Developing a brief data literacy measure using CFA and IRT

Data literacy is essential in today’s workforce, yet existing data literacy assessments lack brevity, limiting their practical use. This study develops a brief data literacy instrument (BDLI) by streamlining the 25-item Global Data Literacy Benchmark (GDLB). Two studies were conducted. The first study ( N = 408) explored item reduction and factor consistency using student participants, while the second study ( N = 388) replicated findings using a diverse professional sample. Results indicated that a 12-item BDLI achieved similar factor structure and reliability compared to the original GDLB. Confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory confirmed the BDLI’s consistency and discriminatory power. These results suggest that the BDLI offers a practical tool for assessing an individual’s data literacy skills, which can be used to develop targeted learning opportunities at the individual or organizational level. The value and limitations of the BDLI are discussed.