Scales Development Study to Measure the Affective States of Middle School Students toward Graphs Used in Science Classes

This study was designed to develop the Graph Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Graph Attitudes (GSEBGA) scale and Graph Literacy Perception according to Graph Types (GLPGT) scale to measure middle school students’ perceived graphical literacy levels according to different types of graphs that are frequently used in science classes. In order to be able to use the scales simultaneously in both a 4 point likert scale without a middle option and a 5 point likert scale with a middle point option, both GSEBGA and GLPGT scales were administered to similar samples of middle school students at two different occasions of Application 1 (n=439) and Application 2 (n=137). The results of the exploratory factor analyses for the data from Application 1 and Application 2 were evaluated together and only the items that worked in both cases were allowed to stay in the scales. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to confirm the factor structures of the final versions of the scales. Based on the factor analyses results and the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients calculated for each factor in the GSEBGA and GLPGT scales and on the comparisons of the upper-lower 27% groups formed according to the final version of the scales, it has been concluded that both scales satisfy the validity and reliability conditions and can be used either in a 4 point or 5 point likert scale forma