PSYC 627 - Assessment (10/30/2007)

* Construct vs. Measurement

* Score: Domain, Parts, Items - have more than you think you will need

* The longer the scale is, the more reliable it is.

* Too great alpha, homogeneous, less items needed; Unique vs. Redundant; Test construction

PSYC 627 - From Oct. 23

* Farrell (1982) - documentation & accountability

* Jim McCollough - the integration of research, practice, and teaching

* Practice evaluation

* The integration of evaluation/research in a particular practice setting

* How to get the evaluation done? What are the strengths and weaknesses? What are the challenges? Consistency of the practice of evaluation.

* Issues to be considered: system, ME development, logistics (time, measures, fear of evaluation, value, making use of the data, field vs. ownership)

* Evaluating Outcomes by John D. Cone

PSYC 627 (6) - Oct. 9

Apparently it has been quite a while since I took time to reflect on my classes and record those introspections. Thesis has been the priority for this past month.

Yesterday we had an in-class activity to come up with a research proposal and then to critique another. It felt strange and awkward. I guess I was tired and almost felt being looked down upon. Maybe the other was a little overconfident. Yet again maybe that is a good thing to come down strong and push things forward. It is interesting that I felt that my opinions were not valued. Yet quite a bit of what we presented were raised by my suggestions. Maybe I also need to adjust my expectations and refocus on the positive, collaborative aspects.

Another issue is that there are always pros and cons for all research designs. It is more important to justify your design and acknowledge the potential limitation rather than finding the "perfect" way, since such a thing does not exist.

PSYC 627 (3) - Sept 11

Threats to Internal Validity

* Schedule enough time to read the readings!!!

* Use diagram to sketch the research design. (R - Randomized; O - Observation/Assessment; X - intervention)

* Consider the research question and the relationship that is the focus of the study.

* Dissect the impact of various factors.

* Come up with solutions to fix the problem instead of leaving it broken.

Construct Validity

Class Reflection (627) - Sept. 4

Research Methods (II) - Overview of Methodology

* Subfield-organized vs. Phenomenon-organized system: interdisciplinary areas, specialization by different means vs. unification; collaboration;

* Research study introduction, Q & A;
- Peripheral variables: inclusion vs. ignorign
- Full mediation vs. Partial mediation
- Sample bias

- Limitation of the study
- Assumptions
- Contextualism & Influence ~ intervention

* Lit Review to NOT re-invent the wheel (the re-cycling of research topics over years)

??? The book on survey research design from head to toe :O)