Development and Factorial Validation of a Scale for Measuring the Causes of Data Fabrication in Education Research Studies in Nigeria

The research focuses on creating and validating the Causes of Data Fabrication Scale (CDFS) to understand the reasons behind data fabrication in educational research. Initially comprising 38 items, the scale was refined to 27 items based on expert input and content validity. Using a sample of 143 educators, the study employed rigorous statistical methods, identifying five key factors contributing to data fabrication: researcher-related issues, institutional factors, respondent influences, funding challenges, and research competence. Despite slight deviations in some item loadings, their significance in literature and expert agreement justified their inclusion. Overall, the study offers a crucial tool for scholars to investigate data fabrication causes, enhancing academic integrity in educational research.