Examining Dimensionality and Validity of the Academic Integrity Survey Instrument

Abstract

Dimensional reduction is one of the methods to ensure the quality of a questionnaire. This study examined two methods to reduce the dimension of the questionnaire: multidimensional scaling (MDS) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The questionnaire, Awareness of Academic Dishonesty consists of 30 questions. Participants included 110 college students. Multidimensional scaling analysis reduced the multidimensions to essentially two dimensions. The exploratory factor analysis reduced the multidimensions to three dimensions. MDS allowed the researchers to evaluate the questionnaire items by looking at the similarities of these data points. EFA provided an alternative thought about the construct of the questionnaire.