This study introduces and validates the Online Reading Engagement Scale (ORES), a multidimensional instrument designed to assess behavioural engagement, cognitive engagement, affective engagement, and social engagement in digital academic reading contexts. Grounded in the engagement model by Wigfield and Guthrie in 2000, this scale fills a research gap by providing a comprehensive tool specifically designed for university-level EFL students engaged in online reading. The instrument was developed through item generation and refinement informed by prior research and expert feedback. A sample of 668 Chinese undergraduates participated in the study, completing a 32-item questionnaire distributed on Wenjuanxing, an online survey platform. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed a four-factor structure, explaining 61.1% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) further supported the model with strong fit indices (e.g., RMSEA = 0.024, CFI = 0.986). Reliability and validity assessments confirmed internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.90), convergent validity, and discriminant validity across all dimensions. The findings establish ORES as a reliable and valid instrument for assessing online reading engagement in academic settings, providing a theoretical and empirical foundation for future research and pedagogical interventions aimed at enhancing digital literacy and student engagement in higher education.
Dang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.