Measuring the Mathematical Attitudes of Elementary Students: The Effects of a 4-Point or 5-Point Likert-Type Scale

Autor/inn/en	Adelson, Jill L.; McCoach, D. Betsy
Titel	Measuring the Mathematical Attitudes of Elementary Students: The Effects of a 4-Point or 5-Point Likert-Type Scale
Quelle	In: Educational and Psychological Measurement, 70 (2010) 5, S.796-807 (12 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0013-1644
DOI	10.1177/0013164410366694
Schlagwörter	Elementary School Students; Student Attitudes; Likert Scales; Measures (Individuals); Test Construction; Mathematics; Middle School Students; Self Concept; Reliability + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schülerverhalten; Likert-Skala; Messdaten; Testaufbau; Mathematik; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Selbstkonzept; Reliabilität
Abstract	The purpose of this study was to compare how students in Grades 3 to 6 respond to a mathematics attitudes instrument with a 4-point Likert-type scale compared with one with an additional neutral point (a 5-point Likert-type scale). The 606 participating students from six elementary and middle schools randomly received either the 4-point or 5-point format of the Math and Me Survey. Regardless of whether a neutral midpoint was offered or not, the structure of the instrument was virtually the same, with equal intercepts, means, variances and covariances, pattern coefficients, and nearly all residuals. The 5-point scale is preferred with this population because with this format the reliability estimate for the Mathematical Self-Perceptions subscale was higher (p = 0.049), and the pattern coefficients were stronger. Additionally, this format provided less model misfit than the 4-point format. Based on these findings, the authors recommend administration of the Math and Me Survey in the 5-point format. These findings also indicate that despite what some educators and educational experts believe, children in Grades 3 to 6 are capable of discriminating among five response options and do not tend toward the neutral point more so than with a 4-point scale. (Contains 2 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10