Research Design - Ope Rationalization

8/3/2019 Research Design - Ope Rationalization

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Research designResearch design -- operationalizationoperationalization 11

Research designResearch design operationalization ofoperationalization ofvariablesvariables

Chapter 6 in Babbie & Mouton (2001)Chapter 6 in Babbie & Mouton (2001)

The construction of actual, concreteThe construction of actual, concretemeasurement techniques; the creation ofmeasurement techniques; the creation of

operations that will result in the desiredoperations that will result in the desiredmeasurements.measurements.

The development or choice of specificThe development or choice of specific

research procedures (operations) that willresearch procedures (operations) that willresult in representing the concepts ofresult in representing the concepts ofinterest.interest.


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OperationalizationOperationalization

An operational definition is a procedure forAn operational definition is a procedure forclassifying, ordering, or quantifying somethingclassifying, ordering, or quantifying something

ClassifyingClassifying -- crowded or not crowdedcrowded or not crowded

OrderingOrdering -- uncrowded, mildly crowded, severelyuncrowded, mildly crowded, severelycrowdedcrowded

QuantifyingQuantifying -- measure crowdedness in terms of themeasure crowdedness in terms of thenumber of residents per square kilometrenumber of residents per square kilometre

Focus on questionnairesFocus on questionnaires otherotheroperationalization techniques in section on typesoperationalization techniques in section on typesof research designof research design


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Choices to be made about operationalizationChoices to be made about operationalization

The range of variationThe range of variation how large should yourhow large should yourcategories be?categories be?

Depends on the purpose of your studyDepends on the purpose of your study pragmaticpragmatic

considerations (considerations (e.g. income)e.g. income) Variation between the extremesVariation between the extremes how fine are thehow fine are the

disctinctions you want to make in your study?disctinctions you want to make in your study?

e.g. agee.g. age

Again, depends on the purpose of your studyAgain, depends on the purpose of your study

(Why research is such a challenging task(Why research is such a challenging task very few recipes)very few recipes)

Single or multiple indicators of variablesSingle or multiple indicators of variables Some straightforward, such as genderSome straightforward, such as gender

But others benefit from multiple indicatorsBut others benefit from multiple indicators


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Levels of measurementLevels of measurement

Of great concern in psychometricsOf great concern in psychometrics

We look for three elements:We look for three elements:

A zero pointA zero point

Distances between categories equalDistances between categories equal Categories can be rankCategories can be rank--orderedordered


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Nominal measuresNominal measures

Reflects only categoriesReflects only categories

The variable gender has two attributes,The variable gender has two attributes,

male and femalemale and female They are distinct from one another, butThey are distinct from one another, but

they have no additional structuresthey have no additional structures

Also political party affiliation, birthplace,Also political party affiliation, birthplace,etc.etc.


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ExampleExample

The next question is on the subject of work. People lookThe next question is on the subject of work. People lookfor different things in a job. Which of the following fivefor different things in a job. Which of the following fivethings would you most prefer in a job?things would you most prefer in a job?

1. work that pays well1. work that pays well

2. work that gives a feeling of accomplishment2. work that gives a feeling of accomplishment

3. work where there is not too much supervision and you make3. work where there is not too much supervision and you makemost decisions yourselfmost decisions yourself

4. work that is pleasant and where the other people are nice to4. work that is pleasant and where the other people are nice towork withwork with

5. work that is steady with little chance of being laid off5. work that is steady with little chance of being laid off


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Ordinal measuresOrdinal measures

Include the aboveInclude the above

Plus we can logically rankPlus we can logically rank--order theorder the

attributesattributes e.g. social class, prejudicee.g. social class, prejudice

We can rank order people according to theWe can rank order people according to the

amount of education they hadamount of education they had


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ExampleExample

1. very satisfied1. very satisfied

2. fairly satisfied2. fairly satisfied

3. neither satisfied nor dissatisfied3. neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 4. fairly dissatisfied4. fairly dissatisfied

5. very dissatisfied5. very dissatisfied


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Interval measuresInterval measures

Include the aboveInclude the above

Plus the intervals between the attributes havePlus the intervals between the attributes havemeaningmeaning

e.g scores on an intelligence teste.g scores on an intelligence test

BUT:BUT:

We cannot say that a person with an IQ of 120 isWe cannot say that a person with an IQ of 120 isTWICE as intelligent as one with an IQ of 60TWICE as intelligent as one with an IQ of 60

And the 5 points difference between 110 and 115,And the 5 points difference between 110 and 115,and 95 and 100?and 95 and 100?


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Ratio measuresRatio measures

Include all of the aboveInclude all of the above

Plus they have a true zero pointPlus they have a true zero point

e.g.e.g.

how long you have lived in Cape Town?how long you have lived in Cape Town?

ageage the number of times you were marriedthe number of times you were married

incomeincome


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ImplicationsImplications

Mainly for the analysis of data (theMainly for the analysis of data (thestatistics part of the course)statistics part of the course)


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Indexes and scalesIndexes and scales

Social scientific concepts have complex and varied meaningsSocial scientific concepts have complex and varied meanings

Often difficult to capture all the dimensions of a conceptOften difficult to capture all the dimensions of a concept

As a result, we normally make multiple observations, and useAs a result, we normally make multiple observations, and usemore than one indicator of a variablemore than one indicator of a variable

Indexes and scales are techniques to combine indicators of aIndexes and scales are techniques to combine indicators of avariable into a single measure of that variablevariable into a single measure of that variable

They are composite measures of variablesThey are composite measures of variables measurementsmeasurementsbased on more than one data itembased on more than one data item

Typically they are ordinal measures of variablesTypically they are ordinal measures of variables

Typical in quantitative researchTypical in quantitative research

Indexes and scales differ through the manner in which scoresIndexes and scales differ through the manner in which scoresare assigned to individual attributesare assigned to individual attributes


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IndexesIndexes

Constructed through the simple accumulation ofConstructed through the simple accumulation ofscores assigned to individual attributesscores assigned to individual attributes

e.g. we add the number of items a person agreede.g. we add the number of items a person agreedwith to obtain a total scorewith to obtain a total score

e.g. How politically active are you? We give you sixe.g. How politically active are you? We give you sixstatements of political activities you could have beenstatements of political activities you could have been

involved in, and if you indicate that you have beeninvolved in, and if you indicate that you have beeninvolved in three of them, you will obtain a score of 3involved in three of them, you will obtain a score of 3on our index of political activism.on our index of political activism.


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ScalesScales

A scale recognizes that not all responses reflectA scale recognizes that not all responses reflectthe same degree of the presence of a variablethe same degree of the presence of a variable

e.g. women are different from men is a muche.g. women are different from men is a much

weaker statement of the variable sexism thanweaker statement of the variable sexism thanwomen should not be allowed to votewomen should not be allowed to vote

Also, it assigns scores to patterns of responsesAlso, it assigns scores to patterns of responses


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Scaling proceduresScaling procedures

Bogardus social distance scaleBogardus social distance scale

Thurstone scalesThurstone scales

Likert scalingLikert scaling

Semantic differentialSemantic differential

Guttman scalingGuttman scaling

The format of the LikertThe format of the Likert--typetype scaling isscaling iscommonly used in questionnaire design todaycommonly used in questionnaire design today


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ShopaholicismShopaholicism

1 I enjoy shopping1 I enjoy shopping SAgrSAgr AgrAgr NeitherNeither DisDis SdisSdis

2 I look forward to going shopping2 I look forward to going shopping SAgrSAgr AgrAgr NeitherNeither DisDis SdisSdis

3 I shop whenever I have the opportunity3 I shop whenever I have the opportunity SAgrSAgr AgrAgr NeitherNeither DisDis SdisSdis

4 I avoid shopping if I can4 I avoid shopping if I can SAgrSAgr AgrAgr NeitherNeither DisDis SdisSdis

5 When I visit a town or city I don't know well, I always5 When I visit a town or city I don't know well, I alwayswant to see the shopswant to see the shops SAgrSAgr AgrAgr NeitherNeither DisDis SdisSdis

6 Shopping is a chore that I have to put up with.6 Shopping is a chore that I have to put up with.

SAgrSAgr AgrAgr NeitherNeither DisDis SdisSdis


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ShopaholicismShopaholicism

ScoringScoring -- note 4 and 6note 4 and 6

Level of measurementLevel of measurement -- ordinal orordinal orinterval/ratiointerval/ratio

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Research Design - Ope Rationalization