Part A: Test Development

1. I need to develop a scale of at least 15 items designed to measure one human attribute or construct.
2. The items all need to have the same Likert-style rating scale.
3. Then it needs to be reviewed by 2 other students.
4. In response to their comments you need to revise and improve your scale.
5. The items need to be reviewed for ethical clearance and then I am allowed to collect data.
6. I need to hypothesise a relationship between my attribute and one of 6 “standardised” questionnaires.

• Read Chapter 6 of your textbook (pp. 97-119).
• Develop a test containing at least 15 items.  All items need to have the same rating scale, but you can choose the format of the rating scale.
• Develop a scoring sheet for your test, with some brief notes on the interpretation of scores.  You can use subscales to measure more than one construct if you wish – but do not use more than 2 subscales.  “Keep it simple” is good advice.
• Use feedback received from the reviewers (and your experience reviewing tests of other students) to revise your test and scoring system.  Make notes on what changes you have made.
• Once your test has been approved you can begin recruiting participants.  Please take careful note of research ethics during this procedure, especially confidentiality.
• Consider using Qualtrics to set up an online survey to recruit your participants

Hints for scale development

You are developing a scale to measure a construct not just a survey of disparate questions.  This means that you will have to design your items in such a way as to mean something when scored.

The most common approach is to ask 15 questions that measure a particular construct or attitude to a particular topic (maybe attitudes to asylum seekers or attitudes to tattoos).  Your 15 questions “get at” slightly different aspects of the construct or attitude.  You then determine a total score for each person.  In this case, there are no right or wrong questions.  Across your sample you will get a continuum from low scores to high scores.  You need to explain what a high score would mean.

You can also consider assessing knowledge about a topic or issue.  In this case, there will be right and wrong answers (and perhaps some answers that are half right).  Let’s say, knowledge of Australian history or primary school maths.  For these sorts of tests, your scores will need to differentiate between people who know nothing, something, and a lot about the topic/issue – so a continuum from no knowledge (getting everything wrong) to complete knowledge (getting everything right) will be obtained.

You might choose to include some attitudinal questions as well as knowledge-based questions.  If you do this, it is best to have two subscales rather than a total score, because you are measuring two different constructs – a person may be high on one but low on the other, which would be missed if you only have a total score.  But in general, you should aim to keep the basis of the scale fairly simple – so one construct or one knowledge topic.

Have some fun with this assignment – there is no need to pick a serious topic or issue, but feel free to cover something that is important to you if you so wish.  I have listed a few topic/issue ideas below, use one of these or develop your own.

 

Topic/Issue IdeasAttitudes towards	Knowledge of	Personality characteristics
Asylum seeker detention New pop music Money Parenting discipline Celebrities adopting children from overseas Body piercing or tattoos Shoe shopping Flash cars	World leaders Dating etiquette Rolling Stones albums College life Car maintenance	Need to party Need to study Need for money Obedience or conformity Rebelliousness Collecting things

Please ensure that the items you develop are not offensive, racist, sexist, or in any way derogatory to other people or groups of people.  Also, avoid items that ask for information that is too sensitive or private, such as sexual or criminal activity.

Part B

1. I need to recruit at least 30 people to complete my scale and complete the chosen standardised scale.
2. I need to collect participant data, namely their age and gender.
3. I have to provide an information sheet for all the participants. [They will have to be over 18 years of age, and approximately equal numbers of males and females.]
4. My scale will have to be reviewed for ethical compliance before I can collect data.
5. I will then analyse the data to answer my proposed hypothesis and also compare males and females on the two scales.
6. I need to determine Cronbach’s alpha for my created scale and the standardised one.

Results of the study to be written up as a 1500 word practical report by 10th October.

Part B: Analysis and reporting

Once you have settled on your 15 items for your scale, you need to think about how your scale might relate to one of the six identified below.

Scale name	Authors	General comment
Almost Perfect Scale – Revised (APS-R)	Slaney et al. (2001)	A measure of perfectionism. 23 items, 3 subscales.
Dogmatism Scale (DOG)	Altemeyer (2001)	A measure of dogmatism. 20 items, no subscales.
Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS)	Lovibond & Lovibond (1995)	A measure of negative affect. 21 items, 3 subscales.
Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ)	Hills & Argyle (2002)	A measure of happiness. 29 items, no subscales.
Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS)	Arnett (1994)	A measure of sensation seeking. 20 items, 2 subscales.
Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation Scale (BIS/BAS)	Carver & White (1994)	A measure of avoidance and approach. 20 items, 2 subscales.