Examining the Wording Effect: What Are We Measuring?

KILIÇ A. F., ACAR GÜVENDİR M., GÜLER G., KAÇAK T.

Measurement, cilt.23, sa.2, ss.172-188, 2025 (ESCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 23 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/15366367.2024.2329505
  • Dergi Adı: Measurement
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Psycinfo
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.172-188
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: measurement invariance, reversed items, Wording effect
  • Trakya Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

In this study, the extent to wording effects impact structure and factor loadings, internal consistency and measurement invariance was outlined. The modified form, which includes items that semantically reversed, explains %21.5 more variance than the original form. Also, reversed items’ factor loadings are higher. As a result of CFA, indexes obtained from modified form are better. Measurement invariance is not ensured at any step, which is a significant finding. These findings point to two forms measure different structures. Despite the quite high internal consistency coefficients obtained from both forms, the reliabilities in the modified form are statistically significantly higher than the original form. Although there are many opinions in the literature on the use of reversed items, this study shed light on the practical implications and psychometric findings.