Assessment Specification Psychology CoursesModule Title: Psychometrics 1Module Code: PSYC40117Module Leader: Trigg, RichardModule Leader email: richard.trigg@ntu.ac.ukElement name: PSYC40117 Elem 1 CwkElement no: 1 Weighting: 100 per centWord limit (excl. refs) or presentation/test duration: 2500 wordsDeadline: 22/01/2021 •Timely return of work to you: You will receive a provisional grade and feedback on or before12/02/2021 • The type of feedback you will receive will be: Individual written feedback• All written work must be submitted to the appropriate dropbox before 2 pm on the deadline day. Ensurethat you receive an email confirming that the work has been submitted. Keep this email for yourrecords.• Refer to the module handbook on NOW for the module’s learning outcomes.• Keep an electronic copy of all your written pieces of work for your records. Before submitting yourwork ensure you understand the NTU Academic Irregularities Policies.• Use only your student number in any coursework documents that you submit (include it as a header orfooter) – do not put your name anywhere in the document unless specifically instructed to do so by themodule leader.• Ensure that you understand the Notification of Exceptional Circumstances (NEC) procedurePSYC40117: Psychometrics 12Assessment detailsYou will need to write a 2500 word report on ‘the development and critical appraisal of a new measure’.There is no set format for the report but you should include a brief introduction, method, results anddiscussion sections as well as an abstract and reference section. You will also need to append a copy of yourformatted questionnaire. The content of your report should focus on the stages of item and factor analysisand the validation of your new scale. The reader should be able to understand how you developed yourscale, the properties of your final scale and the relative strengths and weaknesses of this new measure.Specific guidance as to the content of your report will be provided throughout the module.Assessment criteriaThe criteria we will use to mark/grade your work, made clear to you in advance:The standard NTU grading scheme will be used as the grading framework. The specific criteria for thisassignment are as follows:The report should:– Describe your final measure items– Justify, using specific criteria, the selection of these items from the item pool– Justify the scaling properties of these items, through use of item and factor analytic methods– Provide a description and critique of the psychometric properties of your measure– Draw on the psychometrics literature to appraise the strengths and weaknesses of the measure– Give informed commentary about necessary future validation of the measure– Be clearly and accurately referencedYour formatted measure should:– be appended to the report and should be professional in appearance– be worded in such a way that questions are concise, unambiguous and easy to answerGrading MatrixSee the end of this document for the detailed grading matrix.FeedbackThis is how you will receive comments on your work:Each individual will be provided with written feedback on the report. Feedback will be structured so as toprovide you with an indication of the things that I think you did well and the things that I feel can beimproved for subsequent reports.This is how the feedback will identify areas that you can improve on in the future:You will be given continual feedback throughout the module and you will have opportunities to askquestions in every class. Workshop sessions will be used to assess your understanding of material andhighlight areas where additional support may be required.How we make sure that marking/grading is fairTo ensure fairness, all assessed work is marked with reference to marking criteria and with reference to theNTU grading scheme. Furthermore, all marking of assessed work is moderated by another internal markerin line with university policy. All assessment processes are overseen by external examiners. ModerationPSYC40117: Psychometrics 13procedures will not have been completed by the time the work is returned to you. For that reason ALLgrades must be regarded as provisional until ratified by the Board of Examiners.___________________________________________________________________________PSYC40117: Psychometrics 14Grading Matrix Module learning outcomes:1. Contrast and compare techniques used to validate psychological measures2. Critically evaluate the relative qualities of existing measures within the psychological literature3. Plan and manage the process of test construction from item development through to scale validation4. Demonstrate written competency through effective communication of psychometric research findings.5. Demonstrate interpretation of complex psychometric information6. Work effectively in groups.7. Display independent thinking and critical evaluation skills through your ability to assess the strengths and weaknesses of psychometric measures.8. Demonstrate effective employment of a wide range of teaching and learning resources.9. Demonstrate effective time management PSYC40117: Psychometrics 15 CriteriaLODistinctionCommendationPassMarginal failFailPresentation of researchfindings (clarity, academicstyle, structure,referencing)4,9All sections of the report arecomprehensive, clear and wellstructured. One or more sections of thereport demonstrates a sophisticated levelof evidenced argument and expressionthat goes beyond the prescribed rangeand would be close to that found in anacademic journal. Excellent presentationof methods and data. ExcellentreferencingAll sections of the report arecomprehensive, clear and wellstructured, with arguments andexplanations that are coherent andwell-supported by the literature.Good presentation of methods anddata, with minimal errors.Competent referencing.Most sections of the report are clearand appropriately structured. Use ofarguments and explanations aresomewhat limited in range and depthand literature is typically used in adescriptive manner. Methods and dataare presented adequately althoughthere may be some errors. Referencingis adequate.There is a lack of clarity and/orstructure in some of the reportsections. Arguments andexplanations lack clarity and arepoorly evidenced. Inadequatepresentation of methods and/ordata. Referencing is lacking orincorrect.Significant lack of clarity andstructure throughout the report.Lack of argument or explanation.Absence of appropriate methodor data display. Absence ofappropriate referencing.Use of psychometricevidence to informarguments1,2,5,7,8Evidence of extensive and appropriateindependent reading and inquiry, leadingto accurate and detailed coverage ofpsychometric concepts and arguments,some of which are at the forefront of thediscipline and beyond what has beentaught. Excellent critical evaluation andsynthesis of this material to constructown arguments.Evidence of appropriateindependent reading and inquiry,leading to accurate coverage ofpsychometric concepts andarguments, some of which gobeyond what has been taught. Useof critical evaluation and synthesisof this material to construct ownarguments.Evidence of some independent readingbut tends to be limited to set sourcesand is mostly confined to basicpsychometric concepts. Tendency touse evidence sporadically whenconstructing arguments and relylargely on information from slides andhand-outs.Insufficient evidence ofindependent reading over andabove set sources and lecturematerials. Descriptive andunsubstantiated arguments thatdemonstrate a misunderstanding ofpsychometric concepts.Highly insufficient knowledge orunderstanding of the area.Incoherent arguments thatsuggest a lack of engagementwith basic lecture materialJustification of scale items3,4,5,7,8Demonstrates a thorough approach toitem and factor analyses thatdemonstrates an excellent understandingof taught material. Generally excellentdata handling, with thoughtfulexamination of findings in relation toitem retention and scale development.Excellent signposting with clear anddetailed justification of decisionsDemonstrates a rigorous approachto item and factor analyses thatdemonstrates a very goodunderstanding of taught material.Competent data handling, withthoughtful examination of findingsin relation to item retention andscale development. Goodsignposting with clear justification ofdecisionsAdequate data handling, but may beexamples of a lack of rigour. Item andfactor analyses are competent anddemonstrate an understanding oftaught material. Data are usedcorrectly to justify item retention andscale development.Misunderstandings in key elementsof the data analysis. The item orfactor analysis lacks sustainedrigour and/or competence. Limitedor incorrect application of analysesto decisions about item retentionor scale development.Inadequate data handling andanalysis. No clear use of the datato select appropriate items ordevelop the scale. PSYC40117: Psychometrics 16 CriteriaLODistinctionCommendationPassMarginal failFailCritical evaluation of scaleproperties1,2,5,7Displays some clear independent insightand critical awareness with respect to theinterpretation and application of findings.Thoughtful critical evaluation of scaleproperties based on detailed examinationof data. Scale critique used to informsuggestions for further validation work.Displays some clear and coherentcritical evaluation of findings whereappropriate. Scale critique isthoughtful and informed by thedata. Suggestions for furthervalidation work are largely derivedfrom the critique and represent asensible next step.Some critical evaluation of findingsalthough these may be limited in scopeand coherence. Tendency to provide abroader critique of scale propertiesthat is informed by the general patternof data, rather than a more detailedexamination of findings. Suggestionsfor future validation work are presentbut somewhat limited.Cursory evaluation of findings and acritique that does not reflect theresearch data. The evaluationtypically contains errors andmisunderstanding or is at a verybasic level.Lack of coherent evaluation offindings or scale critique.Presentation of final scale2,3,6,8,9Gives a comprehensive account of thescale properties, placing them in thecontext of standard psychometric criteriaand in relation to other scales or topicliterature. The appended scale isprofessional in appearance and usesadvanced formatting features thatdemonstrate wider reading and goodattention to detail.Gives a comprehensive account ofthe scale properties, placing them inthe context of standardpsychometric criteria and/or otherscales and topic literature. Theappended scale is clear and wellformatted and there is goodattention to detail.Gives an account of the scaleproperties, placing them in the contextof standard psychometric criteria,although there may be some omissionsor errors. The appended scale is clearand well-formatted but there may bedetails which could be improved.Limited account of scale propertiesand these are not placed within thecontext of standard criteria orliterature. Inadequate formatting ofappended scale that would make itunsuitable for administration toparticipants in its current formPresentation of scale properties isabsent or inaccurate. Appendedscale shows little or no formattingover and above writing out thequestions and responses.
