This is a North Central University research paper that critiques measurement instruments. It is written in APA format, include references, and is graded by the instructor.

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NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY
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Student: Orlanda Haynes Date: 06/17/2018
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EDR8205-6
Week 6 - Assignment: Critique Measurement Instruments
Hi Orlanda-
You did well with the week 6 assignment! This assignment where you locate a standardized
measurement instrument used in your specialization or area of interest is extremely important. This will
really prepare you for the next steps of writing your own dissertation. It is extremely hard to get approval
to use an instrument that you create on your own for a dissertation, not just at NCU but at all doctoral
universities. The reason for that is you first need to make sure the instrument is reliable, valid, field-tested,
etc. Because that is really tough to do as a beginning solo researcher, it is highly encouraged to instead
use a standardized measurement instrument that has been previously validated by experienced
researchers in publication.

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You did well with identifying a measurement instrument used in a peer-reviewed study and have
completed this assignment nicely.
As you work through this class, please make sure you are saving your weekly assignments. They will be
really important as guides for you as you get into writing Chapter 3 (the methodology) for your own
dissertation soon.
Please see additional comments below. Thank you! - Joanna
Week 6 - Assignment: Critique Measurement Instruments
This assignment includes an analysis of Da Costa and Crésio de Aragão’s (2015) study
on “Self-Perception of Food Intake and Dietary Quality” to illustrate how researchers use survey
questionnaires as measuring tools. The Webster’s Dictionary defines a questionnaire as a series
of questions used to gather specific information (https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/
questionnaire). While the instrument could be used by more than one individual, the primary
purpose is to abstract personalized data from a single person, such as those used to complete job
and loan applications or medical history forms. In contrast, a survey refers to a process in which
researchers gather information for statistical analysis (Creswell, 2015). After aggregating and
analyzing data, for instance, they usually use the findings to prove or disprove hypothesis, to
address a problem related to a group or, depending on the research framework, the entire
population (Creswell, 2015; Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010).
A key difference between a survey and a questionnaire is that the latter can stand alone,
while the nature of a survey is to aggregate data from questionnaires, thus survey questionnaire
(Black, 2012; Creswell, 2015; Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010; Trueman, 2015; Webster
Dictionary). If an experimenter, for example, wanted to know the frequency of food
consumption by young adults (e.g. between the ages of 12 to 20) and their perceived-perceptions
about dietary choices, they could design a research framework that encompasses food frequency

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questionnaires because the nature of research measuring tools is to aid in the evaluation of
variables (Black, 2012; Creswell, 2015). Young adults, food consumption, and dietary choices
are separate variables that could be analyzed statistically by using survey questionnaires (Lodico,
Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). The statistical Society of London invented the questionnaire in
1838 (Gault, 1907). Although formats and types depend, in part, on the purpose of the research,
a standard questionnaire construction consists of a series of open or close-ended questions
(Creswell, 2015, Da Costa & Crésio de Aragão, 2015; Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010).
Reference Information (title of the instrument, including edition and form, if applicable)
“Standardized Survey Questionnaires” (specifically for the research on socioeconomic
data, general information on health and the regular use of drugs, self-perception of
dietary habits, and 24-hour diet recall) (Da Costa, M. R., & Crésio de Aragão, D. A.
(2015).
Author(s)
Da Costa, M. R., & Crésio de Aragão, D. A.
Publisher and date(s) of publication
International Journal of Nutrology, 2015.
Content (construct (s), domain(s), or variable(s)
Measurable variables included socioeconomic data, general information on health,
self-perception of dietary habits, and 24-Hours Dietary Recalls (24-HDR) (e.g., dietary
patterns, intrapersonal dietary changes, average nutrition intakes).
Theoretical and/or Empirical Foundations of the Instrument
Da Costa and Crésio de Aragão (2015) based their theoretical foundation on
studies that showed how individuals construct perceived self-conceptions about dietary

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needs, nutritional perspectives and values, variables and underlying constructs that
predictor diet quality and probability of obesity including works by Aggarwal,
Monsivais, Cook, and Drewnowski (2014); Boynton, Neuhouser, Sorensen, Mctiernam,
and Ulrich (2008); Harte (1999); Kye, Yun, and Park (2012); Lawrence et al. (2011); and
Riding and Rayner (2001).
Purpose
Questionnaires are measuring tools designed to collect socioeconomic data,
general information on health, prescription medication uses, self-perception of dietary
habits, and 24-HDR that provided data on intrapersonal dietary changes and average
nutrient intakes.
Potential Uses
Da Costa and Crésio de Aragão (2015) designed the survey questionnaires to
collect data from a cross-sectional convenience sampling of 14 women for statistical
analysis.
Structure of the Instrument (s)
The research team developed three standardized questionnaires based on 5-point
Likert Scales, qualitative measurement tools that allow respondents to select categories
that best describe their perceived-perceptions and opinions (e.g., I entirely agree or
disagree, I do not know, and I partly agree) (Da Costa and Crésio de Aragão, 2015;
Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). One was based on socioeconomic data, general
information on health, prescription medication uses, and self-perception of dietary habits,
and two were based on 24 hours dietary recalls.
Instrument Administration Procedures

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Da Costa and Crésio de Aragão (2015) administered the questionnaires to 14
sample participants who were women between the ages of 14 to 45 years, who took gym
classes a minimum of three times a week, and who had a gym membership for six months
or more.
Administrators’ Qualifications and/or Training
Although no specific qualification or training is needed to administer survey
questionnaires, however, researchers must adhere to state and federal laws and
procedures as well as institutional guidelines (e.g., education communities) that require
them to hold proper credentials and to follow research protocols before conducting
research with human subjects (Trochim, 2012).
Instrument(s) Scoring Procedures
The experimenters used two 24-HDR to assess participants’ dietary patterns and
changes and to convert responses into energy and nutrient using Nutrilife version 8.1
software (diet calculations). To access data for reliability and validity, they used
calculation of median rank values and the Spearman correlation coefficient (e.g., dietary
patterns and self-perceptions), and the Revised Diet Quality Index (RDQI) to assess
participants’ dietary qualities.
Evaluation: Reliability and Validity
Da Costa and Crésio de Aragão (2015) used among other tools, Spearman’s correlation
coefficient, survey questionnaires including the 24-HDR, the RDQI, and the Nutrilife 8.1
nutrition software. They used the Spearman’s correlation coefficient to show relationship
variances between the RDI and the participants’ perceived self-perceptions of dietary choices.
That is, the tool measures strengths and directions between ranked variables (Black, 2012;

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Creswell, 2015; Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). Survey questionnaires, on the other hand,
are less complex means of statistically analyzing large data sets, and the tools are easily
assessible (e.g., online) and inexpensive (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). However, a key
disadvantage is that their measuring error ratios are high, which could be random (e.g.,
respondents’ mistakes) or systematic (e.g., scales used to construct research questions) (Black,
2012; Creswell, 2015; Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). As with survey questionnaires,
researchers highly favor the 24-hour Dietary Intake tool (DeBiasse, Bowen, Quatromoni, Quinn,
& Quintiliani, 2018; Patton, 2015).
It allowed Da Costa and Crésio de Aragão (2015), for instance, to evaluate dietary
patterns and changes of research subjects, and then to use the findings to support their
hypothesis. A primary disadvantage, however, is that some research literature (especially older
studies) showed that validity was unsatisfactory on an individual level but satisfactory on group
levels, and that data accuracy was more prevalent among women vs. men (Karvetti, & Knuts,
1985). DeBiasse, et al. (2018) noted that data validity relies too heavily on episodic memories
and that random and systematic error ratios are higher than usual (p. 1). The 24-HDR
questionnaire shares characteristics with the RDI.
In that both tools allow researchers to assess variability and quality of dietary data among
culturally diverse individuals and groups (Costa & Crésio de Aragão, 2015; DeBiasse, et al.,
2018; Soowon, Haines, Siega, & Popkin, 2003). In 1999, the dietary index was revised to reflect
culturally diverse perspectives on dietary issues and problems (Soowon, Haines, Siega, &
Popkin, 2003). Costa & Crésio de Aragão (2015) used the updated version of the Diet Quality
Index to assess the dietary qualities of their diverse group of research participants. The Nutrilife
software is a nutrition management tool that allows end-users to, among others, calculate their

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calories, fats, and carbohydrates and fiber intakes (http://nutrilifestyle.com/). Costa & Crésio de
Aragão (2015) used it to convert subjects’ responses into energy and nutrient values.
Multicultural Application
Within education communities, researchers routinely use research designs that have
survey questionnaire and dietary index components (Black, 2012; Creswell, 2015). Common
data analysis tools include Spearman’s correlation coefficient and other types of reliability and
validity tools that test for, among others, internal reliability, test-retest reliability, construct
validity, content validity, and criterion validity (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010).
Summary Evaluation and Critique
Costa & Crésio de Aragão (2015) found that literature on self-perception of dietary
qualities are limited, that some researchers suggest research subjects overestimate qualities of
their diets, that their perceived perceptions are unrealistic when compared to standard dietary
indexes, and that although findings within their study show a moderate statistical correlation
between participants’ dietary qualities and their self-perceptions, their findings support prior
studies, especially those of Power-Wiley et al. (2014) that showed a conflict between the
findings of the quality of dietary data and research subjects’ perceived-perceptions of such.
Costa & Crésio de Aragão (2015) therefore advocate for further research. In terms of
limitations, they noted that their sample size was small (e.g., 14 participants) with no gender
diversity (e.g. all women), that most of their participants had engaged in formal education and
had easy access to information about health and nutrition.
Critique of the Instrument in Applied and Basic ResearchContexts
Basic research encompasses generalizations and formulations of theories, which adds to
existing knowledge banks, disproves prior findings, or, among other uses, fills gaps in literature

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(Black, 2012; Creswell, 2015; Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010). In contrast, the aim of
applied research is to address real life problems in real-time (Lodico, Spaulding, & Voegtle,
2010). Costa and Crésio de Aragão (2015) research framework (which includes survey
questionnaires and statistical analysis) could be used to address both basic and applied research
perspectives. Primarily because the measuring tools are easily assessible, user-friendly,
inexpensive, practical, and less complex than measuring tools of similar qualities.

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References
Black, T. (2012). Doing quantitative research in the social sciences: An integrated approach to
research design, measurement, and statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Creswell, J. W. (2015). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative
and qualitative research (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Da Costa, M. R., & Crésio de Aragão, D. A. (2015). Self-perception of food intake and dietary
quality. International Journal of Nutrology, 8(2) p. 06-12.
DeBiasse, M. A., Bowen, D. J., Quatromoni, P. A., Quinn, E., & Quintiliani, L. M. (2018).
Research: feasibility and acceptability of dietary intake assessment via 24-hour recall and
food frequency questionnaire among women with low socioeconomic status. Journal of
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, p. 118301-307. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2017.08.011
Gault, R.H. (1907). A history of the questionnaire method of research in psychology. Research
in Psychology. 14 (3), p. 366–383. doi:10.1080/08919402.1907.10532551
Karvetti, R.L., & Knuts, L.R. (1985). Validity of the 24-hour dietary recall. PubMed – NCBI,
85(11), p. 1437-42. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4056262
Lodico, M., Spaulding, D., & Voegtle, K. (2010). Methods in educational research: From theory
to practice (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley &Sons.
Patton, M.Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and
practice. [4th edition]. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Soowon, K., Haines, P.S., Siega, A.M., & Popkin, B.M. (2003). The diet quality index-
international (DQI-I) provides an effective tool for cross-national comparison of diet
quality as illustrated by China and the United States. The Journal of Nutrition, 133 (11),
p. 3476–3484. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.11.3476

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Trochim, W.M.K. (2012). Ethics in research. The Research Knowledge Base. Retrieved from
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/ethics.php
Trueman, C, N. (2015). Structured questionnaires. The History Learning Site. Retrieved from
https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/sociology/research-methods-in
sociology/structured-questionnaires/