Publication Title
Education Sciences
Document Type
Article
Abstract/Description
In this study, we examined the psychometric properties (reliability, validity, and underlying factor structure) and measurement invariance of a researcher-developed instrument: Motivated Strategies for Science Learning (MSSL). Data were collected from 2765 fifth-grade students across [state withheld] school districts. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested satisfactory psychometric properties of MSSL. We further identified strong evidence to support configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across school location groups (i.e., rural and non-rural), confirming that the instrument can accurately capture the construct of science learning motivation among fifth-grade students from both rural and non-rural Texas schools. The study provides the first step toward measuring Texas rural and non-rural school students’ motivation and strategies for science learning. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
Department
Psychology and Special Education
First Page
709
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16050709
Volume
16
Issue
5
ISSN
2227-7102
Date
4-30-2026
Citation Information
Tong, Fuhui; Tang, Shifang; Wang, Zhuoying; and Irby, Beverly J., "Examining the Psychometric Structure of an Instrument to Measure Students’ Interests and Motivation in Science Learning: Factor Analysis and Measurement Invariance" (2026). Faculty Publications. 37.
https://lair.etamu.edu/educ-faculty-publications/37
