​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​NAEP Technical DocumentationDevelopment of the 2022 Grade 8 Civics​ Indices

For the 2022 grade 8 civics assessment, several indices of policy interest were developed that satisfied both theoretical criteria based on content analysis, and empirical criteria based on multivariate statistical techniques. This resulted in the creation of several reporting elements. The development of the 2022 grade 8 civics​ indices can be summarized in three main steps: 

1. Question development. Sets of contextual items, such as those exploring students’ persistence in learning and their enjoyment of complex problems, were developed and included in the civics student questionnaire. Through content analysis as part of the item development process, only sets of items that were theoretically interpretable and meaningful as a conceptual unit were included as potential indices to measure specific constructs of interest.

2. Examination of empirical relationships. Factor analysis was used to explore and verify the empirical properties of the data. Construct validity of the potential indices was evaluated through factorial validity with respect to the survey question responses, and the convergent and discriminant validity of the factor with respect to other factors. If the factor had the expected pattern of relationships and non-relationships, the construct validity of the factor as representing the intended index was supported.

3. Index scoring. The partial credit Item Response Theory (IRT) model was used to scale the indices. Scaling of the index items was first conducted to get the item parameters and was based on marginal maximum likelihood methodologies. After the parameters were estimated, expected a posteriori (EAP) scores were calculated as the estimate of the index score. When a student does not provide a valid response to a contextual item, the student will not receive an index score for the index containing that item. ​In the first administration of an index, the EAP scores were transformed to have a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 2 on a scale from 0–20. In subsequent administrations, EAP scores for established (i.e., trend) indices are estimated using concurrent calibration together with data from the previous year and then transformed using linear transformation (Kolen and Brennan 2004​) to be on the same scales created in the initial administration. Transformation constants ​ and are calculated as follows:

where and are the target standard deviation and mean of the transformed scores from the previous year, and and are the provisional standard deviation and mean of the previous year EAP scores in the ​current year concurrent calibration.

Index of Students' Persistence in Learning

The table below presents the items forming the index of students' persistence in learning. This index was designed to measure students' tendency to persevere and work hard in the face of challenges. Grade 8 students were asked to indicate how much each of the four statement items described them (not at all like me, a little bit like me, somewhat like me, quite a bit like me, or very much like me).

Index of Students' Enjoyment of Complex Problems

The table below presents the items forming the index of students' enjoyment of complex problems. This index was designed to measure students' enjoyment of problems and activities that challenge them to think. Grade 8 students were asked to indicate how much each of the four statement items described them (not at all like me, a little bit like me, somewhat like me, quite a bit like me, or very much like me). 

Index of Students' Academic Self-Discipline

The table below presents the items forming the index of students' academic self-discipline. This index was designed to measure students' tendency to pay attention and stay on task when learning. Grade 8 students were asked to indicate how often they have done each of the four statement items (never or hardly ever, less than half of the time, about half of the time, more than half of the time, or all or almost all of the time).

Index of Students’ Views on Community Engagement

The table below presents the items forming the index of students' views on community engagement. This index was designed to measure students' views of improving their communities and the importance of being involved in community issues. Grade 8 students were asked to indicate how much each of the five statement items described them (not at all like me, a little bit like me, somewhat like me, quite a bit like me, or exactly like me). 

Index of Students’ Confidence in Civics Knowledge and Skills

The table below presents the items forming the index of students' confidence in their civics knowledge and skills at grade 8. This index was designed to measure students' belief in their abilities to do various civics​-related tasks. Grade 8 students were asked to indicate their confidence in doing the task described in each of the ​six items (I definitely can’t, I probably can’t, maybe, I probably can, or I definitely can). 

Index of Students’ Mastery Goals in Civics

The table below presents the items forming the index of students' mastery goals in civics. This index was designed to measure students' motivation to learn as much as they can about civics and/or United States government and master new skills in their class. Grade 8 students were asked to indicate how much each of the four statement items described them (not at all like me, a little bit like me, somewhat like me, quite a bit like me, or exactly like me).

Index Item Scoring

For each index item, the response categories were scored as numerical values (e.g., for an item with five response categories, category A was scored as 1, B was scored as 2, C was scored as 3, D was scored as 4, and E was scored as 5). For three of the 2022 grade 8 civics indices, item response categories were collapsed; scores for a five-category item thus became 1, 2, 3, and 4 after collapsing. The first table on the page Index Scoring for the 2022 Grade 8 Civics Indices describes the treatment of the index items.

IRT Parameters

The partial credit IRT model was used to scale the indices. Scaling of the index items was first conducted to get the item parameters and was based on marginal maximum likelihood methodologies. The tables on the page Index Scoring for the 2022 Grade 8 Civics Indices show the IRT parameters for the 2022​ grade 8 civics indices.

Response Averages and Transformed Scores

After the parameters were estimated, EAP scores were calculated as the estimate of the index score, and transformed to a reporting scale of 0–20. The tables on the page Index Scoring for the 2022 Grade 8 Civics Indices show the response averages and transformed scale scores for each of the grade 8 civics indices. Note that response averages represent the average scored responses after score collapsing (if there was any collapsing). Each response average corresponds to one transformed score. The increment used for increases in the response average is determined by the number of items that form an index. For example, an index with four items would have response averages that increase by an increment of 1 / 4 or 0.25, while an index with five items would have response averages that increase by an increment of 1 / 5 or 0.20.

As a reporting aid, index scores were divided into a range of categories or classifications (e.g., low, moderate, high). The cut points selected to divide the index scores into meaningful categories were based on the distributions of the response average of each index.

As an example, for the index of persistence in learning, grade 8 students were classified as follows: 

• Students with a response average less than 2 were classified as low on the index. That is, students who on average responded not at all like me or a little bit like me on a question with the five response options not at all like me, a little bit like me, somewhat like me, quite a bit like me, and very much like me were classified as having a low level of persistence in learning.
  
• Students with a response average greater than or equal to 2 to less than 3 were classified as moderate on the index. That is, students who on average responded somewhat like me were classified as having a moderate level of persistence in learning.
  
• Finally, students with a response average greater than or equal to 3 were classified as high on the index. That is, students who on average responded quite a bit like me or very much like me were classified as having a high level of persistence in learning.
  

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