Comparaison entre la forme ouverte et la forme fermée d'un test de connaissance de la méthode expérimentale

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare the two forms (open and closed) of a test of the stages of the experimental method. First, we define the four stages operationally: statement of the problem, formulation of the hypothesis, planning the experiment, and conclusions. The items are brief texts dealing with everyday life, and the subject must formulate a problem, hypothesis, etc. about them. In the open form of the test, the subject has to formulate the correct statement. The same facts are presented in the closed form, but this time the subject must select the correct response from five possible statements which are given. Both forms of the final test have proved to be satisfactory. The Cronbach alpha index is 0.805 for the open form and 0.748 for the closed form. However, the correlation between the two forms of the test is not as anticipated; this leads us to believe that there is, at least in the closed form, interference by additional skills, such as awareness of the stages and discrimination between the possible statements. Factorial analysis confirms the logical rigour of the construct of these items, particularly in relation to the open form. Finally, this study leads us to identify two different kinds of skills associated with the experimental method which cannot be made to correspond to the "integrated skills" often described in studies on the scientific system of reasoning.