Paper Draft

· Know, understand, appreciate:

. Conception

1. Concepts

1. Conceptualization

2. Conceptual Definitions

2. Reification

1. Dimensions

1. Indicators

1. Operationalization

5. Operational definition

. Measurement

2. Exhaustive/Exclusive Measurement

2. Levels of Measurement

2. Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio

2. Composites; typology, index

2. Quality

4. Reliability; Re-test, Interrater reliability comparisons, Split-half comparisons

4. Validity; Face, Criterion-Related, Construct, Content

Go through following principles, understand, and appreciate significance.  Respond to prompts (underlined, italicized”.

· Conceptualization:  Precise specification of what is meant by a concept

. Most important step in research

1. Induction and deduction logic

1. Explanation based on logic

. Least important step 

2. We observe what we observe

2. Prediction is based on observations

Real vs Reification

· Reification

. Regarding things that are not real as real

1. Capitalism  Recidivism  Supervision

. Question what indicates concept

· Real

. Observations

1. Work, commodities, convictions, patrol car

. Question if generalization is appropriate

Since concepts dont really exist we rely on:

“ Indicators”

· Events, situations that demonstrate the occurrence or presence of a concept

. Murder indicates crime

. Enlistment indicates patriotism

Provide an example of an indicator of frustration:

Constitutive Definition: is the dictionary-like broad description of what a  “concept” is.  

Conceptual Dimensions

· Categories/parts of a concept  or different sub-concepts that are parts of the larger concept

. Crime seriousness = personal harm + monetary losses + fear increase, etc

Working Definition

· Working definition of a concept; how is it a variable

. Recidivism: number of people incarcerated who have been previously incarcerated and released

Operational Definition

· Description of the process used in observing/measuring/scoring an indicator

As we operationalize, we must figure out what are the true/real attributes of a concept (variable); what are the appropriate levels of measurement.

Levels of Measurement

· Nominal

. Attributes are only exhaustive and mutually exclusive (ie is “sex” either male, female, or both?  

. Provide an example of a nominal concept/variable: 

· Ordinal

. Attributes maybe logically ranked (ie is “sex” completely male, mostly male, equal male and female, mostly female, and completely female?

. Provide an example of a ordinal concept/variable: 

· Interval

. When the ranked distance between attributes has logical meaning (ie age consists of the exact same time between attributes - 12 to 13 is 365 days and 51 to 52 is also 365 days.

. Provide an example of a interval concept/variable:  

· Ratio

. Attributes are based on a true zero point and intervals  have ratio properties (10 is twice as much as 5)  (ie age has a zero, therefor someone can be half as old as somebody else.)

. Provide an example of a ratio concept/variable: 

When we conceptualize and “create” variables and measure a concept in reality, we want that measure to truly measure the concept……

Validity of Instrument

· The measure taken is reflective of the concept to be measured

· Methods of demonstrating validity

. Face validity

1. Make sense

. Criterion-related validity

2. Predicts measurements of other instruments that measure the concept

. Construct validity

3. It results in logical relationships with other variables ( a measure of frustration has correlation with a measure of aggression)

. Content validity

4. Extent to which instrument measures entire range of construct's meanings

Conceptually and operationally Define one of these constructs:   

Constitutive Definition, Working definition(s) of all the dimensions(variables) that may be part of the construct, operational definitions of all the variables

Criminality

Gender

Political orientation

Or Self-Concept