The Effect of Response Styles - A Validation of an Instrument on Epistemological Beliefs in Science (E-rest)

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Nele Kampa
• Subject Area: General and Domain-Specific Teaching and Learning
• Term: from 2018 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 392402964

During the last two decades domain-specific epistemological beliefs, especially in science, have gained importance in empirical educational and didactic research. The most often used instrument, even in five other languages, including German, on epistemological beliefs in science captures the four scales development, justification, source, and certainty. Results on the basis of this instrument point to a method effect due to the response style. The items of two scales are positively formulated while the items of the remaining two scales are negatively formulated. Scales with the same direction of formulation correlate highly which is not in line with the assumed relations based on the theoretical model.Former studies on method effects are limited to the investigation of the effect without proposing improvements for the instrument. Both aims are pursued in the proposed project. In detail, multitrait-multimethod models will be deployed in structural equation models in order to show the method effect. The questionnaire will be optimized by administering the questionnaire in different versions regarding the direction of the formulation within and between the four scales. The examination is carried out in the English-speaking area in order to be able to use the original document.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Austria, USA
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Joseph Krajcik, Ph.D.