390038 DK PhD-M: Measurement Theory and Scale Development (2022S)

The course seeks to provide a broad introduction to measurement theory and alternative approaches for developing and assessing multi-item scales. It is aimed at non-experts and the emphasis is on the steps associated with the development and validation of sound measures for use in empirical research. The course is designed for PhD-students and assumes previous knowledge of data analysis and statistics (including factor analysis and regression). Students taking this course should have already completed a multivariate statistics and, ideally, be familiar with basic principles of structural equation modeling (SEM).

The course seeks to familiarize participants with the various stages associated with the construction of sound measures for use in empirical research, highlighting key decisions and potential problems at each stage. Following an introduction of the key concerns of measurement theory, the conceptual underpinnings of alternative measurement perspectives – namely reflective and formative measurement – are discussed. These set the conceptual background for considering operational procedures for developing reflective scales and formative indices and for offering detailed guidelines for measure validation. To enable participants experience measure development “in action”, the various issues are illustrated with concrete examples of reflective scale development and formative index construction drawn from the literature. Once participants have become familiar with basic measurement principles, more advanced topics will be addressed such as higher-order models, parceling strategies, and single-item measurement models.

The course will take the form of workshop sessions, placing particular emphasis on student participation. Theoretical discussion of key issues will be accompanied by practical demonstration of scale development.