Using the RCI

Who facilitates the use of the RCI?

To make the RCI available to researchers and program assessment administrators, a collaborative relationship exists between Dr. Patricia King at the University of Michigan, Dr. Karen Kitchener, and Dr. Sheila S. Thompson, who has worked with the Reflective Judgment Model since the early 1990s.

For what purposes should the RCI be used?

The RCI should be used to assess people's assumptions about the nature, source, and certainty of knowledge claims. The instrument should only be used to make inferences concerning groups, not individuals. The minimum sample size which qualifies for data analysis is 30 participants.  Data sets smaller than that will not be analyzed.  Whether the RCI is an appropriate assessment tool for a specific study depends in large part on the research question or program outcomes being explored.

How is the RCI scored?

Weighted rankings are used to determine each respondent's score, which estimates the level most often ranked by the respondent as most similar to his/her thinking. The score can range from 2 to 7 (representing the reflective judgment stages), and is averaged across dilemmas.   Respondent scores are averaged to produce the group results which are reported to RCI users.

How do I get access to the online instrument for my research?

To view an example of the type of dilemma used in the RCI, please click here to see a .pdf sample. This particular dilemma is not used in the RCI, but the instructions and format are the same. Please be aware that the instrument is copyrighted. Permission is required to administer the RCI, and is contingent upon your willingness to include the data in the RCI Database, as well as provide us a report of your study if requested. This will allow us to combine data across studies and draw stronger conclusions about the development of reflective thinking as measured by the RCI. Any use of the database will cite the researchers who contributed to the database as appropriate. Please also remember that all research with human subjects requires the prior approval of your Institutional Review Board.

How will I be billed for using the instrument?

There is a $35 set-up fee for each RCI administration.  There is also a fee of $2 per participant.  Graduate students receive a discount and are charged only $1 per participant.  Costs are calculated at the completion of the project.   An invoice will be emailed with the project report.  Payments should be made promptly. After the third month, unpaid balances will be charged a 1% late fee per month. 

How do I administer the instrument?

Once all necessary approvals are obtained, project administrators will receive a password to share with project participants. This password is unique for each project so data integrity is ensured. In order to build an RCI database, we require all RCI respondents to provide data on the following demographic variables:  level of educational attainment, birth date, gender, race/ethnicity, and citizenship.  The RCI typically takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. 

What suggestions do you have for administering the instrument and obtaining an adequate response rate?

Reiterate to participants the underlying assumptions of the instrument (i.e., that the questionnaire is designed to assess how respondents think about a few current issues; it is not a test of their factual knowledge about these topics, their individual abilities, or their mastery of content of particular classes they may have taken). It is helpful to administer the instrument in a controlled setting, such as a computer lab that you have reserved.

What will be provided to me after the data are processed?

The data will be analyzed and sent back to you in an Excel file (click here to see a .pdf sample) which will include subject codes, demographic data, RCI ratings for each dilemma, and overall RCI ratings . Even though the instrument is not designed for drawing conclusions about individuals, Individual data are included since researchers may want to compare the ratings of various subgroups or on a pre-post basis.  A Cronbach's alpha score is also provided in the brief summary report included with the RCI results.