Short paper week 2

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Southern New Hampshire University *

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560

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Psychology

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Feb 20, 2024

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Uploaded by BrigadierSandpiper2584

Short paper Week 2: Test Development Amanda C Kelly Southern New Hampshire University PSY-550-X1265 Measurement & Assessment 23TW1 Dr. Diane Urban September 27 th , 2023

In psychological assessment, creating a test goes beyond mere chance. Instead, it's built on a thorough and methodical approach, enriched by relevant factors. The American Psychological Association (APA, 2020) notes that every year, over 20,000 new psychological tests emerge. The creators of these tests come from varied academic and research backgrounds, playing a crucial role in the test- making process. Many of these tests are refined versions of previous ones, aimed at formal publication or tailored for specific research areas. To ensure a test serves its purpose effectively, it's essential to follow the prescribed developmental steps. Cohen (2023) breaks down the test development into five stages: test conceptualization, test construction, test tryout, item analysis, and test revision. The first phase, test conceptualization, begins when the test's main goal is defined. The construction phase involves creating test items, revising existing content, organizing, designing, and setting scoring standards. Afterward, a test draft is given to a group mirroring the intended audience (Cohen, 2023, p. 247). The data collected is then statistically examined during the item analysis phase. This evaluation helps decide the items' effectiveness and whether to keep, alter, or discard them. Important metrics like validity, reliability, and discrimination are checked at this point. The process ends with the test revision phase, enhancing the test's accuracy. Two critical components of a solid test are reliability and validity. Reliability measures the consistency and accuracy of a test, identifying potential errors. A test is considered valid if its results genuinely reflect its intended purpose (Cohen, 2023, p. 122). Factor analysis, a statistical method, is key in determining if test items genuinely measure the desired aspects. It's also useful for refining questions and interpreting scores among varied groups (Cohen, 2023, p. 250). Normative data is a standard to compare test results. Norm-referenced testing allows for this, where a person's score is measured against a broader sample, showing the test taker's relative position (Cohen, 2023, p. 125).

Self-report surveys are common tools in psychology, asking directly about personal traits, actions, and mindsets. While they have their merits, they can be biased due to over- or under-reporting. In contrast, administered tests, overseen by a test giver, reduce some of these issues but may be seen as lengthier. An important factor in test creation is being aware of cultural, environmental, and ethical subtleties. Just because something is translated correctly doesn't mean it's understood the same way across cultures. For example, cultural norms can affect how someone answers questions about depression, showing not only their feelings but societal views on expressing emotions. This effect, called differential item functioning (DIF) (Cohen, 2023, p. 268), occurs when a question behaves differently across groups, despite similar trait levels. Protecting participants' privacy is vital, and informed consent is mandatory before using their data. Designing a top-notch psychological test is intricate. It requires clear guidance, careful scoring, accurate interpretation, and a true representation of the measured concept. Though researchers might see a topic differently, sticking to the development stages guarantees a reliable and strong tool.

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References:  American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. ISBN: 978-1-4338-3216-1  Cohen, R. J. & Swerdlik, M.E. (2023). Psychological testing and assessment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Custom. ISBN: 9781265799731

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