Application of meta-summary to derive a measurement instrument from the literature: a method exemplar
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Application of meta-summary to derive a measurement instrument from the literature: a method exemplar

Marie Hutchinson Associate professor, Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
Leah East Associate professor, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

Background Measurement tools are a common method to collect data in observational and survey research. Nurse researchers have developed numerous scales and instruments, many derived from published literature. However, few studies report systematic or replicable approaches to analysing the literature from which measures were derived. This is a significant challenge to construct validity.

Aim To provide a method exemplar of meta-summary and categorical factor analysis to refine scale items and establish construct definition.

Discussion A rigorous method for deriving items from the literature is largely absent from nursing literature. This exemplar addresses the often-cited limitation of scales that authors rarely assure content validity before experts assess their newly derived scales.

Conclusion Without sufficient methodological rigour, practitioners and researchers must speculate about the content validity of newly derived instruments. Meta-summary provides a useful approach to developing scales from the literature.

Implications for practice The method detailed here is of use when deriving measurement instruments from the literature. It provides a systematic and replicable strategy that assures construct validity.

Nurse Researcher. doi: 10.7748/nr.2018.e1599

Citation

Hutchinson M, East L (2018) Application of meta-summary to derive a measurement instrument from the literature: a method exemplar. Nurse Researcher. doi: 10.7748/nr.2018.e1599

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

marie.hutchinson@scu.edu.au

Conflict of interest

None declared

Published online: 15 November 2018

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