Measurement Theory and Method BA 661

Course Description in the doctoral program:
This course is designed to provide theoretical and methodological issues in social science measurement. The basics of measurement including Classical Test Theory, Reliability, Validity, and Item Response Theory are covered. Measurement analysis such as Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor analysis are included as well. Students are to model measurement error using Structural Equation Modeling with mediation and moderation effects. This course replies on a broad use of statistical packages such as SPSS, AMOS, LISREL, and EQS.
 
I would like to add:
The theory of measurement is as important as the method of measurement is. Theory of measurement is what distinguishes this course from other courses that are offered for doctoral students around the world to enable them to use software to run structural equation modeling (SEM). Before we start, we will make sure you have a solid foundation on the theory of inquiry. The first three weeks of the course are your chance to develop a base for theory of inquiry. We will not go in depth as the details are left for a course dedicated solely for the theory of inquiry. We limit our conversations and readings to falsification as what constitutes science. The aim is for you to appreciate our reliance I research of probability theory in testing scientific conjectures. After the first three weeks, you should comprehend that our knowledge, or I should say “scientific knowledge” as some like to call it, as it stands at the contemporary time is stochastic, that is, it is not certain.