Enhancement and analysis of science question level for middle school students

The effects of instruction and achievement on science question level for hi gh and low science topic interests were investigated. Eight seventh-grade c lasses were randomly assigned to two treatments: instruction and no instruc tion on researchable questioning. Each student completed the Middle School Students' Science Topic Interest Rating Scale (test-retest reliability, r = .84); selected two topics in which she or he was least interested and two topics in which she or he was most interested; wrote questions for each top ic; and took the Stanford Achievement Tests in reading, mathematics, and sc ience. The questions were rated using the four levels described by the Midd le School Students' Science Question Rating Scale (interrater reliability, r = .96). The scores for each question were averaged for two raters, then s ummed for each interest level for each student. The data were analyzed for main and interaction effects using general linear modeling procedures. Ques tion level was modeled with one within-subjects factor (science topic inter est) and four between-subjects factors (instruction and three achievement s cores). The results indicate that students who received instruction outperf ormed those students who were not instructed; and high achievers in mathema tics, reading, or science outperformed low achievers. There were no interac tion effects. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.