A decision process for theoretically and empirically driven scale shortening using OASIS: introducing the gendered communication instrument – short form

Published in: The SAGE Handbook of Survey Development and Application – 08 September 2023

Written by 

Mary M. Hausfeld and Frankie J. Weinberg

Summary 

What we found: We developed a structured decision-making process (and convenient decision tree) for shortening scales in social science research. We introduced a practical guide that utilizes the OASIS Shiny App. As an illustrative example, we create a shortened version of the Gendered Communication Scale.

Why it matters: The importance of our work lies in addressing the widespread practice of scale shortening in social sciences. It provides researchers with a systematic approach to scale adaptation, emphasizing transparency and rigor. This approach is essential for maintaining the validity of measurements, promoting open science, and encouraging replication in research, ultimately fostering more meaningful interactions among scholarly works.

What next: Organizations in research and academia can benefit from implementing this systematic scale shortening approach. It ensures that scale shortening is conducted intentionally and rigorously, improving the quality and transparency of research. By using the OASIS tool and following the provided decision tree, researchers can create more efficient, yet valid, measurement instruments, making research more accessible and promoting meaningful data collection from time-constrained sources, such as organizational executives.