Reliability

Question 1

Reliability

Answer 1

Measure of consistency

Question 2

Two types of reliability

Answer 2

• Test retest
• Interobserver reliability

Question 3

Test retest reliability

Answer 3

Adminstering the same test or quetionnaire to the same person on different occasions

• Must be suffcient time inbetween test and retest to ensure that the PP cannot recall thier answers to the questions but not too long that their attitudes have changed
• They are then correlated to make sure they are similar
• If it is significant then the reliability of the measuring instrument is assumed to be good

Question 4

Inter observer reliability

Answer 4

The extent to which there is agreement between two or more observers involved in observations of behaviour

• Pilot study to ensure they are applying the same behavioural categories
• Need to watch the same event or sequence of events that record data independently
• Correlated to assess reliability

Question 5

Improving reliability in questionnaires

Answer 5

Test retest:

• Some items need to be deselected or rewritten
• Replace open questions with fixed,closed alternatives to make it less ambiguous

Question 6

Improving reliability in interviews

Answer 6

• Same interviewer
• Interviews properly trained - easily avoided in structured interviews

Question 7

Improving reliability in observations?

Answer 7

• Behavioural categories properly operationalised, measurable and self evident
• Categories should not overlap
• All possible behaviours should be covered in the checklist
• Observers need further traning in using behavioural categories or may wish to discuss their decisons with each other so they can apply their categpries more consistently

Question 8

Improving reliability in experiments

Answer 8

• Procedures must be the same every time
• Standardised procedures