How do I know I am measuring what I think am measuring in my questionnaire
Duration 0.5 days
Team Researcher Academy


This session is run by the Researcher Academy


Target Audience:
Postgraduate Students and Research Staff

Brief description: A short practical session from an experienced designer of questionnaires and surveys

The purpose of this presentation is to explain how psychometric methods can answer this question: What is really my questionnaire measuring?

Learning objectives:

At the end of the course, the student should be able to

  1. State Criteria for selection of a data collection instrument.
  2. Explain practicality of the instrument.
  3. Understand the importance of reliability and validity evidence for measurement instruments.
  4. Define the term reliability.
  5. Define the term observed score, true score, and error score.
  6. Identify the sources of error in measurement.
  7. Define the term validity.
  8. Identify the sources of validity evidence.
  9. Describe the content validity of an instrument.
  10. Describe the relationship between validity and reliability.
Who should attend: Particularly suitable for research students who are new to designing questionnaires that are based on numeric data (such as scales of agreement/disagreement) with little or no 'open' content.

Course Accessibility

The following table shows a summary of what is needed to participate in the course. 

If you feel you will experience any difficulties participating, please let us know via the ‘special requirements’ tab, providing as much information as possible. The special requirements tab can be completed when you book your place. Alternatively, you can contact us directly at ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk.

Print off pre-requisite paperwork/ resources & bring them to the course (optional)
Bring your own laptop/ PC to the course (optional)
Access seminar room on campus
Attend the course at the specified date and time
Watch and listen to the course tutor(s) and/or other attendees
Follow presentation slides during the course


Booking Conditions

Latecomer policy

Researchers should plan to arrive prior to the advertised course start time. Except for exceptional reasons, there will be no admittance to a Researcher Academy or Faculty Training Programme (FTP) course 15 minutes after the advertised course start time.

Importance of booking commitment

When booking on to a Researcher Academy short course you are entering into a commitment to attend. If you find that you are no longer available to attend you MUST cancel your place (on the system if more than three days before the course) or if at short notice by emailing ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk. This will ensure that your place can be offered to another researcher on the waiting list. Failure to cancel a place results in other researchers missing out on places through the waiting list process.

It is unacceptable for researchers to just not attend when booked onto a course. The Researcher Academy maintains records of those who repeatedly do not attend courses they have booked. This may affect future eligibility to book onto further Researcher Academy courses and will affect considerations for Researcher Academy funded opportunities.

Pre-Requisites None
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