Test Development and Validation

Developing and Validating Instruments offers students the latest theories and examples of instrument construction and validation within the broader context of testing and measurement research in one handy core text. Graduate students looking for clear, concise explanations of measurement, validity, and instrument development within a real-world context will find this book to be an excellent learning resource. The author, Gary Skaggs, takes his years of experience teaching this course to a wide variety of graduate students across social and behavioral science disciplines and beyond and distills his wisdom into the twelve chapters of this text. The first part of the book sets the stage for instrument development, placing it within the larger context and history of measurement, emphasizing measurement constructs and theories and their evolution over time. The second part covers the technical details of instrument and test development in optimal order, flowing logically from one step to the next. The final part addresses important research needed to validate the instrument, emphasizing that validity is never proven, but can be argued and supported by evidence. Applications are sprinkled throughout, with exercises at the end of each chapter, and data sets available online for additional technical practice--