Laura D. Young · Research Methods / Public Teaching Portfolio

Module 05 · Measurement Quality Audit

10 points · Approximately 45–65 minutes

Critique an indicator and then revise one of your own Module 4 project measures.

Portfolio reconstruction. This is an illustrative public version based on Fall 2026 assignment designs developed in previous course planning, not an exact exported LMS handout. No student data or submissions are included.

Assignment sequence

  1. Return to your project

    State the concept, variable, and indicator you developed in Module 4. Identify the intended meaning and how your measure operationalizes it.

  2. Audit consistency

    Name at least two threats to reliability, such as recall differences, question wording, timing, or administration.

  3. Evaluate concept fit

    Explain what your indicator captures and what relevant dimensions of the underlying concept it misses.

  4. Separate error types

    Give a plausible random-error source and a systematic-error source, and distinguish how each would affect interpretation.

  5. Challenge the inference

    Identify one rival explanation for a possible relationship between your measure and the dependent variable.

  6. Revise and defend

    Provide the original indicator, your revised question or coding rule, and a short explanation of why the revision is an improvement.

How the work is assessed

Quality is demonstrated by precise distinctions between concept and indicator, credible error analysis, and a defensible, concrete revision.

Students should document outside sources and disclose any permitted AI assistance while retaining responsibility for every inference and submitted statement.