Solid Review: Psychometric Theory by Nunnally (PDF)
Overall Verdict:
The undisputed "bible" of classical psychometrics. If you need a deep, mathematically grounded understanding of reliability, validity, and scale construction, this is essential reading. The PDF version is a practical (if legally gray) workaround for accessing a long out-of-print classic.
- Reliability Theory: Nunnally popularized the now-famous rule of thumb that a reliability coefficient (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) of .70 or higher is acceptable for early-stage research, and .80 or higher for basic research.
- Validity: The text provides exhaustive coverage of content, criterion, and construct validity, including how to use the multitrait-multimethod matrix.
- Scale Development: Step-by-step guidelines for item writing, item analysis, and factor analysis.
- Test Construction: Practical advice on standardizing tests, norming, and equating.
by Jum C. Nunnally (and later Ira H. Bernstein). This classic text serves as the "gold standard" for anyone developing tests, surveys, or assessment tools. What is Psychometric Theory?
Common Pitfalls When Citing Nunnally from a PDF
If you use a digital copy for your dissertation, beware of pagination issues. Scanned PDFs of the 2nd edition often have "page missing" errors or reflect the original hardcover page numbers incorrectly.
Legal note: Most free PDFs of this title are copyright infringements. Check your university library’s digital reserves or purchase a used physical copy (abundant and cheap) if you need consistent, legal access.
Description: This feature provides an in-depth exploration of psychometric theory, a branch of psychology that deals with the measurement of psychological attributes, such as intelligence, personality traits, and attitudes. The feature is based on the seminal work of Jum Nunnally, a renowned psychologist who made significant contributions to the development of psychometric theory.
Nunnally, J. C. (1967). Psychometric theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.