Measuring Undergraduate Chemistry Students’ Self-Efficacy on Laboratory Scientific Practices (SELSP): Survey Development

Laboratory scientific practices are central to undergraduate chemistry education, yet few instruments are available to assess students’ self-efficacy for engaging in these practices. This study describes the development of the Self-Efficacy for Laboratory Scientific Practices (SELSP) survey and presents evidence supporting the interpretation and use of SELSP scores among undergraduate chemistry students. An initial 39-item Likert scale instrument was administered to students enrolled in General Chemistry II (N = 420). Using a randomly split sample, exploratory factor analysis (N = 212) identified an interpretable factor structure, and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 208) supported a four-factor, 20-item model comprising hypothesis generation and experimental design (HGED), data interpretation and communication (DIC), data collection and measurement (DCM), and data analysis and representation (DAR). Internal consistency estimates indicated a strong reliability across all factors. Evidence supporting score interpretation was further examined by using an independent sample of General Chemistry I students (N = 427), which replicated the four-factor structure and reliability estimates. Measurement invariance analyses conducted using pooled data from General Chemistry I and II students (N = 847) supported configural, metric, scalar, and residual invariances across course context, race, gender, and first-generation college status, indicating that SELSP scores functioned similarly across these groups. Multivariate analyses of covariance controlling for prior laboratory experience revealed significant differences by course numbers and context, with General Chemistry I students reporting higher self-efficacy than General Chemistry II students, whereas no significant differences were observed across other demographic groups. Observed factor means indicated moderately high levels of self-efficacy across all four laboratory scientific practice domains. Collectively, the findings provide evidence supporting the internal structure, reliability, measurement invariance, and intended interpretation of SELSP scores in introductory undergraduate chemistry laboratory contexts.