Psychometric Characteristics of Written Response Instruments Used in Postgraduate Theses Completed in Special Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the written response instruments used in postgraduate theses completed in the field of special education in Turkey between 2015 and 2018 and explore the psychometric profiles of these instruments. In the study, a total of 137 master's theses and 37 dissertations were reviewed using the Data Collection Instrument Review Form. Categorical and frequency analyses were used in the analysis of the data. Also, the relevant categories were discussed by citing remarkable examples of errors or deficiencies. According to the research findings, a total of 387 written response instruments were used in the theses reviewed. Most of the written response instruments were developed by the researchers themselves and of these instruments, the most frequently used were the personal information forms and scales. In the theses, most of the written response instruments were not introduced or only partly introduced and the validity and reliability of these instruments were either not reported or only partly reported. The results of the research showed that there were crucial deficiencies and errors in reporting the basic methodological information about the written response instruments used in the theses and this situation was repeated in the theses. In parallel with the results of the research, the related problems and their causes were discussed, and suggestions offered.