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It is important to note that every study needs to be properly evaluated in order to ensure that it is both reliable and valid. Without determining these properties, it is problematic to use them as a source of evidence to support a specific argument. It is stated that “reliability focuses on the consistency of a measurement method” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p. 338). Testing or assessing the given factor can be conducted by stability testing through test-retest reliability, equivalence or interrelated reliability, alternate forms of reliability, and internal consistency (Grove & Gray, 2019). The former focuses on reproducibility, and interrater reliability refers to a comparison between two observers, while the latter “is used primarily with multi-item scales” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p. 341). In addition, alternate forms of reliability compare two pencil and paper instruments, such as SAT.
The validity is also critical in evaluating a study as a source of evidence. It is “a determination of how well the instrument measures the abstract concept being examined” (Grove & Gray, 2019, p. 341). The major types include content validity, construct validity, convergence, divergence, criterion-related validity, concurrent validity, and predictive validity. They focus on the relevance of elements, fit of definitions, comparison with the existing instrument, comparison with a new instrument, criterion, future prediction, and concurrent performance, respectively. When discussing the reliability and validity sections of an article, the key weakness is manifested in the fact that some studies might be poorly reproducible due to the sheer amount of resources needed to conduct such an experiment (APA, 2020). In addition, divergent and convergent validities are problematic because they compare new with existing instruments, which might not provide an accurate evaluation of a study.
References
APA. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The official guide to APA style (7th ed.). American Psychological Association.
Grove, S. K., & Gray, J. R. (2019). Understanding nursing research: Building an evidence-based practice (7th ed.). Elsevier.
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