The aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge about the measurement of mental properties, construction and exploration of psychodiagnostic tests. Furthermore, students gain skills for working with data - especially the ability to calculate raw scores and weighted scores of psychological tests to verify their reliability, quantitative evaluation of individual items and so on.
Requirements on student
To get the credit students must pass the written test combining different types of questions. The test consists of both theoretical and practical tasks requiring working with data using a computer. The condition for getting the credit is also doing assignments during semester.
Content
Students will become familiar with the following topics:
- Psychometrics and its history
- Measurement in psychology and its pitfalls
- Classical test theory (CTT)
- Types and characteristics of diagnostic methods
- Evidence of the test reliability
- Evidence of the test validity
- Standards and standardization
- Development and analysis of test items
- Exploratory factor analysis
Prerequisites - other information about course preconditions
Knowledge of methodology of psychological research and statistical data analysis.
Competences acquired
In addition to the knowledge of psychometry theory, students acquire the following competencies to analyze psychometric data:
The calculation of the raw scores (+ imputation of missing values)
Calculation of weighted scores as linear transformation of raw score
Calculation of weighted scores (nonlinear) using a table
Treating inverse scored items
Machine identification of apparently incorrect observation
Estimating the reliability as a stability in time
Estimating reliability of parallel forms
Computation of split-half reliability
Computation of reliability as an internal consistency
Using SpearmanBrown "prophecy" formula
Dealing with attenuation of correlation coefficient caused with imperfect reliability
Identification of problematic items with their relationship to the total score
Using interrater agreement (Kappa) coefficients
Determination of the number of factors suitable for extraction using a scree plot and other tools
Extraction of factors, their rotation and interpretation factor charges
Calculation of the factor scores for each respondent
Determination of interval estimation for raw score based on reliability estimates
