This week, our workshops focus on assessing measures. We will look at public data and develop measures in the form of a coding system. We will then evaluate the reliability and validity of our codes by having a partner apply them to the same data and offer feedback. This workshop will take place in class. Here is an overview of the process:

Creating and Assessing Coding Systems

Step 1: Create a Dataset

• Find some public data that is related to your project (subreddits, a facebook group, an online forum, twitter,  news articles)
• Create a dataset based on the content
  • Sort your content in a meaningful way (most recent, most popular, etc.)
  • After sorting, select ALL of the posts and copy and paste them into a word document that is approximately 3-4 pages.
• Save two versions of this document: one to code and one that is clean

Step 2: Create Codes

• Identify three analytical codes you want to look for in your data. These codes should represent themes that link back to your research question.
• Give each code a clear label and definition

** The goal is to create a valid and reliable measure that someone else could use to accurately and consistently capture this concept in your data**

Step 3: Apply your Codes

• Go through your data and apply your codes to all relevant data segments. You can do this by highlighting in different colors or using the comments function in Microsoft word

Step 4: Swap and Code Each Others Data

• Send a member of your workshop group the clean version of your data and a list of your codes
• Go through your partners data and code it based on the codes and definitions they have developed

Step 5: Evaluate the Validity and Reliability of your Measures

• Give your partner feedback on the validity of their measures (codes). Consider the dimensions of internal validity of measures (face validity, content validity, etc.)
• Compare your coded data and assess intercoder reliability did you apply the same codes to the same data segments? What does this tell you about the reliability of your measures?

Step 6: Reflect on your own Measures***

• Write a concluding paragraph reflecting on the experience of developing measures (codes) and testing their validity and reliability. Consider questions like: what was your process for developing and applying your codes? How did your interpretations of your data? Would you change your coding system after testing it, and how? What would it be like applying another person’s coding system to their data? Why is it important to think about the consistency and accuracy of our measures? 

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