SPCE 630 EXAM 2024-2025 WITH 100%
ACCURATE SOLUTIONS
What !are !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement? !- !(correct !answer) !-Validity, !accuracy, !
and !reliability.
Describe !validity !in !terms !of !one !of !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement. !What !does !it !
measure? !- !(correct !answer) !-Requires !3 !equally !important !elements: !(a) !measuring !directly !a !
socially !significant !target !behavior, !(b) !measuring !a !dimension !of !the !target !behavior !relevant !to !
the !question !or !concern !about !the !behavior !and !(c) !ensuring !that !the !data !are !representative !of !
the !behavior's !occurrence !under !conditions !and !during !times !that !are !most !relevant !to !the !
question !or !concern !about !the !behavior.
Describe !accuracy !in !terms !of !one !of !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement. !What !does !it
!measure? !- !(correct !answer) !-Refers !to !the !extent !to !which !the !observed !value !matches !the !true !
state !or !true !value !of !the !event !as !it !exists !in !nature. !It !must !be !determined !if !there !is !a !
measurement !bias.
Describe !reliability !in !terms !of !one !of !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement. !What !does !
it !measure? !- !(correct !answer) !-When !measuring !a !procedure !yields !the !same !outcome !each !
time. !It !measures !consistency !of !data !collection.
How !do !we !ensure !our !data !are !valid, !accurate, !and !reliable? !- !(correct !answer) !-Researchers !and !
practitioners !who !asses !the !accuracy !of !their !data !can !(a) !determine !early !in !an !analysis !whether !
the !data !re !usable !for !making !experimental !or !treatment !decisions, !(b) !discover !and !correct !
measurement !errors, !(c) !detect !consistent !patterns !of !measurement !error !that !can !lead !to !the !
overall !improvement !or !calibration !of !the !measurement !system, !and !(d) !communicate !to !others !
the !relative !trustworthiness !of !the !data.
What !are !some !procedures !that !provide !direct !and !indirect !measurement? !- !(correct !answer) !-
Direct !observation !is !an !example !of !direct !measurement !and !questionnaires !filled !out !by !parents !is
!an !example !of !indirect !measurement.
Describe !the !difference !between !continuous !recording !and !sampling !recording. !Give !examples !of !
each, !and !advantages !and !disadvantages. !How !do !we !do !each !type !of !recording? !106-107 !- !
(correct !answer) !-Continuous !recording !is !considered !the !gold !standard !in !applied !behavior !analysis
,!as !it !continuously !records !behaviors !in !a !session. !sampling !recording !differs !as !data !is !recorded !
in !samples !or !increments !that !have !been !predetermined. !Sample !recording !may !be !utilized !when !
an !observer !is !collecting !data !for !multiple !students !at !one !time.
Name !the !three !threats !to !measurement !accuracy !and !reliability. !- !(correct !answer) !-Human !error !
is !the !biggest !threat !to !measurement !accuracy !and !reliability. !Factors !that !contribute !to !human !
measurement !error !include !poorly !designed !measurement !systems, !inadequate !observer !training !
and !expectations !about !what !the !data !should !look !like.
poorly !designed !measurement !systems !- !(correct !answer) !-An !example !would !be !an !unnecessarily !
cumbersome !and !difficult !to !use !measurement !system !which !can !create !a !needless !loss !of !
accuracy !and !reliability.
inadequate !observer !training !- !(correct !answer) !-observers !who !are !not !trained !enough. !Explicit !
and !systematic !training !of !observers !i !essential !for !the !collection !of !trustworthy !data.
unintended !influences !on !observers !- !(correct !answer) !-Presuppositions !an !observer !may !hold !
about !the !expected !outcomes !of !the !data !and !an !observer's !awareness !that !others !are !measuring !
the !same !behavior.
How !do !we !maximize !the !quality !of !observers !who !are !taking !our !data? !108-109 !- !(correct !
answer) !-Provide !a !systematic !approach !that !covers !methods !such !as !sample !vignettes, !narrative !
descriptions, !video !sequences, !role !playing !and !practice !sessions !int !eh !environment
Describe !how !we !assess !the !accuracy !and !reliability !of !data, !including !the !differences !between !
obtained !and !true !values !of !data. !Describe !how, !if !you !can, !look !at !data !and !know !whether !
those !data !are !obtained !or !true !or !both? !110-11 !- !(correct !answer) !-calculate !the !correspondence !
of !each !measure, !or !datum, !asses !to !its !true !value. !True !values !for !many !behaviors !of !interest !to !
ABA !are !evident !and !universally !accepted !or !can !be !established !conditionally !by !local !context. !True
!values !for !some !behaviors !are !difficult !because !the !process !for !determining !a !true !value !must !be !
different !from !the !measurement !procedures !used !to !obtain !the !data !one !wishes !to !compare !to !
the !true !value.
Why !is !the !interobserver !agreement !very !important !to !measurement? !- !(correct !answer) !-To !
determine !the !competence !of !new !observers, !detect !observer !drift, !judge !whether !the !definition !
of !the !target !behavior !is !clear !and !the !system !not !too !difficult !to !use, !and !convince !others !of !the !
relative !believability !of !the !data.
List !the !requisites !for !obtaining !valid !IOA !measures !- !(correct !answer) !-It !requires !that !two !or !
more !observers !use !the !same !observation !code !and !measurement !system, !observe !and !measure !
the !same !participants !and !events, !and !observer !and !record !the !behavior !independent !of !influence !
by !other !observers.
If !given !some !data, !be !able !to !calculate !IOA !using !the !preferred !method !of !doing !so, !based !upon !
the !type !of !measurement !system !used !to !collect !those !data. !If !given !a !description !of !a !target !
, behavior !and !context, !be !able !to !select !the !best !observational !recording !system !to !use !to !measure
!that !behavior. !114-119 !- !(correct !answer) !-...
Summarize !the !considerations !in !selecting, !obtaining, !and !reporting !IOA !information, !including !
how !often !IOA !should !be !collected !and !acceptable !levels !of !IOA !- !(correct !answer) !-IOA !
assessments !should !occur !during !each !condition !and !phase !of !a !study !and !be !distributed !across !
days !of !the !week, !times !of !day, !settings !and !observers. !80% !is !the !standard !acceptable !level !of !
IOA.
accuracy !- !(correct !answer) !-(of !measurement) !The !extent !to !which !observed !values, !the !data !
produced !by !measuring !an !event, !match !the !true !state, !or !true !values, !of !the !event !as !it !exists !
in !nature.
believability !- !(correct !answer) !-The !extent !to !which !the !researcher !convinces !herself !and !others !
that !the !data !are !trustworthy !and !deserve !interpretation. !Measures !of !interobserver !agreement !
are !the !most !often !used !index !of !this !in !applied !behavior !analysis.
calibration !- !(correct !answer) !-Any !procedure !used !to !evaluate !the !accuracy !of !a !measurement !
system !and, !when !sources !of !error !are !found, !to !use !that !information !to !correct !or !improve !the !
measurement !system.
continuous !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-measurement !conducted !in !a !manner !such !that !all !
instances !of !the !response !class(es) !of !interest !are !detected !during !the !observation !period. !
Frequency !recording, !duration !recording
direct !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-Directly !measure !the !behavior !of !interest !rather !than !
measuring !indicators !of !the !behavior. !(Frequency !data !on !nail-biting !occurrences !rather !than !
checking !nails !periodically).
discontinuous !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-Measurement !conducted !in !a !manner !such !that !
some !instances !of !the !response !class(es) !of !interest !may !not !be !detected. !Whole !interval, !partial !
interval, !momentary !time !sampling
exact !count-per-interval !IOA !- !(correct !answer) !-The !percentage !of !total !intervals !in !which !
observers !recorded !the !same !count; !the !most !stringent !description !of !IOA !for !most !data !sets !
obtained !by !event !recording.
indirect !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-Occurs !when !the !behavior !that !is !measured !is !in !some !
way !different !from !the !behavior !of !interest; !considered !less !valid !than !direct !measurement !
because !inferences !about !the !relation !between !the !data !obtained !and !the !actual !behavior !of !
interest !are !required. !(Checking !nails !periodically !to !see !if !nail-biting !has !occurred !rather !than !
recording !instances !of !nail-biting !observed)
interobserver !agreement !(IOA) !- !(correct !answer) !-The !degree !to !which !two !or !more !independent !
observers !report !the !same !observed !values !after !measuring !the !same !events.
ACCURATE SOLUTIONS
What !are !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement? !- !(correct !answer) !-Validity, !accuracy, !
and !reliability.
Describe !validity !in !terms !of !one !of !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement. !What !does !it !
measure? !- !(correct !answer) !-Requires !3 !equally !important !elements: !(a) !measuring !directly !a !
socially !significant !target !behavior, !(b) !measuring !a !dimension !of !the !target !behavior !relevant !to !
the !question !or !concern !about !the !behavior !and !(c) !ensuring !that !the !data !are !representative !of !
the !behavior's !occurrence !under !conditions !and !during !times !that !are !most !relevant !to !the !
question !or !concern !about !the !behavior.
Describe !accuracy !in !terms !of !one !of !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement. !What !does !it
!measure? !- !(correct !answer) !-Refers !to !the !extent !to !which !the !observed !value !matches !the !true !
state !or !true !value !of !the !event !as !it !exists !in !nature. !It !must !be !determined !if !there !is !a !
measurement !bias.
Describe !reliability !in !terms !of !one !of !the !3 !indicators !of !"trustworthy" !measurement. !What !does !
it !measure? !- !(correct !answer) !-When !measuring !a !procedure !yields !the !same !outcome !each !
time. !It !measures !consistency !of !data !collection.
How !do !we !ensure !our !data !are !valid, !accurate, !and !reliable? !- !(correct !answer) !-Researchers !and !
practitioners !who !asses !the !accuracy !of !their !data !can !(a) !determine !early !in !an !analysis !whether !
the !data !re !usable !for !making !experimental !or !treatment !decisions, !(b) !discover !and !correct !
measurement !errors, !(c) !detect !consistent !patterns !of !measurement !error !that !can !lead !to !the !
overall !improvement !or !calibration !of !the !measurement !system, !and !(d) !communicate !to !others !
the !relative !trustworthiness !of !the !data.
What !are !some !procedures !that !provide !direct !and !indirect !measurement? !- !(correct !answer) !-
Direct !observation !is !an !example !of !direct !measurement !and !questionnaires !filled !out !by !parents !is
!an !example !of !indirect !measurement.
Describe !the !difference !between !continuous !recording !and !sampling !recording. !Give !examples !of !
each, !and !advantages !and !disadvantages. !How !do !we !do !each !type !of !recording? !106-107 !- !
(correct !answer) !-Continuous !recording !is !considered !the !gold !standard !in !applied !behavior !analysis
,!as !it !continuously !records !behaviors !in !a !session. !sampling !recording !differs !as !data !is !recorded !
in !samples !or !increments !that !have !been !predetermined. !Sample !recording !may !be !utilized !when !
an !observer !is !collecting !data !for !multiple !students !at !one !time.
Name !the !three !threats !to !measurement !accuracy !and !reliability. !- !(correct !answer) !-Human !error !
is !the !biggest !threat !to !measurement !accuracy !and !reliability. !Factors !that !contribute !to !human !
measurement !error !include !poorly !designed !measurement !systems, !inadequate !observer !training !
and !expectations !about !what !the !data !should !look !like.
poorly !designed !measurement !systems !- !(correct !answer) !-An !example !would !be !an !unnecessarily !
cumbersome !and !difficult !to !use !measurement !system !which !can !create !a !needless !loss !of !
accuracy !and !reliability.
inadequate !observer !training !- !(correct !answer) !-observers !who !are !not !trained !enough. !Explicit !
and !systematic !training !of !observers !i !essential !for !the !collection !of !trustworthy !data.
unintended !influences !on !observers !- !(correct !answer) !-Presuppositions !an !observer !may !hold !
about !the !expected !outcomes !of !the !data !and !an !observer's !awareness !that !others !are !measuring !
the !same !behavior.
How !do !we !maximize !the !quality !of !observers !who !are !taking !our !data? !108-109 !- !(correct !
answer) !-Provide !a !systematic !approach !that !covers !methods !such !as !sample !vignettes, !narrative !
descriptions, !video !sequences, !role !playing !and !practice !sessions !int !eh !environment
Describe !how !we !assess !the !accuracy !and !reliability !of !data, !including !the !differences !between !
obtained !and !true !values !of !data. !Describe !how, !if !you !can, !look !at !data !and !know !whether !
those !data !are !obtained !or !true !or !both? !110-11 !- !(correct !answer) !-calculate !the !correspondence !
of !each !measure, !or !datum, !asses !to !its !true !value. !True !values !for !many !behaviors !of !interest !to !
ABA !are !evident !and !universally !accepted !or !can !be !established !conditionally !by !local !context. !True
!values !for !some !behaviors !are !difficult !because !the !process !for !determining !a !true !value !must !be !
different !from !the !measurement !procedures !used !to !obtain !the !data !one !wishes !to !compare !to !
the !true !value.
Why !is !the !interobserver !agreement !very !important !to !measurement? !- !(correct !answer) !-To !
determine !the !competence !of !new !observers, !detect !observer !drift, !judge !whether !the !definition !
of !the !target !behavior !is !clear !and !the !system !not !too !difficult !to !use, !and !convince !others !of !the !
relative !believability !of !the !data.
List !the !requisites !for !obtaining !valid !IOA !measures !- !(correct !answer) !-It !requires !that !two !or !
more !observers !use !the !same !observation !code !and !measurement !system, !observe !and !measure !
the !same !participants !and !events, !and !observer !and !record !the !behavior !independent !of !influence !
by !other !observers.
If !given !some !data, !be !able !to !calculate !IOA !using !the !preferred !method !of !doing !so, !based !upon !
the !type !of !measurement !system !used !to !collect !those !data. !If !given !a !description !of !a !target !
, behavior !and !context, !be !able !to !select !the !best !observational !recording !system !to !use !to !measure
!that !behavior. !114-119 !- !(correct !answer) !-...
Summarize !the !considerations !in !selecting, !obtaining, !and !reporting !IOA !information, !including !
how !often !IOA !should !be !collected !and !acceptable !levels !of !IOA !- !(correct !answer) !-IOA !
assessments !should !occur !during !each !condition !and !phase !of !a !study !and !be !distributed !across !
days !of !the !week, !times !of !day, !settings !and !observers. !80% !is !the !standard !acceptable !level !of !
IOA.
accuracy !- !(correct !answer) !-(of !measurement) !The !extent !to !which !observed !values, !the !data !
produced !by !measuring !an !event, !match !the !true !state, !or !true !values, !of !the !event !as !it !exists !
in !nature.
believability !- !(correct !answer) !-The !extent !to !which !the !researcher !convinces !herself !and !others !
that !the !data !are !trustworthy !and !deserve !interpretation. !Measures !of !interobserver !agreement !
are !the !most !often !used !index !of !this !in !applied !behavior !analysis.
calibration !- !(correct !answer) !-Any !procedure !used !to !evaluate !the !accuracy !of !a !measurement !
system !and, !when !sources !of !error !are !found, !to !use !that !information !to !correct !or !improve !the !
measurement !system.
continuous !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-measurement !conducted !in !a !manner !such !that !all !
instances !of !the !response !class(es) !of !interest !are !detected !during !the !observation !period. !
Frequency !recording, !duration !recording
direct !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-Directly !measure !the !behavior !of !interest !rather !than !
measuring !indicators !of !the !behavior. !(Frequency !data !on !nail-biting !occurrences !rather !than !
checking !nails !periodically).
discontinuous !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-Measurement !conducted !in !a !manner !such !that !
some !instances !of !the !response !class(es) !of !interest !may !not !be !detected. !Whole !interval, !partial !
interval, !momentary !time !sampling
exact !count-per-interval !IOA !- !(correct !answer) !-The !percentage !of !total !intervals !in !which !
observers !recorded !the !same !count; !the !most !stringent !description !of !IOA !for !most !data !sets !
obtained !by !event !recording.
indirect !measurement !- !(correct !answer) !-Occurs !when !the !behavior !that !is !measured !is !in !some !
way !different !from !the !behavior !of !interest; !considered !less !valid !than !direct !measurement !
because !inferences !about !the !relation !between !the !data !obtained !and !the !actual !behavior !of !
interest !are !required. !(Checking !nails !periodically !to !see !if !nail-biting !has !occurred !rather !than !
recording !instances !of !nail-biting !observed)
interobserver !agreement !(IOA) !- !(correct !answer) !-The !degree !to !which !two !or !more !independent !
observers !report !the !same !observed !values !after !measuring !the !same !events.
