Measuring Competence in APA Writing Style: Scale Development and Psychometric Evaluation of Indonesian University Students
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| Title: | Measuring Competence in APA Writing Style: Scale Development and Psychometric Evaluation of Indonesian University Students |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Muhammad Dwirifqi Kharisma Putra (ORCID |
| Source: | Teaching of Psychology. 2026 53(3):201-212. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 12 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Citations (References), Writing (Composition), Writing for Publication, Writing Skills, Graduate Students, Doctoral Students, Guidelines, Item Response Theory, Psychometrics, Test Reliability, Writing Evaluation, Guides, Content Validity |
| Geographic Terms: | Indonesia |
| DOI: | 10.1177/00986283261418601 |
| ISSN: | 0098-6283 1532-8023 |
| Abstract: | Background: The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a convention adopted by many universities worldwide. However, students find it difficult to apply the correct APA 7th edition format. Objective: This study developed and validated a curriculum-based questionnaire to assess students' competence in formatting journal articles according to APA style. Method: We recruited 1,117 participants online (69.2% master's students and 30.8% doctoral students) from various Indonesian universities. Each participant completed our 30-item Student Competence in APA 7 Writing Style (SCAWS) scale. We used simple Rasch models to evaluate the scale's psychometric properties. Results: The Rasch analysis confirmed model fit based on global-fit statistics. Totally, 27 of the 30 items were found to fit the Rasch model. The scale's reliability was 0.813, indicating strong internal consistency. Conclusion: The 27-item SCAWS scale provides a valid measure suitable for use in educational and psychological research. Teaching implications: The SCAWS scale appears to offer lecturers a useful instrument for diagnosing postgraduate students' difficulties in understanding the APA 7th edition writing style and provides recommendations for addressing their weaknesses in specific areas. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://osf.io/cb8jh/?view_only=f8ed09ec31fe4aafa8034d82b68b26f5 |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505546 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Background: The American Psychological Association (APA) style is a convention adopted by many universities worldwide. However, students find it difficult to apply the correct APA 7th edition format. Objective: This study developed and validated a curriculum-based questionnaire to assess students' competence in formatting journal articles according to APA style. Method: We recruited 1,117 participants online (69.2% master's students and 30.8% doctoral students) from various Indonesian universities. Each participant completed our 30-item Student Competence in APA 7 Writing Style (SCAWS) scale. We used simple Rasch models to evaluate the scale's psychometric properties. Results: The Rasch analysis confirmed model fit based on global-fit statistics. Totally, 27 of the 30 items were found to fit the Rasch model. The scale's reliability was 0.813, indicating strong internal consistency. Conclusion: The 27-item SCAWS scale provides a valid measure suitable for use in educational and psychological research. Teaching implications: The SCAWS scale appears to offer lecturers a useful instrument for diagnosing postgraduate students' difficulties in understanding the APA 7th edition writing style and provides recommendations for addressing their weaknesses in specific areas. |
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| ISSN: | 0098-6283 1532-8023 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/00986283261418601 |
