Enhancement and Analysis of Science Question Level for Middle School Students

Abstract

The effects of instruction and achievement on science question level for high and low science topic interests were investigated. Eight seventh-grade classes were randomly assigned to two treatments: instruction and no instruction on researchable questioning. Each student completed the Middle School Students' Science Topic Interest Rating Scale (test-retest reliability, r = .84); selected two topics in which she or he was least interested and two topics in which she or he was most interested; wrote questions for each topic; and took the Stanford Achievement Tests in reading, mathematics, and science. The questions were rated using the four levels described by the Middle School Students' Science Question Rating Scale (interrater reliability, r = .96). The scores for each question were averaged for two raters, then summed for each interest level for each student. The data were analyzed for main and interaction effects using general linear modeling procedures. Question level was modeled with one within-subjects factor (science topic interest) and four between-subjects factors (instruction and three achievement scores). The results indicate that students who received instruction outperformed those students who were not instructed; and high achievers in mathematics, reading, or science outperformed low achievers. There were no interaction effects. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 210–224, 2000