Developing a Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale(BARS)-Based Debate Assessment Tool for University Students

The purpose of this study was to develop a behaviorally anchored rating scale(BARS)-based assessment tool that can objectively and reliably evaluate university students’ debate competence, and to examine its validity and reliability. To this end, the core components of debate competence were identified through a literature review, and initial items were developed based on four major domains and fifteen sub-competencies. Subsequently, two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted with 15 professors and instructors who had experience teaching debate-related courses, thereby securing content validity and constructing a preliminary tool. A validation survey was then administered to 211 professors and instructors. The results of an exploratory factor analysis indicated that the 15 items were structured into four factors(logical and critical reasoning skills, evidence use and information analysis skills, communication and interaction skills, and argument strategy and discussion attitude), and construct validity was confirmed. The findings suggest that this BARS-based assessment tool possesses high reliability and validity as an instrument that structurally evaluates debate competence based on behaviors observable in actual classroom settings, and that it can contribute to enhancing instructors’ assessment expertise as well as improving the quality of debate-based instruction.