Psychometry 2

psychology

Psychometry 1 WF-PS-N-PSYM1

elementary

PS_W06

PS_U05

PS_U06

PS_U08

Finishing the Psychometrics 1 course.

During the course, Students will learn theoretical foundations and practical aspects of psychological measurement. They will learn how to assess psychometric properties of the test and how to construct a psychological questionnaire.

The course consists of lectures and practical classes. In the winter semester (Psychometry 1), Students attend lectures (30 h) and practical classes (30 h). In the summer semester (Psychometry 2) – Students continue the practical classes (30 h).

During the course, Students will learn theoretical foundation of psychological measurement (in particular, the classical theory of psychological tests). They will learn how to assess the quality (reliability and validity) of psychological testing. In the practical classes, Students will have a chance to practising creating their own psychological test to measure a selected variable and learn practical aspects of the evaluation process of the psychometric properties of the test.

After completing the course, Students should be able to critically assess the quality of research published in psychological literature in respect to what psychometric tools were used and what was their quality. They should have knowledge and skills to construct or adapt a psychological test and to assess its psychometric characteristics and also know the basics of using a psychological test.

The list below covers the most basic textbooks for the course. The obligatory and supplementary readings will be provided during the course.

Anastasi, A, Urbina, S. (1999). Testy psychologiczne. Warszawa: Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych PTP.

Aranowska, E. (2006). Pomiar ilościowy w psychologii. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe SCHOLAR.

Brzeziński, J. (1997). Metodologia badań psychologicznych. Warszawa: PWN.

Hornowska E. (2003). Testy psychologiczne. Teoria i praktyka. Warszawa: Scholar.

Magnusson D. (1991). Wprowadzenie do teorii testów. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.

Strelau, J., Doliński D. (2008). Psychologia. Podręcznik Akademicki. Tom 2. (rozdział 10). Gdańsk: GWP.

The classes are designed to broaden the Student's knowledge, skills and competences, which serve the following general learning outcomes, specified in the learning outcomes for the curriculum in Psychology Master's studies. According to them, the Graduate:

- has knowledge of modern research methodology based on advanced statistics and current psychometry (PS_W06)

- has an in depth knowledge of the selected methods and tools for diagnosis and psychological intervention (PS_W16)

- is able to select and use various psychological methods and tests to diagnose human behavior, individual differences and personality, and has the ability to analyse the data using the SPSS statistical package (PS_U03)

- is able to construct and evaluate psychometrically psychological tests (PS_U08)

This overall learning outcomes translate into the following detailed learning outcomes:

Knowledge

1. The Students know what psychometrics is and what is it role for a psychologist.

2. The Students know and is able to explain basic psychometric terms.

3. The Students are able to give the axioms of classical test theory (CTT). They know what is a true score and an observed score. They are able to show limitations of the CTT.

4. The Students are able to characterize the basic methods of how to assess a reliability of a test (according to the CTT), they know what is a standard error of measurement, they are able to name and describe other errors of measurement.

5. The Students know what a discriminatory power of the test item and knows the methods of its assessment.

6. The Students know and are able to characterize basic methods of how a validity of a test should be assessed (according to CTT).

7. The Students know the basics of a factor analysis and of a principal components analysis.

Skills

1. The Students are able to identify the psychometric test that meets the criteria of CTT referred to in the main publication: Standards for tests used in psychology and pedagogy (2007).

2. The Students are able to use empirical results to calculate selected reliability coefficients, a standard error of measurement and other selected errors of measurement.

3. The Students are able to use a standard error of measurement to build a confidence interval of a person’s true score.

4. The Students are able to interpret measures calculated or provided (e.g. in test manuals): reliability measures, discriminatory power coefficients and standard error of measurement.

5. The Students are able to select appropriate methods to verify a reliability and validity of a test.

6. The Students are able to interpret results of a factor analysis and of a principal components analysis.

Competences

1. The Students recognize a potential of psychological tests, but remains sensitive to their limitations.

2. The Students remain cautious in assessing the quality of psychological tests.

3. The Students are aware of the importance of reliability and validity of measurement for building the correct diagnosis.

4. The Students actively protect tests from individuals and institutions that are not authorized to use them.

Class attendance is obligatory (2 absences are allowed).

Assessment methods: written test carried out at the end of semester. The grade from the test constitutes 80% of the final grade from the classes. The test includes both: theoretical knowledge discussed in the classes, as well as the practical problems. 20 % of the final grade is activity during the classes. The activity includes the degree of preparation for the classes and the critical reflections on the topic discussed.

Assessment of Knowledge (W1-W6)

Excellent: The student demonstrates a very good understanding of the theoretical concepts discussed in the course, has knowledge of methods for verifying the psychometric properties of a test, basic psychometric concepts, how to use measurement tools and textbooks, and methods of analysis and interpretation of psychometric indicators.

Good: The student possesses at least 80% of the knowledge discussed in the course, i.e., has a fairly good understanding of the theoretical concepts of psychometrics and methods for verifying the psychometric properties of psychological tests, knows and understands most of the basic psychometric concepts, methods of analysis, and methods of interpreting psychometric indicators.

Satisfactory: The student possesses at least 60% of the knowledge conveyed in the course, has a partial understanding of the theoretical concepts of psychometrics but sometimes confuses these concepts, knows a sufficient number of methods for verifying the psychometric properties of a test, but has problems with some methods, especially when it comes to interpreting results.

Unsatisfactory: The student possesses less than 60% of the knowledge discussed in the course, has a very poor understanding of the theoretical concepts related to psychometrics, does not know how to verify the psychometric properties of a test, and cannot interpret them.

Assessment of Skills: (U1-U5)

Excellent: The student can apply the knowledge acquired in the course in practice, can use psychometric tools, assess the psychometric properties of a test based on available data and textbooks, can match statistical methods to verify the psychometric properties of a test, and can independently construct a research tool.

Good: The student can apply the knowledge acquired in the course in practice, can (with very minor errors) assess the psychometric properties of a test based on available data and textbooks, in most cases can adequately match statistical methods to verify the psychometric parameters of a test, and can almost independently construct a research tool.

Satisfactory: The student applies the knowledge acquired in the course in practice, making some mistakes, but not cardinal ones. The student is familiar with the psychometric properties enough to assess the psychometric parameters of a test, but has problems with calculating some of these properties if they have to do it independently.

Unsatisfactory: The student is unable to apply the acquired knowledge in practice. The student is not familiar with the psychometric properties of the test enough to adequately match statistical methods to verify the psychometric properties of the test, and cannot independently construct test items or a research tool.

Assessment of Competencies: (K1-K4)

Competencies are primarily assessed through evaluation of student activity during exercises. Particular attention is paid to sensitivity to the limitations of psychological tests, critical thinking about presented methods, caution in evaluating the psychometric quality of existing tools, the ability to consider various conditions, and awareness of the need to protect test instruments.