Construction and standardization of ergonomics knowledge test

Abstract

Present investigation was done to test the knowledge of employees working in different industries. With this aim preliminary 140 items were collected and developed pertaining to the principles of ergonomics. Items which were nonspecific, redundant, vague and repetitive were rejected. This method led to a reduction of 74 items that means 66 items were discarded from the test. Thereafter content validity was done which also led to the reduction of items to 47. Again after getting the expert's opinion on the items of test index of item difficulty, index of item discrimination, index of item validity, point biserial and reliability were worked out. Finally ergonomic test contains 21 items where whole test was divided into three parts as work, worker and workplace. In work category there was 7 items, worker category contains 8 items and workplace category contains 6 items. To administer the knowledge test a respondent is given one mark for each correct answer and zero for each wrong answer. The total score of the respondents on all items of the test is taken on the basis of their knowledge score and the respondents may be categorized in to three groups having low, medium and high level of knowledge about ergonomic principles. Respondents who will score between 0-7 will be falls under the category of low level of ergonomics knowledge, followed by medium (8-14) and high level of knowledge (15-21) about ergonomics principles.