Research Instruments

Factors to Consider in Choosing an Instrument

Selecting the instrument to be used in research is a critical step in the research process. Whether a researcher is using an existing instrument or decides to develop a new one, there are several factors to consider which guarantee that the instrument is compatible and correct for the study. The factors include reliability, objectivity, validity and the usability of the instrument (Blankenship, 2010). The validity describes if the instrument measures what it should be used for. Second, the conclusions will be valid in the particular study. Reliability questions the consistency of the study if repeated using same model for different subjects. If not reliable then the result and conclusion cannot be generalized to a large sample. The researcher should also consider the objectivity of the study, which means bias-free data. A study should work to refute or prove the hypothesis and not bias towards proving to satisfy the researcher. Finally, the usability examines if the study can be generalized to a large sample or the applicability to the general population (Blankenship, 2010). The instrument should come up with solutions that have real-life applications.

Locating an Existing Instrument

Students working on projects which include https://quality-writings.com/what-is-research-project-synopsis-writing research synopsis have a difficult time locating the right instruments that match their studies. The best place to locate an instrument and understand how it is applied is in literature or in studies that have already been conducted (Blankenship, 2010). Searching for existing studies or ones close to the research question established by other authors makes it easier for a new researcher to learn the applications of the instrument. For example, there are numerous studies that have researched the correlation between chronic diseases, poor diet, and low level of physical activity. Such studies provide all needed data including accurate instruments.

Part II

The instrument to be used in the study will be the ‘Knowledge of Risk Factors.’ A nominal level will be used in the analysis since it is a meta-analysis and will not need complex calculations. The instrument seeks to find if for young persons below the age of 35 years limited knowledge and level of awareness could be a factor. Data has already established that young persons below the age of 35 have increasingly high rates of chronic diseases and conditions including diabetes, heart diseases, and obesity. While diet and low level of physical activity are primary triggers, the two are already established and do not provide a clear picture of the crisis. It is critical to understand why young people with access to technology and other resources do not make healthy choices in terms of food and physical activity. One in six youths or 17% of all young people aged between 2 and 19 years in the U.S. are obese. In addition, the Center for Disease and Control (CDC) highlights that 50% of adults above 18 years are obese which creates a dilemma in understanding how a young generation ends up in that category (2017).

The study will use a nominal scale. A nominal scale allows for labeling of the variables without necessarily giving them any quantitative value (Jackson, 2015). For example, diet, level of physical activity, poverty, and knowledge are variables in the study. A nominal scale allows for the variables to be used qualitatively.

The proposal will utilize a meta-analysis design, which is a review of existing studies on the area of interest as the primary data collection method. Therefore, the data collection process will include a detailed review of similar existing studies which will allow for the researcher to refute or prove the link between diet and level of physical activity to increasing cases of chronic diseases.