The process of basic training, applied training, maintaining the performance of an observer

José Losada () and Rumen Manolov

Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, 2015, vol. 49, issue 1, 339-347

Abstract: In the field of observational methodology the observer is obviously a central figure, and close attention should be paid to the process through which he or she acquires, applies, and maintains the skills required. Basic training in how to apply the operational definitions of categories and the rules for coding, coupled with the opportunity to use the observation instrument in real-life situations, can have a positive effect in terms of the degree of agreement achieved when one evaluates intra- and inter-observer reliability. Several authors, including Arias et al. (Apunts, 4:40–45, 2009 ) and Medina and Delgado (Motricidad: Revista de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, 5:69–86, 1999 ) , have put forward proposals for the process of basic and applied training in this context. Reid and De Master (ORI Res Bull, 12:1–13, 1972 ) focuses on the observer’s performance and how to maintain the acquired skills, it being argued that periodic checks are needed after initial training because an observer may, over time, become less reliable due to the inherent complexity of category systems. The purpose of this subsequent training is to maintain acceptable levels of observer reliability. Various strategies can be used to this end, including providing feedback about those categories associated with a good reliability index, or offering re-training in how to apply those that yield lower indices. The aim of this study is to develop a performance-based index that is capable of assessing an observer’s ability to produce reliable observations in conjunction with other observers. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Keywords: Observational methodology; Reliability; Observation instrument; Basic training; Applied training; Maintenance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s11135-014-9989-7 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:49:y:2015:i:1:p:339-347

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/11135

DOI: 10.1007/s11135-014-9989-7

Access Statistics for this article

Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology is currently edited by Vittorio Capecchi

More articles in Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().