Question

What considerations are important when designing an instrument to collect quantitative data?

What is reliability and validity of instrumentation? Why is it important?

In what situations would a researcher validate an instrument?

Answer 1

What considerations are important when designing an instrument to collect quantitative data?

When designing an instrument to collect quantitative data, the instrument error or measurement error should be as less as possible. In other words, it is important to keep least count of measurement instrument very less so that one can record the data in more accurate way. Also, it is important to design an instrument in such a way that there is no any effect of other external parameters on it. In all situations of temperatures, other environment conditions, and external physical conditions; instrument should provide the same data.

What is reliability and validity of instrumentation? Why is it important?

The instrument should be reliable for use and anyone can handle it with same way. The instrumentation should be work under any circumstances as discusses above. Results or data collected from instruments should be valid under any conditions. This is very important because if there is less reliability and validity of the instruments, then there is a possibility of getting biased results. Also, it will not provide proper estimates for the further research work.

In what situations would a researcher validate an instrument?

There are so many situations when researcher would validate an instrument. If the research study on the same hypothesis is being held in different geographic locations and other conditions, then researcher would validate an instrument for getting unbiased estimates. If the research study does not validate an instrument, then there is a possibility of getting some instrument errors. This will produce biases during comparisons and analysis.