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This book describes methods to prevent avoidable errors and to correct unavoidable ones within the behavioral sciences. A distinguishing feature of this work is that it is accessible to students and researchers of substantive fields of the behavioral sciences and related fields (e.g., health sciences and social sciences). Discussed are methods for errors that come from human and other factors, and methods for errors within each of the aspects of empirical studies. This book focuses on how empirical research is threatened by different types of error, and how the behavioral sciences in particular are vulnerable due to the study of human behavior and human participation in studies. Methods to counteract errors are discussed in depth including how they can be applied in all aspects of empirical studies: sampling of participants, design and implementation of the study, instrumentation and operationalization of theoretical variables, analysis of the data, and reporting of the study results. Students and researchers of methodology, psychology, education, and statistics will find this book to be particularly valuable. Methodologists can use the book to advice clients on methodological issues of substantive research.
List of contents
1 Introduction.- 2 Probability sampling.- 3 Nonprobability sampling.- 4 Random assignment.- 5 Propensity scores.- 6 Situational bias.- 7 Random measurement error.- 8 Systematic measurement error.- 9 Unobtrusive measurements.- 10 Test dimensionality.- 11 Coefficients for bivariate relations .- 12 Null hypothesis testing.- 13 Unstandardized effect sizes.- 14 Pretest-posttest change.- 15 Reliability.- 16 Missing data.- 17 Outliers.- 18 Interactions and specific hypotheses.- 19 Publishing.- 20 Scientific misconduct.
About the author
Gideon J. Mellenbergh is emeritus professor of Psychological Methods at the University of Amsterdam, former director of the Interuniversity Graduate School of Psychometrics and Sociometrics (IOPS), and emeritus member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). His research interests are in the construction of psychological and educational tests, psychometric decision making, measurement invariance, and the analysis of psychometrical concepts. His teaching was on a large number of methodological topics (design, measurement, and data analysis) for audiences that vary from freshmen to dissertation students. He (co-) supervised 89 PhD students who successfully defended their thesis. Recently, he taught courses on methodological consultancy for research master and dissertation students. He published in international methodological journals (e.g., Applied Psychological Measurement, Journal of Educational Measurement, Multivariate Behavioral Research, Psychological Bulletin, Psychological Methods, and Psychometrika), contributed to methodological books, and published the introductory textbook A Conceptual Introduction to Psychometrics.
Summary
Introduces methods to empirical research in all fields to counteract errors being a cause of bias in study results
Covers of all aspects of behavioral studies such as sampling, designs, operationalization, data analysis, and reporting
Delivers practical guidance to subfields of the behavioral sciences and related fields
