Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Using the expectancy-value model of achievement motivation as a basis, this study's purpose is to develop, apply, and validate scores from a self-report instrument measuring student test-taking motivation. Sampled evidence of construct validity for the present sample indicates that a number of the items in the instrument could be used as an indicator of student test-taking motivation. Exploratory factor analyses suggests that the test-taking motivation construct is distinct from general attitudes toward a subject and that task value perceptions are distinct from task performance expectancies. The instrument needs further development to consolidate its psychometric properties and to elaborate on the test-taking motivation construct in relation to the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation.

Keywords

test-taking motivation expectancy-value theory scale development exploratory factor analysis construct validity

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Atkinson, J. W. (1964).An introduction to motivation. Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand.

Bandura, A. (1997).Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman.

Baumert, J. , & Demmrich, A. (2001). Test motivation in the assessment of student skills: The effects of incentives on motivation and performance. EuropeanJournalof Psychology of Education,16, 441-462.

Cronbach, L. J. (1960). Essentials of psychological testing. New York: Harper & Bros.

Eccles, J. S. , & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 109-132.

Fabrigar, L. J. , Wegener, D. T. , MacCallum, R. C. , & Strahan, E. J. (1999). Evaluating the use of exploratory factor analysis in psychological research. Psychological Methods, 4, 272-299.

Henson, R. K. (2001). Understanding internal consistency reliability estimates: A conceptual primer on coefficient alpha. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 34, 177-189.

Henson, R. K. , Capraro, R. M. , & Capraro, M. M. (2004). Reporting practices and use of exploratory factor analyses in educationalresearch journals:Errors and explanation. Research in the Schools, 11(2), 61-72.

McMillan, J. H. , Simonetta, L. G. , & Singh, J. (1994). Student opinion survey: Development of measures of student motivation. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 54, 496-505.

10.

Mislevy, R. J. (1995). What can we learn from international assessments? Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 4, 419-437.

11.

Mullis, I. V. S. (2002). Background questions in TIMSS and PIRLS: An overview. Paper commissioned by the National Assessment Governing Board. Chestnut Hill, MA: International Study Center, Boston College.

12.

O'Connor, B. P. (2000). SPSS and SAS programs for determining the number of components using parallel analysis and Velicer's MAP test. Behavior Research, Instruments, & Computers, 32, 396-402.

13.

O'Neil, H. F., Jr. , Sugrue, B. , & Baker, E. L. (1995-1996). Effects of motivational interventions on the National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics performance. Educational Assessment, 3, 135-157.

14.

Pintrich, P. R. , & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in education: Theory, research, and applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

15.

Sharma, S. (1996). Applied multivariate techniques. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.

16.

Sundre, D. L. , & Moore, D. L. (2002). The student opinion scale: A measure of examinee motivation. Assessment Update, 14, 8-9.

17.

Thompson,B. , & Daniel, L. G. (1996).Factor analytic evidence for the construct validity of scores: A historical overview and some guidelines. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 56, 197-208.

18.

Wainer, H. (1993). Measurement problems. Journal of Educational Measurement, 30, 1-21.

19.

Wigfield, A. , & Eccles, J. S. (2000). Expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 68-81.

20.

Wolf, L. F. , & Smith, J. K. (1995). The consequence of consequence: Motivation, anxiety, and test performance. Applied Measurement in Education, 8, 227-242.

21.

Wolf, L. F. , Smith, J. K. , & Birnbaum, M. E. (1995).Consequence of performance,test motivation, and mentally taxing items. Applied Measurement in Education, 8, 341-351.

Development and Validation of Scores From an Instrument Measuring Student Test-Taking Motivation

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References