MEASURING POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE - PUTTING 1ST THINGS 1ST

Research in political behavior has increasingly turned to the cognitio ns underlying attitudes. The simplest of these cognitions are politica l facts-the bits of information about politics that citizens hold. Whi le other key concepts in political science-partisanship, trust, tolera nce-have widely used (if still controversial) measures that facilitate comparisons across time and among studies, the discipline has no gene rally accepted measure of the public's level of political information. This paper describes the development and testing of survey-based meas ures of political knowledge, with special attention to the existing it ems on the National Election Study surveys. In so doing, it illustrate s the use of a variety of techniques for item analysis and scale const ruction. We also present a recommended five-item knowledge index.