209 Chapter 10 Definitions

The process of assigning numbers or values to individuals health status, objects, events or situations using a set of rules.

Determining the value of concrete factors, such as weight, waist circumference, temperature, HR, BP and respirations.

When researchers cannot directly measure an abstract idea, but they can capture some of its elements in their measurements.

The lowest of 4 measurement categories; it is used when data can be organized into categories of a defined property but the categories cannot be rank-ordered.

Data are assigned to categories that can be ranked.

Uses interval scales, which have equal numerical distances between intervals.

The highest form of measurement and meets all the rules of other forms of measurement.

The ideal perfect measure.

The difference between the true measure and what is actually measured.

The difference between the measured value and the true value is without pattern or direction (random).

Measurement error that is not random; the variation in measurement values from the calculated average is primarily in the same direction.

The consistency of a measurement method.

A measure of the amount of random error in the measurement technique.

Concerned with the consistency of repeated measures of the same attribute with the use of the same scale or instrument. (Test- Retest reliability)

Involves the comparison of two versions of the same paper and pencil instrument or of two observers measuring the same event.

Comparison of two observers or two judges in a study.

Comparison of two paper and pencil instruments.

A type of reliability testing used primarily with paper and pencil instruments or scales to address the correlation of each question to the other questions within the scale.

A determination of how well the instrument reflects the abstract concept being examined.

Validity is considered a single broad method of measurement evaluation.

Examines the extent to which the measurement method or scale includes all of the major elements or items relevant to the construct being measured.

Focuses on the study participants ability to read and comprehend the content of an instrument or scale.

Can be tested by identifying groups that are expected to have contrasting scores on an instrument.

Determined when a relatively new instrument is compared with an existing instrument that measures the same construct.

Measurement methods used to quantify the level of functioning of living beings.

Comparable to validity in that it addresses the extent to which the instrument measures what is supposed to measure in a study.

The degree of consistency or reproducibility of measurements made with physiological instruments.

Can be grouped into 5 categories: environment, user, subject, equipment, and interpretation.

A test used to confirm a diagnosis is evaluated in terms of its ability to assess the presence or absence of a disease or condition correctly as compared with a gold standard.

The most accurate means of currently diagnosing a particular disease and serves as a basis for comparison with newly developed diagnostic or screening test.

An accurate identification of the presence of a disease.

Indicates that a disease is present when it is not.

Indicates accurately that a disease is not present.

Indicates that a disease is not present when it is.

The proportion of patients with the disease who have a positive test result or true positive.

Good at identifying the disease in the patient.

The proportion of patients without the disease who have a negative test result or true negative.

Good at identifying the patients without a disease

Involves an interaction between the study participants and observers in which the observer has the opportunity to watch the participant perform in a specific setting.

Spontaneously observing and recording what is seen in words.

The researcher carefully defines what he or she will observe and how the observations are to be made, recorded and coded as numbers.

Verbal communication between the researcher and subject during which the information is provided to the researcher.

The content is controlled by the study participant.

The content is similar to that of a questionnaire, with the possible responses to questions carefully designed by the researcher.

A self-report form designed to elicit information through written, verbal or electronic responses of the subject.

A form of self-report, is a more precise means of measuring phenomena than a questionnaire.

The crudest form of measurement involving scaling technique; lists an ordered series of categories of a variable that are assumed to be based on an underlying continuum.

Designed to determine the opinions or attitudes of study subjects; this scale contains a number of declarative statements, with a scale after each statement.

Used to measure strength, magnitude, or intensity of individuals subjective feelings, sensations or attitudes about symptoms or situations.

The process of acquiring subjects and collecting the data for a study.

Data collected for reasons other than research.