2010 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Wave 1

THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF
EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS

Wave 1 Submittal for 2010
VOLUME II
Part 2c
BACKGROUND QUESTIONS
FOR 2010 ASSESSMENT

Student Grade 8 Civics Questions

Part 2c contains:
Student Grade 8 Civics Questions
The amount of time estimated to complete this form is 15 minutes.

Updated June 11, 2009

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Student Questionnaire
Civics — Grade 8
SECTION 4
This section has 12 questions. Mark your answers in your booklet. Fill in only one
oval for each question.

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1. In which of the following grades did you learn about civics or government? Fill
in one oval on each line. [8]

a. 5th grade
b. 6th grade
c. 7th grade
d. 8th grade

Yes

No

I
don’t
know.

A
A
A
A

B
B
B
B

C
C
C
C

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2. How often do you study social studies in school? [4/8]
(A) Never or hardly ever
(B) Once or twice a month
(C) Once or twice a week
(D) Almost every day

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Grade 8 -Part 2 of 3

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3. During this school year, have you studied any of the following topics? Fill in one
oval on each line. [8/12]

a. The United States
Constitution
b. Congress
c. The President and
the cabinet
d. How laws are
made
e. The court system
f. Political parties,
elections, and
voting
g. State and local
government
h. Other countries’
governments
i. International
organizations
(such as the
United Nations)

2010 OMB Wave 1
Grade 8 -Part 2 of 3

Yes

No

A

B

I don’t
know.
C

A
A

B
B

C
C

A

B

C

A
A

B
B

C
C

A

B

C

A

B

C

A

B

C

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4. Indicate how often you do each of the following when you study social studies or
civics or government in school. Fill in one oval on each line. [8/12]
Never

a. Read material from a
textbook

A

A few
times a
year
B

b. Read extra material
not in the regular
textbook (e.g.,
newspapers,
magazines, maps,
charts, or cartoons)
c. Discuss the material
studied
d. Write short answers
(a paragraph or less)
to questions
e. Write a report
f. Work on a group
project
g. Give a presentation
to the class on the
topic being studied
h. Watch movies or
videos
i. Take a test or quiz
j. Go on field trips or
have outside
speakers
k. Use the books or
computers in the
library to do
schoolwork
l. Write a letter to give
your opinion or help
solve a community
problem
m. Discuss current
events
n. Take part in debates
or panel discussions
o. Take part in roleplaying, mock trials,
or dramas

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A
A

B
B

C
C

D
D

E
E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A
A

B
B

C
C

D
D

E
E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

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Once or
twice a
month
C

Once or
twice a
week
D

Almost
every
day
E

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5. This year in school, how often have you been asked to write long answers to
questions or assignments that involved social studies? [4/8]
(A) Never
(B) Once or twice this year
(C) Once or twice a month
(D) At least once a week

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6. How often do you use computers at school for social studies? [4/8]
(A) Never or hardly ever
(B) Once every few weeks
(C) About once a week
(D) Two or three times a week
(E) Every day

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7. When you study social studies, to what extent do you use computers to do
research projects about social studies topics using a CD or the Internet? Include
both class work and homework assignments. [8]
(A) Not at all
(B) Small extent
(C) Moderate extent
(D) Large extent

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Grade 8 -Part 2 of 3

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8. When you study social studies or civics or government, how often do you agree
with the following statements? Fill in one oval on each line. [8/12]

a. I have a clear
understanding of
what my social
studies or civics or
government
teacher is asking
me to do.
b. The social studies
or civics or
government work
is easy.
c. The social studies
or civics or
government work
is difficult.
d. The social studies
or civics or
government work
is interesting.

Never or
hardly
ever

Sometimes

Often

C

Always
or
almost
always
D

A

B

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A

B

C

D

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A

B

C

D

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A

B

C

D

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9. How much do you agree that social studies or civics or government is one of your
favorite subjects? [8/12]
(A) Not at all
(B) A little
(C) A lot

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10. How hard was this test compared to most other tests you have taken this year in
school? [4/8/12]
(A) Easier than other tests
(B) About as hard as other tests
(C) Harder than other tests
(D) Much harder than other tests

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11. How hard did you try on this test compared to how hard you tried on most other
tests you have taken this year in school? [4/8/12]
(A) Not as hard as on other tests
(B) About as hard as on other tests
(C) Harder than on other tests
(D) Much harder than on other tests

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12. How important was it to you to do well on this test? [4/8/12]
(A) Not very important
(B) Somewhat important
(C) Important
(D) Very important

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