Measurement Data on Commonly Used Scales to Measure Oral Communication and Writing Apprehensions

Abstract

Curriculum changes and training advances in business communication have provided students and practitioners with an opportunity to develop and improve communication skills. Despite such changes, research continues to demonstrate that communication apprehension can injuriously impede skills attainment. Yet, the measurement properties of instruments used to measure oral and writing apprehension have received limited attention. In particular, research has not fully explored the impact of question order on the measurement properties of these instruments. This article presents the results of an investigation about the effect of question order randomization on the psychometric properties of two frequently used oral and written apprehension instruments. Results showed that the measurement properties of these instruments were significantly altered when the question order was randomized. ********** It is commonly accepted that business students need effective communication skills to be successful professionals. Consequently, many universities have instituted curriculum and pedagogy changes to provide students with the opportunity to develop those skills. Common changes include opportunities for group work, oral presentations, writing assignments, as well as critical thinking and unstructured problem solving. However, research in communication and psychology demonstrates that apprehension affects skills attainment and performance (Bennett & Rhodes, 1988; Bourhis & Allen, 1992; Daly, 1978; Freimuth, 1976; McCroskey, 1984) In a comprehensive review of communication research in accounting education, Stout and Rebele (1996) stressed the need to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching methods in developing student skills. Since the presence of apprehension may limit skills development, empirical research on communication skills attainment cannot be thoroughly investigated without understanding the effect of communication apprehension. As a result, the instruments used to measure communication apprehension are important to business communication professionals and researchers. The level of oral and written communication apprehension has been investigated extensively in many disciplines. However, investigations into the measurement (psychometric) properties of these instruments are limited. The versions of the instruments used in these studies have generally mirrored the instruments originally developed by McCroskey (1984) and Daly and Miller (1975). Analysis of different versions of survey instruments is important because it allows researchers to assess the degree to which the measurement properties are an artifact of survey design. This is particularly true for the oral communication apprehension scale where the original survey items are grouped by theoretical construct. It has been observed that the lack of survey item randomization can result in spurious relations among constructs (Budd, 1987). The purpose of this article is to provide measurement data on versions of McCroskey's (1984) oral communication apprehension scale and Daly and Miller's (1975) writing apprehension scale where the order of the items within each scale has been randomized. The primary means of analysis, factor analysis and internal consistency estimates, are based on correlations among individual data items. If the correlations among individual data items do not significantly change after reordering, the results of the analysis will be consistent with previous studies regarding the number of factors and the level of Cronbach's alpha. Greater knowledge of each scale's measurement properties will enable business communication professionals and researchers to determine if these instruments need to be further modified before using. Such an understanding will also enhance researchers' confidence in the results of studies that use these scales. The next section provides relevant background about research related to apprehension. …