Teaching the Process of Instrument Selection in Family Research

This paper describes a classroom exercise in selecting measurement instruments that is applicable to both undergraduate and graduate family research methods courses. The question of how 10 measure the construct of "family involvement" is used as a concrete illustration. This exercise is designed to sensitize students to the issues involved in defining and measuring conceptual variables in family studies, and 10 teach three important lessons about measurement: (a) the first step in finding appropriate instruments is 10 conceptualize precisely the research construct; (b) there are many ways 10 measure any one conceptual variable, and these multiple approaches should be compared and contrasted in relation to one's particular research application; and (c) a construct should be measured in a way that most closely matches its conceptual definition. The exercise also teaches students how to use available technology to select more effectively and efficiently family-related measures.