Meta-analytic average Cronbach's Alpha of domain-specific knowledge tests is 0.85 with expected item intercorrelation of 0.22¶
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Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · quant-synthesisr2–r3·q3
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2028: tool and model accuracy changes quickly
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q3 i? The meta-analytic average Alpha of domain-specific knowledge tests is 0.85, CI90 [0.82, 0.87], exceeding the hypothesized range of 0.70–0.75. → Peter A. Edelsbrunner 2025
q3 i? The expected average item intercorrelation of knowledge tests is 0.22, consistent with the hypothesis that it would be below 0.30. → Peter A. Edelsbrunner 2025 (2)
Evidence¶
Peter A. Edelsbrunner 2025¶
Peter A. Edelsbrunner, Bianca A. Simonsmeier, Michael Schneider. (2025). The Cronbach’s Alpha of Domain‑Specific Knowledge Tests Before and After Learning: A Meta‑Analysis of Published Studies. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09982-y
q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r3
Cluster-robust random-effects meta-analysis of 285 effect sizes from 55 samples of knowledge tests reporting Alphas before and after learning. The estimated average Alpha was 0.85 with 90% CI [0.82, 0.87], described as against Hypothesis 1 which predicted 0.70–0.75.
"the overall estimate from the cluster-robust random-effects meta-analysis was Alpha = 0.85, with a 90% confidence interval (CI) of [0.82, 0.87]"
Peter A. Edelsbrunner 2025 (2)¶
Peter A. Edelsbrunner, Bianca A. Simonsmeier, Michael Schneider. (2025). The Cronbach’s Alpha of Domain‑Specific Knowledge Tests Before and After Learning: A Meta‑Analysis of Published Studies. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09982-y
q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2
Derived from the meta-analytic Alpha using the Spearman–Brown formula. The expected item intercorrelation was "rexp = 0.22, 90% CI [0.18; 0.25]", in line with Hypothesis 2 predicting rexp < 0.30, though the broad PI indicates substantial heterogeneity.
"This estimated intercorrelation was rexp = 0.22, 90% CI [0.18; 0.25], with a 90% prediction interval (PI) of 90% PI [0.03, 0.57]"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Cronbach's Alphas of knowledge tests vary widely, with a 90% prediction interval of (0.35, 0.96) — related
- Open response format is associated with higher Alpha than multiple choice in knowledge tests — related
- Alpha of knowledge tests is substantially related to the number of items in the test — related
- Alpha of knowledge tests is higher for language and mathematics than for science and social sciences/humanities — related
- Published knowledge test Alphas show distributional bias with underrepresentation of low Alphas — related
- CTAT shows robust psychometric properties for higher education CS/AI students, with reliable internal consistency and adequate IRT item parameters — related
- Cronbach's alpha equals the reliability of the scale score under classical test theory, domain sampling, and generalizability theory, and should be interpreted as a reliability coefficient — related
- Questionnaire constructs showed acceptable to strong internal consistency (α = 0.740 to 0.945) — related
- Alpha is negatively related to sample mean age, and knowledge type shows no effect after controlling for test length — related
- Academic resilience scales show high pooled internal consistency (α/ω = 0.89) with substantial heterogeneity — related
- Confidence intervals around alpha do not resolve the problem because they inherit alpha's failure to indicate knowledge-test reliability — related
- Fixed alpha cutoff values create publication bias so knowledge tests with low alphas are underrepresented in the literature — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
meta-analytic-alpha-knowledge-tests-085 |
title |
Meta-analytic average Cronbach's Alpha of domain-specific knowledge tests is 0.85 with expected item intercorrelation of 0.22 |
description |
Meta-analytic average Cronbach's Alpha of domain-specific knowledge tests is 0.85 with expected item intercorrelation of 0.22 |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2025 |
recheck_by |
2028 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-19 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
2 — peter-a-edelsbrunner-2025, peter-a-edelsbrunner-2025-2 |
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