Development of the READI Literature Epistemology Scale

• In Event: Expanding Pedagogical Understandings of Literary Reasoning and Argumentation in Middle and High Schools: Project READI

Abstract

Objective
Epistemological belief surveys exist for science and history but do not for literary
reasoning. This presentation reports the development, validity, and reliability of a
Literature Epistemology Scale (LES) for adolescents and young adults.
Perspectives
Several scales measure epistemological beliefs in science or history (e.g., Stromso et al.,
2008), but there is little research on epistemological scales for literary reasoning. One
challenge to establishing a literature epistemology scale is that literary works rarely have
an objective “truth.” Nevertheless, readers may possess beliefs about the functions or
techniques of literature (Lee, 2011; Rabinowitz, 1985; Scholes, 1985), and these may
affect their interpretations. They may differ in their beliefs about the benefits of rereading
(Wolf, 1995), whether stories are open to interpretation (Fish, 1980; Rosenblatt, 1978),
and the extent to which literary themes apply to the real world (Mar & Oatley, 2008).
We report on the initial phases of research to develop an epistemology scale for literature
appropriate for adolescents and young adults.
Phase 1. Based on literature review and consultation with experts in literary
criticism, a 24-item, 5-subscale survey was created and pilot-tested with 199 seventh - to
ninth-graders, and 288 college freshmen in Fall 2012. Based on exploratory factor
analyses, three subscales appeared to have conceptual validity and reasonable
psychometric properties: multiple meaning, multiple reading, and social functioning.
These were retained for Phase 2.
Phase 2. Using the three emergent subscales and patterns of findings for the
individual items in Phase 1, new items were generated and added. The resulting pool of
103 items was subjected to a rigorous content validation. Based on the content validity
indices for construct, relevance, representativeness, and clarity, a final set of 29 items
was selected and administered in Spring 2012.
Methods
The LES consisted of 29 items representing multiple meaning, social functioning, and
multiple reading subscales with response options from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5
(strongly agree).
To assess criterion validity of the LES, students also completed a Speed of Knowledge
Acquisition subscale from the Wood and Kardash (2002) epistemology scale.

Authors

• Mariya Yukhymenko, California State University - Fresno

• Stephen W Briner, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Candice Burkett, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Kathryn S. McCarthy, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Sarah Levine, National Louis University

• Joe Magliano, Northern Illinois University

• Carol D. Lee, Northwestern University

• Susan R. Goldman, University of Illinois at Chicago