Description Scale

The Academic Locus of Control Scale (ALC-28) is a measurement tool designed to assess students’ perceptions of control over their academic performance. “Locus of control” refers to an individual’s belief about whether the outcomes of events in their life are due to external factors (such as luck or others) or internal factors (such as personal abilities and efforts). The ALC-28 includes 28 items that focus on how students attribute their successes and failures in academic situations.

Data Analysis and Usage

Data analysis from the Academic Locus of Control Scale involves evaluating responses regarding students’ beliefs about control over their academic performance. Data are typically analyzed using quantitative methods, such as factor analysis to confirm the scale’s structure, correlation analysis to explore relationships between different dimensions of the scale, and assessment of the scale’s reliability and validity. Results can be used to understand how students perceive the impact of internal and external factors on their academic performance and to develop strategies to enhance academic self-efficacy.

Objective

The objective of the Academic Locus of Control Scale is to provide a reliable tool for assessing students’ beliefs about the source of control in their academic performance. Through this measurement, researchers and educators can understand whether students attribute their successes and failures to internal or external factors and develop interventions that promote academic self-efficacy and autonomy.

Calibration

Calibration of the scale is conducted through items assessed with Likert scales, where students are asked to rate the extent to which they agree or disagree with statements related to their locus of control in academic performance. Scores are analyzed to determine the student’s locus of control (internal or external) and identify factors influencing their perception of control.

Bibliography

Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1-28.

Phares, E. J. (1976). Locus of control in personality. Academic Press.

Buri, J. R., & Kahlbaugh, P. E. (1994). The development of locus of control in children: A review of the literature. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 23(1), 75-87.

Benson, J. E., & Zelin, L. (1981). The academic locus of control scale: Development and validation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73(4), 552-556.

Lefcourt, H. M. (1982). Locus of control: Current trends in theory and research. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.