How Well Do Researchers Report their Measures? an Evaluation of Measurementin Published Educational Research

Abstract

The present study describes how much and in what ways the authors of articles fail to include adequate information about data collection. The instrumentation reported in 220 articles from 22 randomly selected journals was coded and tabulated using a scheme based on criteria from current research textbooks that are consistent with American Educational Research Association/American Psychological Association/National Council on Measurement in Education (AERA/APA/NCME) standards. Results suggest that the quality of measurement reporting continues to be a problem. Eight of the most common reporting failures are identified. It is recommended that journal editors and referees more thoughtfully consider the quality of measurement reporting when reviewing and editing submitted articles.