Factor structure of Schommer's epistemology beliefs scale

One of the important subjects in learning process is individual’s epistemology beliefs. These beliefs related to individual’s understanding, how to obtain and validity of knowledge and individual imagination of ability and speed for learning. This research was done with the aim of confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis of Schommer’s epistemology beliefs scale among Iranian students. The method of research is correlation. Participants were 366 first grade students of high school in Baharestan town whom were selected with random cluster sampling. They answered to the 63-item of Schommer’s epistemology belief scale. The data were analyzed through first and second confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis. A first confirmatory factor analysis confirmed existing nine components and second confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that all of the bring components located in epistemology belief concept. An exploratory factor analysis executed on nine components lead to created 3 subscales: individual prejudice about understanding, person beliefs about the ability and speed for learning, and knowledge certainty. In sum, Schommer’s modified epistemology beliefs scale has a good reliability and validity, and we can use them to evaluate student's epistemology beliefs.