The Responsibility for Student Achievement Questionnaire.
Guskey‚ 1981‚ 1982‚ 1988
For each of the following questions‚ please give a weight or percent to each of the two choices according to your preferences. For example:
If most students complete a home assignment you make‚ is it usually
a. because of their personal motivation orb. because you were very clear in making the assignment?
You may feel that students complete assignments more because of personal motivation than because of your clarity in making the assignment. In that case‚ you might answer:
85% a.
15% b.
Or you may feel quite the opposite. The percentage will vary according to how strongly you feel about each alternative. You may see choice (b) almost totally responsible for students completing assignments and might give it 99%. Choice (a) would then get 1%. The two must always add to 100%.
1. If a student does well in your class‚ would it probably be
a. because that student had the natural ability to do well‚ orR+ b. because of the encouragement you offered?
2. When your class if having trouble understanding some something you have taught‚ is it usually
R- a. because you did not explain it very clearly‚ orb. because your students are just slow in understanding difficult concepts?
3. When most of your students do well on a test‚ is it more likely to be
a. because the test was very easy‚ orR+ b. because you let them know what you expected?
4. When a student in your class can’t remember something you said just moments before‚ is it usually
R- a. because you didn’t stress the point strongly enough‚ orb. because some students just don’t pay attention?
5. Suppose your chairman or principal says you are doing a fine job. Is that likely to happen
R+ a. because you’ve been successful with most of your students‚ orb. because chairmen and principals say that sort of thing to motivate teachers?
6. Suppose you are particularly successful one one class. Would it probably happen
R+ a. because you helped them overcome their learning difficulties‚ orb. because these students usually do well in school?
7. If your students learn an idea quickly‚ is it
R+ a. because you were successful in encouraging their learning efforts‚ orb. because your students are basically intelligent?
8. If your chairman or principal suggests you change some of your class procedures‚ is it more likely
a. because of his/her personal ideas about teaching methodology‚ orR- a. because your students haven’t been doing well?
9. When a large percent of the students in your class are doing poorly‚ does it usually happen
a. because they have done poorly before and don’t really try‚ orb. because you haven’t had the time to give them all the help they need?
10. When your students seem to learn something easily‚ is it usually
a. because they were already interested in it‚ orR+ b. because you have helped them organize the contents?
11. When students in your class forget something that you explained before‚ is it usually
a. because most students forget new concepts quickly‚ orR- b. because you didn’t get them actively involved in learning?
12. When you find it hard to get a lesson across to particular students‚ is it
R- a. because you haven’t insisted on their learning earlier lessons‚ orb. because they are just slow in understanding and learning?
13. Suppose you present a new idea to your students and most of them remember it. Is it likely to be
R+ a. because you reviewed and re-explained the difficult parts‚ orb. because they were interested in it even before you explained it?
14. When your students do poorly on a test‚ is it
a. because they didn’t really expect to do well‚ orR- b. because you didn’t insist they prepare adequately?
15. When parents commend you on your work as a teacher‚ is it usually
R+ a. because you have made a special effort with their child‚ orb. because their child is generally a good student?
16. If a child doesn’t do well in your class‚ would it probably be
a. because he did not work very hard‚ orR- b. because you didn’t provide the proper motivation for him?
17. Suppose you don’t have as much success as usual with a particular class. Would this happen
R- a. because you didn’t plan as carefully as usual‚ orb. because these students just had less ability than others?
18. If one of your students says‚ “Ya know‚ you’re a pretty good teacher‚” is it probably
R+ a. because you make learning interesting for that student‚ orb. because students generally try to get on a teacher’s good side?
19. Suppose you find that many students are eager to be in your class. Do you think this would happen
a. because most students feel you have a nice personality‚ orR+ b. because you encourage most of your students to learn well
20. Suppose you are trying to help a student solve a particular problem but she is having great difficulty with
it. Would that happen
R- a. because you may not be explaining it her level‚ orb. because she is not used to being helped by adults?
21. When you find it easy to get a lesson across to a class‚ is it
R+ a. because you could get most students to participate in the lesson‚ orb. because the lesson was an easy one to teach?
22. When a student in your class remembers something you talked about weeks before‚ is it usually
a. because some students have that potential to remember things well‚ orR+ b. because you made the point interesting for that student?
23. If you are working with a student who can’t remember a concept and he suddenly gets it‚ is that likely to happen
R+ a. because you have him regular feedback on each learning step‚ orb. because he usually works on something until he gets it?
24. When you are having a hard time getting your students interested in a lesson‚ is it usually
R- a. because you didn’t have the time to plan the presentation well‚ orb. because your students are generally hard to motivate?
25. If one of your students says‚ “You’re a rotten teacher!” is it probably
a. because many of your students have learning problems‚ orR- b. because you haven’t been able to give that student enough individual attention?
26. When your students seem interested in your lessons right from the beginning‚ is it
a. because the topic is one which students generally find interesting‚ orR+ b. because you were able to get most of the students involved?
27. If you were to discover most of the students in your class doing very well‚ would it probably be
a. because their parents were supporting the school’s efforts‚ orR+ b. because you had been able to motivate them to work hard?
28. When your students seem to have difficulty learning something‚ is it usually
a. because you are not willing to really work at it orR- b. because you weren’t able to make it interesting for them?
29. If a parent is critical of you as a teacher‚ is it likely to be
R- a. because you have difficulty getting that parent’s child to do the work you require‚ orb. because that parent’s child is developmentally not ready to do well in your class?
30. On those days when you are depressed about teaching‚ is it
a. because learning is a difficult activity for many of your students‚ orR- b. because you just weren’t able to motivate students to work as hard as they should?
This instrument can be found at: This instrument can be found at: http://anitawoolfolkhoy.com/instruments/
Guskey‚ T. (1981). Measurement of responsibility teachers assume for academic successes and failures in the classroom. Journal of Teacher Education‚ 32‚ 44-51.
Cite this article
mohammad looti (2026). Responsibility for Student Achievement (RSA). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/responsibility-for-student-achievement-rsa/
mohammad looti. "Responsibility for Student Achievement (RSA)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 21 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/responsibility-for-student-achievement-rsa/.
mohammad looti. "Responsibility for Student Achievement (RSA)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/responsibility-for-student-achievement-rsa/.
mohammad looti (2026) 'Responsibility for Student Achievement (RSA)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/responsibility-for-student-achievement-rsa/.
[1] mohammad looti, "Responsibility for Student Achievement (RSA)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, April, 2026.
mohammad looti. Responsibility for Student Achievement (RSA). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.