researcher can justify external validity by explaining the choice of the sample and how it represents the population. They should demonstrate that the sample is diverse and inclusive enough to allow for generalization of the findings.

Outlines
00:00
🔍 Understanding Reliability and Validity in Research

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of reliability and validity in research, particularly for students defending their theses. Reliability ensures consistent findings if the research is repeated, while validity assesses whether the research measures what it claims to measure. The speaker discusses biases and errors that can affect these aspects, including participant error, participant bias, researcher error, and researcher bias. To defend the reliability of their research, students should address these factors and justify why they did not influence the research outcomes.

05:00
📏 Types of Validity in Research: Construct, Internal, and External

The second paragraph delves into the three types of validity: construct, internal, and external. Construct validity is about whether the research measures what it is intended to measure, and the speaker advises a top-down approach to justify methodological choices. Internal validity is concerned with establishing a causal relationship, particularly in experimental research, where the existence of a relationship between variables is assumed. External validity questions the generalizability of findings to other settings or groups, focusing on the representativeness of the sample chosen for the research. The speaker suggests justifying the choice of sample to defend the external validity of the research.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Reliability
Reliability in research refers to the consistency of results when the same methods are applied under the same conditions or by different researchers. It ensures that if the data collection and analysis are repeated, similar findings will emerge. In the video, the importance of reliability is emphasized as it is a common point of scrutiny during thesis defense, where examiners question the consistency of the research findings.
💡Validity
Validity is the extent to which a research study accurately measures what it claims to measure. It is a critical aspect of research as it speaks to the truthfulness and meaningfulness of the research findings. The video discusses three types of validity: construct, internal, and external, each with its own set of criteria for ensuring that the research is valid.
💡Participant Error
Participant error occurs when any factor, such as the timing of an interview, influences the way a participant responds. In the video, it is mentioned that conducting interviews at different times of the day could lead to different responses due to the participant's varying mental states, thus affecting the reliability of the research.
💡Participant Bias
Participant bias is a factor that leads to false responses from participants, often due to fear of being overheard or judged. The video uses the example of interviewing employees in an open office setting, where the fear of being overheard might lead to biased responses, thus potentially undermining the validity of the research.
💡Researcher Error
Researcher error happens when the researcher's actions or state influence the data collection process. For instance, the video points out that conducting multiple interviews in a single day could lead to fatigue, which might affect the quality of the last few interviews due to the researcher's tiredness.
💡Researcher Bias
Researcher bias refers to the subjective influence a researcher may have on the recording and interpretation of responses. As humans, researchers can inadvertently introduce bias into their work. The video stresses the importance of remaining objective to ensure the reliability and validity of the research findings.
💡Construct Validity
Construct validity is concerned with whether the research measures what it is supposed to measure. It involves justifying the methodological choices made during the research design. The video provides a practical example of how one might justify their research approach from a top-down perspective, starting from the research idea and working down to the specific methods used.
💡Internal Validity
Internal validity is established when a research study demonstrates a causal relationship between variables. It is particularly relevant in experimental research where the independent and dependent variables are clearly defined. The video discusses how one might justify the assumed relationship between variables, such as the educational level of customer support employees and customer satisfaction.
💡External Validity
External validity is about the generalizability of research findings to other settings or groups. It questions whether the findings from a sample can be applied to the entire population. The video uses the example of selecting a sample of companies from a specific field and discusses the importance of the sample being representative to ensure the external validity of the research.
💡Sampling
Sampling is the process of selecting a subset of individuals from a larger population to participate in a study. It is crucial for external validity. The video emphasizes the importance of choosing a representative sample to ensure that the research findings can be generalized to the entire population. The example given involves selecting a mix of successful and unsuccessful companies for a study to achieve a more representative sample.
💡Data Collection Techniques
Data collection techniques are the methods used to gather information for research. The video mentions that the reliability and validity of research are influenced by these techniques. It is important to choose appropriate techniques that minimize errors and biases, such as selecting the right time for interviews or ensuring privacy during data collection.
Highlights

Reliability and validity are crucial for research to be considered credible.

Reliability ensures consistent findings if the research is repeated.

Participant error can influence the reliability of research.

Participant bias can lead to false responses due to fear of being overheard.

Researcher error may occur due to fatigue or improper questioning.

Researcher bias can introduce subjectivity into the interpretation of results.

Construct validity is about whether research measures what it claims to measure.

Internal validity is established when research shows a causal relationship.

External validity concerns the generalizability of findings to other settings or groups.

Exploratory research nature implies an inductive research approach.

The choice of research strategy and methods should be justified for construct validity.

The assumption of a relationship between variables must be justified for internal validity.

The representativeness of a sample is key to external validity.

When defending research, be prepared to justify its reliability and validity.

Biases and errors must be identified and mitigated to ensure research reliability.

The research design should be transparent to demonstrate construct validity.

A top-down approach is recommended to justify construct validity.

The selection of a sample and its justification is critical for external validity.

All aspects of research design, from the general to the specific, should be defensible.

Transcripts

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Related Tags
Research MethodsReliabilityValidityData CollectionAnalytical TechniquesBias MitigationConstruct ValidityInternal ValidityExternal ValiditySampling TechniquesThesis Defense