The Scale Development Practices Published in Top-Ranked Communication Journals: A Content Analysis of Scholars' Theoretical and Statistical Decisions

• In Event: Revisiting and Revising Theories and Methods

Abstract

The present study updates previous research by examining the scale development and reporting practices of scholars. The results of the quantitative content analysis of top-ranked communication journal articles (n=600) indicate that scholars primarily used principal components analysis, orthogonal rotation, and the eigenvalues greater than one rule to assess their measurement models. Furthermore, this research adds to the literature by summarizing the methods scholars took to theoretically create and gauge items for their new measures. Findings reveal that they mostly relied a literature review and rarely used qualitative research to generate items.

Author

• Serena Carpenter, Michigan State U