Description:

Measurement is fundamental to social sciences research and application. However, measurement also represents one of the greatest obstacles that the social scientists face, both in terms of daily practice and in terms of the reputation of the discipline.

The purpose of this course is to introduce to the participants the central concepts of psychometrics theory and scale development for social sciences. The course takes a hands-on approach, covering the critical aspects of psychometric theory including scale construction, item generation, reliability testing, validity testing, and factor analysis.

The course will be structured around a framework of measurement principles and will be based on a combination of theoretical and practice-oriented sessions that will provide working knowledge of concepts using statistical software like SPSS and AMOS.

Key Highlights:

• Understand the process of designing a scale for measuring theoretical constructs in social sciences, the steps involved, and guidelines that must be followed at each step.
• A nuanced understanding of the conceptual foundations of instrument construction and development, including basic mathematical and statistical principles.
• Develop understanding of psychometric issues relevant to development of measures.
• Understand the basics of questionnaire (survey) development for social sciences.
• Understand the issues of reliability, validity and measurement error.
• Learn about factor analysis (exploratory and confirmatory), issues involved
• Be able to critically evaluate soundness of a test based on scientific criteria.
• Get hands-on training on statistical analysis packages SPSS and AMOS.

What you will learn:

• Introduction to Psychometrics and Classical Test Theory
  Gain a thorough understanding of psychometric concepts and theories.
• Steps of Scale Development
  Learn step-by-step techniques for scale development and validation.
• Reliability and Validity Testing
  Master the methods for assessing reliability and validity of psychological measurements and scales.
• Analysis of Data using SPSS and AMOS
  Apply psychometric principles to analyze and interpret research data effectively using statistical software.
• Reporting of Psychometrics Research in Manuscripts
  Acquire practical skills to enhance the quality and credibility of your social sciences research.

All the examples in the course have been analysed using SPSS and AMOS.