Question Description
Reliability refers to the consistency in the results of a test or scale; that is, if the instrument reveals similar results even if it were administered at a different time by different people in different forms. To have confidence in an instrument, researchers need to test its reliability.
This week, you will run a reliability analysis using the Lesson 37 Exercise File 1. Specifically, you are to:
- Reverse scale the appropriate items so that a higher total score reflects a greater emphasis on career.
- Compute a reliability analysis on the total score, using coefficient alpha.
- Conduct the analysis again, this time computing a split-half reliability coefficient and justify the method you used to split the items.
- Identify which estimate of reliability is the more appropriate one and why.
To prepare for this Assignment:
- Consider which reliability analysis will be most informative for your DIT research.
- Review Lessons 37 and 38 in the Green and Salkind text:
- Lesson 37, “Internal Consistency and Estimates of Reliability”
- Lesson 38, “Item Analysis Using Reliability Procedure”
- Access Lesson 37 Exercise File 1 from the Pearson website: http://www.pearsonhighered.com/greensalkindSPSS
- Review the Assignment Exemplar document provided in this weeks Learning Resources.