The 9-criteria evaluation framework for perceptions survey: the case of VA's Learners' Perceptions Survey

• Published in: Biostatistics & epidemiology (Oxford, UK) UK), 2020-01, Vol.4 (1), p.140-171
• Main Authors: Kashner, T. Michael, Clarke, Christopher T., Aron, David C., Byrne, John M., Cannon, Grant W., Deemer, David A., Gilman, Stuart C., Kaminetzky, Catherine P., Loo, Lawrence K., Li, Sophia, Wicker, Annie B., Keitz, Sheri A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Education; evaluation; perceptions survey; psychometrics
• ISSN: 2470-9360; 2470-9379
• DOI: 10.1080/24709360.2018.1553362

For its clinical, epidemiologic, educational, and health services research, evaluation, administrative, regulatory, and accreditation purposes, the perceptions survey is a data collection tool that asks observers to describe perceptions of their experiences with a defined phenomenon of interest. In practice, these surveys are often subject to criticism for not having been thoroughly evaluated before its first application using a consistent and comprehensive set of criteria for validity and reliability. This paper introduces a 9-criteria framework to assess perceptions surveys that integrates criteria from multiple evaluation sources. The 9-criteria framework was applied to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs' Learners' Perceptions Survey (LPS) that had been administered to national and local samples, and from findings obtained through a literature review involving LPS survey data. We show that the LPS is a robust tool that may serve as a model for design and validation of other perceptions surveys. Findings underscore the importance of using all nine criteria to validate perceptions survey data.