MATHEMATICS DISPOSITION AND BELIEF SURVEY QUESTIONS

A subset (about 30) of the following questions can be used to construct a pre-test and post-test to
assess changes in student dispositions and beliefs over a given course and mathematics emphasis.

Directions: This questionnaire is anonymous and has nothing to do with your grade. The summary results
are intended to provide a class profile of changes that may occur during the course of this school year.
Please indicate what you really think by putting a ✓ in the box that corresponds to: Strongly Agree, Agree,
Undecided, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. Thank you for your assistance.

Discipline of Mathematics SA A U D SD
1. There are several ways to find the correct solution of a mathematics problem.
2. Mathematics problems can be done correctly in only one way.
Executing

3. In mathematics something is either right or it is wrong.

4. Mathematics problems have one and only one correct solution.
5. Mathematics is a solitary activity, done by individuals alone.
•

6. Students who understand the subject matter should be able to solve mathematics
problems in five minutes or less.
Requisites

7. Being good at mathematics requires talent.

8. Solving a mathematics problem is difficult and requires thinking, even if you’re smart.
9. Only geniuses are capable of discovering, creating, or really understanding math.
•

10. Mathematics enables us to better understand the world we live in.

11. Mathematics will not be important to me in my career after school.
Relevance

12. Mathematics has very limited relevance to my life.

13. One reason I learn mathematics is to help me think more clearly in general.
14. Mathematics is a way of thinking using symbols and equations.
•

15. Mathematics is a science.

16. Mathematics is a language.
Discipline Nature

17. Knowledge in mathematics consists mostly of disconnected topics.

18. Everything important about mathematics is already known by mathematicians.
19. There is little creative about mathematics, it’s just memorizing formulas and things.
20. In mathematics, you can be creative and discover things yourself.
21. The form of a mathematical answer is often just as important as the content of the
answer.
•

22. It is possible to explain mathematical ideas without using equations.

23. Doing geometry proofs gives me a better understanding of mathematical thinking.
Coherence

24. When I do a geometry proof, I can discover things about geometry I haven’t been
taught.
25. Geometric and other proofs have little or nothing to do with discovery or invention.
26. Mathematical formulas express meaningful relationships among measurable things
or amounts.

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 Mathematics Learning SA A U D SD
27. Anyone can learn mathematics.
28. Some people are good at mathematics and some just aren’t.
Success Factors

29. Only the brightest students can learn higher levels of mathematics; students of lesser
ability should learn mathematics that is more practical.
30. In mathematics you are rewarded for your effort.
31. If I can’t do a problem in mathematics, I keep trying different ideas.
32. Nearly everyone is capable of understanding mathematics if they work at it.
33. Making mistakes is part of learning mathematics.
34. Learning mathematics must be an active process.
•

35. Mathematics learning is mainly memorizing.

36. Mathematics is mainly doing lots and lots of problems.
37. Mathematics should be learned as sets of algorithms or rules that cover all
Sense Making

possibilities.
38. To solve mathematics problems you have to be taught the right procedure, or you
can’t do anything.
39. It is important for me to make sense out of formulas and procedures before I can use
them correctly.
40. In mathematics I try to link new ideas to what I already know rather than just
memorizing it the way it is presented
•

41. When the teacher asks a question in mathematics class, there are lots of possible
right answers you might give.
• Discovery & Creativity

42. When the teacher asks a question in mathematics class, the students who
understand only need a few seconds to answer correctly.
43. I learn mathematics by understanding the underlying logical principles, not by
memorizing rules.
44. The mathematics that I learn in class is thought provoking.
45. In mathematics, you can be creative and discover things by yourself.
46. Mathematics consists of facts and procedures that others have discovered and that is
now students’ task to learn.
47. It is important to know why a solution to a mathematics problem works.
48. A person who gets the answer correct but doesn’t understand why their solution is
correct hasn’t really solved the problem.
Understanding & Reasoning

49. A demonstration of good reasoning should be regarded even more highly than a
student’s ability to find correct answers.
50. In doing a mathematics problem, if my calculation gives a result very different from
what I expect, I trust the calculation rather than reworking the problem.
51. In mathematics, increased emphasis should be given to use of key words to
determine which operation to use in problem solving.
52. It is a waste of my study time to understand where mathematics formulas come
from.
53. Mathematics formulas are not helpful for understanding of ideas; they are mainly for
doing applications.
54. If I don’t remember a particular formula needed to solve a problem on a test, there’s
nothing much I can do to come up with it.

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 Mathematics Teaching SA A U D SD
55. Mathematics should be taught as a collection of skills and algorithms.
• Skills & Concepts

56. In mathematics, skill in computations should precede work problems.

57. Students should first be taught a set of skills in mathematics before being presented
a complex problem.
58. A mathematics course should cover a wide range of topics to broadly expose one to
different applications and approaches.
59. A mathematics course should focus on a core set of principles to really understand
those ideas deeply.
60. Good mathematics teachers show you the exact way to answer the question you will
be tested on.
Teaching Reliance

61. I cannot learn mathematics if the teacher does not explain things well in class.
62. I think it is unfair to expect me to solve a mathematics problem that is not similar to
any example given in class or the textbook, even if the topic has been covered.
63. Good teachers show students lots of different ways to look at the same problem.
64. More than one representation (picture, concrete material, approach, symbol set)
should be used in teaching a mathematics concept.
65. Students should not have to read the text to learn; that is the teacher’s job.
• Thinking & Understanding •

66. Students learn mathematical concepts best by being prompted with questions to
reflect on their own experience, activity, and thinking
67. Mathematical ideas should be introduced to students in the context of everyday life
and then the mathematics separated or abstracted from it.
68. It is a waste of time when the teacher makes us think on our own about how to solve
a new mathematical problem.
69. Students learn mathematical concepts best by the teacher telling them the meaning
of the concept.
70. Students understand more mathematics by listening and imitating the teacher.
71. Students understand more mathematics by discussing with and teaching each other.
72. Students only retain mathematics concepts and procedural skills when they are
constantly repeated and reviewed by the teacher.
73. Students best retain mathematics concepts and procedural skills through learning
experiences with other students where mathematics is placed in a meaningful
context.
Methodology

74. The better teachers solve lots of examples rather than carefully analyzing only a few
problems in a given lesson.
75. Students should be encouraged, and sometimes required, to justify their solution,
thinking and conjectures.
76. Developing mastery of skills and procedures in mathematics is more important than
teaching students to reason and think mathematically; the latter can come later.
77. A major goal of mathematics instruction is to help students acquire the belief that
they have the power to control their own success in mathematics.

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 Self Relative to Mathematics SA A U D SD
78. Mathematics doesn’t make sense to me.
79. Learning mathematics is enjoyable.
Appeal

80. I don’t like tasks that I am not able to solve immediately.

81. Mathematics is my favorite subject.
82. Mathematics is a mechanical and boring subject.
•

83. I cannot do difficult mathematics tasks.

84. I am not the type who is good in mathematics.
85. Mathematics is my weakest school subject.
Ability

86. I have a mathematical mind.

87. I cannot do difficult mathematics tasks.
88. I can get good grades in mathematics.
89. Though I do my best, math is more difficult for me than for many of my classmates.
• Confidence •

90. I am sure that I can learn mathematics.

91. I have always hated mathematics.
92. I feel confident in my abilities to solve mathematics problems.
93. I never expect to do well in a mathematics course.
94. I have less trouble learning mathematics than other subjects.
95. I am a hard worker by nature.
96. I don’t always do all of the homework that is assigned.
Effort

97. If I try hard enough, then I will understand the course material in my math class.
98. I honestly don’t make the effort I should in my mathematics lessons.
99. I concentrate hard in mathematics.
100. Sometimes I solve a math problem more than one way to help my understanding.
•

101. I get a sense of satisfaction when I solve mathematics problems.

102. I’m only satisfied when I get a good grade in mathematics.
Motivation

103. I want to do well in mathematics to show the teacher and my fellow students how
good I am in it.
104. When I have the opportunity, I choose math assignments that I can learn from even
if I’m not sure of getting a good grade.
105. I expect to get good grades on assignments and tests of mathematics.
•

106. I avoid solving mathematics problems when possible.

107. It is useful for me to do lots and lots of problems when learning mathematics.
108. If I am stuck on a mathematics problem for more than five minutes, there is no
chance that I will figure it out on my own.
Persistence

109. After I study a topic in mathematics and feel that I understand it, I have difficulty
solving problems on the same topic.
110. I believe that if I work long enough on a mathematics problem, I will be able to
solve it.
111. I’m satisfied if I can do the exercises for a mathematics topic, even if I don’t
understand how everything works.
Interest •

112. I’m very interested in mathematics.

113. I am interested to learn new things in mathematics.
114. I have never liked mathematics; it is my most dreaded subject.
115. I would like a job that involves using mathematics.

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 Self Relative to Mathematics SA A U D SD
116. If I am presented with a new mathematical situation, I can cope with it because I
have a good background in mathematics.
117. When I cannot remember the exact way my teacher taught me to solve a
Adaptability

mathematics problem, I know some other methods that I can try.

118. I do not feel that I can use the knowledge gained in the mathematics courses I have
taken so far.
119. I can draw upon a wide variety of math techniques to solve a particular problem.
120. Sometimes, when I do not understand a new topic in mathematics initially, I know
that I will never really understand it.
•

121. I usually try to just pass a mathematics course.

122. I typically get “lost” in mathematics class and can’t think of specific questions to ask.
Expectations

123. Mathematics is enjoyable and stimulating to me.

124. I have never liked mathematics, and it is my most dreaded subject.
125. Mathematics never seems to stick, and after I learn it or even get a good grade on
it, I still don’t think I know it.
•

126. When I get a good grade in mathematics, it’s because I work hard.
127. When I get a good grade in mathematics, it’s because I’m always good at math.
Grading

128. When I get a bad grade in mathematics, it’s because I don’t study hard enough.
129. When I get a bad grade in mathematics, it’s because I’m just not good at math.
130. When I get a bad grade in mathematics, it’s because of careless mistakes.
131. One doesn’t need to understand everything if you get good marks on the test.
• Support • Importance •

132. To me mathematics is an important subject.

133. I don’t think mathematics is necessary for you to be successful in life.
134. Mathematics is important to everyone’s life.
135. I think I will be able to use what I learn in mathematics in other courses.
136. I need to do well in mathematics to get the job I want.
137. My family has encouraged me to study mathematics.
138. The example of my parent(s) has had a positive influence on my motivation.
139. My parent(s) don’t care whether I get a good grade in mathematics.
140. My parent(s) enjoy helping me with mathematics problems.
141. I am anxious before mathematics tests.
142. I get flustered if I am presented with a problem different from the problems worked
Anxiety

in class.
143. When I see a mathematics problem, I become nervous.
144. I don’t like to reveal to others if I don’t understand something in mathematics.
145. Mathematics makes me feel uneasy and confused.
Grouping •

146. Group work helps me learn mathematics.

147. I prefer working alone rather than in groups when doing mathematics.
148. I am not eager to participate in discussions that involve mathematics.
149. I enjoy hearing the thoughts and ideas of my peers in mathematics class.

Open-ended Pre-Assessment Question: If you could change 1-3 things about mathematics teaching or learning this year
to make it more interesting and valuable, what would those changes be?

Open-ended Post-Assessment Question: In your study of mathematics, what are the 1-3 beliefs or dispositions you
previously held that have changed the most during this year?