Measuring Quality of the Agricultural Extension Pamphlets: Scale Construction and Standardization

In Egypt, pamphlets are often used to disseminate agricultural information to farmers. The aim of this study was to construct and develop a scale of quality standards for agricultural extension pamphlets. The process to construct the scale involved the following steps: (1) The articulation of the construct; (2) Selection of response format; (3) Data collection; and (4) Psychometric analysis. The scale consists of 33 items measuring five domains: content; processing the information; the appearance of text; illustrations; and designing and formatting. Items analysis, reliability, and validity estimates were obtained by a group of experts (N= 78). The reliability of the domains was strong and ranged from (α= 0.81 to α= 0.91). The authors tested validation process by evidence of content validity, criterion-related validity, construct validity, and discriminant validity. Depending on the reliability and validity results, the scale was suggested as a reliable tool for assessing the quality of agricultural extension pamphlets. Implications for practice in planning and evaluation of printed materials for agricultural extension work are discussed.