Dear,
I am doing research with ordinal items and wanted to make scales out of them. I am wondering if making sum scores out of my items would be enough to make my research reliable ? and if so, could you prove it with research papers?
Or should I execute.a correlation too?
The adequacy of a sum score depends on the context and purpose of its use. A sum score is a straightforward method of combining individual scores on multiple items or assessments by adding them together. It is commonly used to obtain a total score representing an overall performance or outcome.
Here are some scenarios where a sum score might be considered enough:
Simple Assessments: For basic assessments where the items or questions are all measuring the same construct and carry equal weight, a sum score can be sufficient. Examples include simple quizzes or tests with straightforward questions.
Quick Evaluation: In some cases, a sum score may be used for a rapid evaluation or to get a quick snapshot of overall performance. This can be helpful when time is limited, and a more in-depth analysis is not required.
Tracking Progress: Sum scores can be useful for tracking progress over time, especially if the assessment remains consistent and measures the same skills or knowledge.
However, there are situations where relying solely on a sum score may not be enough:
Complex Constructs: If the assessment measures multiple dimensions or constructs, a sum score may overlook valuable information about the individual's strengths and weaknesses in different areas.
Diverse Assessment Items: When the items in the assessment have different levels of difficulty or contribute differently to the overall construct, a sum score might not fully capture the nuances of performance.
Lack of Validity: If the individual items within the assessment do not effectively measure the intended construct, a sum score derived from these items may not provide a valid representation of the targeted skill or knowledge.
Educational Decision-Making: For critical educational decisions, such as placement, interventions, or grading, a more comprehensive analysis, including individual item analysis or other statistical methods, might be necessary.
In many cases, researchers and educators use more advanced statistical techniques, such as factor analysis or Rasch modeling, to better understand the underlying structure of the data and create more reliable and valid composite scores.
In conclusion, while a sum score can be a convenient way to summarize performance, its sufficiency depends on the specific assessment context and the intended use of the scores. It is essential to consider the nature of the assessment and the purpose of the scoring to determine whether a sum score is appropriate or if additional analyses are needed to obtain a more meaningful interpretation of the data.
Thank you so much for your answer!
The questions were simply straightforward and short as it was for children! Therefore, I will only use sum scores.
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