Using Nominal Models to Explore How Students Utilize an "I Do Not Know" Response Option

• In Event: Strategies to Improve the Quality of Data and Model Fit in Survey Research

Abstract

Nominal response models (NRM) are used to explore how high school students (n=4417) from 23 schools utilize an I Do Not Know (DK) response when responding to surveys measuring two latent constructs related to Learning Environment (LE) and Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The NRM for both constructs show that while positive response options are stable, the distinction between DK, Mostly Disagree/Sometimes, and Strongly Disagree/Never is not so clear. For LE, Strongly Disagree and Mostly Disagree are providing no utility as response options; instead, students are using DK to express negative attitudes. For PBL, students are expressing negative attitudes with both Sometimes and DK; students with the lowest attitudinal scores are most likely to select DK instead of Never.

Authors

• Laura Laclede, George Mason University
  Presenting Author

• Marvin Powell, George Mason University
  Presenting Author

• Beth Boesche-Taylor, New Tech Network
  Non-Presenting Author

• Liz Bergeron, New Tech Network
  Non-Presenting Author