Module: Psychological Measurement & Assessment

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Psychological Measurement & Assessment
Module Code	PSYC205 (ITS) / PSY1028 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Psychology
Module Co-ordinator	Pamela Gallagher
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Repeat examination

Description

To introduce the student to psychological measurement and assessment and to the principles and procedures used to estimate and evaluate the attributes of psychological tests.

Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss the principles of psychological measurement and psychometrics
2. Apply these principles to the development of a reliable and valid measure of a psychological construct
3. Discuss the psychometric adequacy of a psychological measure.
4. Discuss the ethical and professional issues in psychological assessment
5. Discuss emerging approaches to measurement and assessment.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	12	Indicative syllabus
Laboratory	18	Development of measurement scale
Directed learning	12	Guided practical preparation activities and online activities
Assignment Completion	32	Preparation, writing of practical (background, method, results and discussion)
Independent Study	51	Self directed reading
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Importance of psychological measurement, psychometrics and assessment

Concepts in psychological measurement
Constructs, measurement theory, levels of measurement, scaling, digital phenotyping, datafication of behaviour, data analytics

Classical test theory

Reliability: Types of reliability – internal consistency, test-retest, inter-rater reliability

Validity: Types of validity – face, content, construct, convergent and discriminant validity

Test design: Basic issues, measuring psychological constructs, types of psychological tests

Bias: Response bias and test bias

Measuring intelligence and personality

Introduction to Item Response Theory and Rasch models

Measurement and assessment innovation using big data, sensing methods, machine learning and algorithm based approaches

Ethical, societal and professional issues

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	50%	Examination Weight	50%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Report(s)	Laboratory Report	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Coaley, K.: 2014, An Introduction to Psychological Assessment and Measurement, Sage, London,
Baker, F.B., Kim S.H.: 2017, The Basics of Item Response Theory Using R, Springer,
Cohen, R. J., & Werdlik, M. E.: 2017, Psychological Testing and Assessment, 9th, McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead.,
Cooper, C.: 2012, Intelligence and Abilities, Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, 978-0415188692
Furr, R. M.: 2011, Scale Construction and Psychometrics for Social and Personality Psychology, Sage, London,
Furr, R. M., & Bacharach, V. R.: 2018, Psychometrics: An Introduction, 3rd, Sage, Los Angelos,
Goldfinger, K.: 2019, Psychological testing in everyday life: history, science, and practice, Sage, Los Angelos,
Groth-Marnat, G. Wright, A.J.: 2016, Handbook of psychological assessment, 6th ed., John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey, USA,
Lund, N.: 2010, Intelligence and Learning, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 978-0230249448
Maire, P.: 2018, Modern Psychometrics with R, Springer,
Miller LA, Lovler RL: 2019, Foundations of Psychological Testing: A Practical Approach, 6th, Sage Publications,
Rust, J., & Golombok, S.: 2008, Modern Psychometrics: The Science of Psychological Assessment, Routledge, London, 978-0415442152

Other Resources

None