Students of the Dutch bachelor’s programme, see Psychometrie.
Admission requirements
Knowledge of the material taught in the first-year Methods and Statistics courses. Students are required to have passed at least one of these courses (failing which they will not be able to enrol for the course or the examination).
Description
The course covers the following topics:
Introduction to psychometrics
Scaling and standardisation
Reliability
Validity, factor structure and item analysis
Item-response theory
Classification and predictive discriminant analysis
Constructing and revising tests and questionnaires
Psychometric assessment report
Course objectives
The course has the following objectives:
A. Students acquire knowledge and understanding of key aspects and fundamental principles of classical and modern test theory. They gain insight into the psychometric aspects of tests and questionnaires, in particular with respect to reliability and validity. They acquire knowledge of the theory and use of tests in fields such as educational and recruitment psychology.
B. Students learn which methods and techniques are required to investigate the psychometric aspects of a test or questionnaire.
C. Students acquire the skills required to use statistical software for classical and modern test analysis, factor analysis and discriminant analysis.
Timetable
Psychometrics (2014-2015):
Registration
Course
Students need to enroll for lectures and work group sessions. Please consult the Instructions registration
Examination
Students are not automatically enrolled for an examination. They can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date; students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination. Registering for exams
Mode of instruction
The Psychometrics course is taught over eight consecutive weeks. Each course week comprises a lecture, a computer practical, and a work group session. The two-hour lecture is the first component, and it is given at the start of the week. In the lecture, a lecturer introduces the week’s material and clarifies its most important topics. The material presented in the lectures forms part of the examination material. Students are expected to prepare for the lectures by studying the relevant material from the course book. The lectures contribute primarily to course objectives A and B.
The computer practicals and work group sessions take place on other days of the week than the lectures (in some cases even on the following Monday). Attendance is compulsory for both practicals and work group sessions. In the course of the 1-hour computer practicals, students practise data analysis on the basis of assignments. Comparable assignments are also used in the two skills tests. Students are expected to bring a storage medium to the practical (same requirement as for 1st year bachelor’s M&S courses). The computer practicals primarily contribute to course objective C.
Students are expected to prepare for the work group sessions by completing a number of assignments and handing them in prior to the session. The completed assignments are discussed during the two-hour work group sessions. Students are also expected to give a minimum of one presentation in the course of the series of eight work group sessions. To stimulate the students to actively engage with the material, they are offered the opportunity to practise new assignments during the work group sessions. At the end of the week, a short elaboration of the assignments is published on Blackboard. The work group sessions contribute to course objectives A, B and C.
Assessment
Regulations on grade calculation for compulsory courses of the second year
The Faculty of Social Sciences has instituted that instructors use a software programme for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. In case of fraud disciplinary actions will be taken. Please see the information concerning fraud
Blackboard
The following can be found on Blackboard: supplementary material, lecture slides, the data from the assignments, examination answer keys and practice examination questions.
Reading
Compulsory reading for the examination, in addition to lecture material:
Furr, R.M. & Bacharach, V.R. (2014). Psychometrics: An introduction. Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 9781452256801.
Psychometrics Workbook (additional texts and assignments). See also Blackboard for additional texts. The workbook can be ordered from Readeronline.
Study book service
Members of the Labyrint study association can purchase books at a reduced rate from the Labyrint study book service on production of their Labyrint membership card. Alternatively, books can be purchased in academic bookshops.
Contact
(Coordinators)
Dr M. Hickendorff and Dr C.E. Stevenson
Methods & Statistics Section, Room 3B18, resp. 3B14
Tel.: +31 (0)71 527 3765 resp. 3789
E-mail: hickendorff@fsw.leidenuniv.nl resp. c.e.stevenson@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
For any specific questions, you can contact the practical and work group lecturers. Drs C. Verduin coordinates the practicals.