Examination of Undergraduates’ Cognitive Structures on Reaction Rates and Chemical Equilibrium

The aim of this study was to determine undergraduate students' cognitive structures about reaction rates and chemical equilibrium through word association test and to analyse the correlations between the results obtained in Word Association Test (WAT) and in open-ended questions. The research was conducted in a foundation university within the framework of General Chemistry II course with the participation of 77 first year students. Open-ended questions and word association test about the subjects of reaction rates and chemical equilibrium prepared by the researchers were used as a data collection tools. The method of cut-point was employed in revealing students’ cognitive structures. Content analysis, Kruskal Wallis test and correlation analysis were used in analysing the data. Consequently, it was found that there were high-level significant correlations between students’ total WAT scores and the total scores they had received from open-ended questions. Significant differences were found between students’ total WAT scores according to Kruskal Wallis test results at six different levels of knowledge. As a result, it may be said that word association test can be used as an alternative assessment tool in revealing students’ cognitive structures