<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Jonathan M. Barcelo</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Precious Lady Gine N. Araneta</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS TEST IN CHEMISTRY FOR PRE-MEDICAL STUDENTS</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Journal of Baltic Science Education</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">chemistry concepts</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">item content validity</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">pre-medical students</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Rasch analysis</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">visual representations</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2026</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">August / 2026</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">https://oaji.net/articles/2026/987-1789235055.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">25</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The ability of pre-medical students to use visual representations in chemistry is crucial in understanding complex and abstract chemistry concepts. To measure students’ knowledge and understanding of visual representations in chemistry, this study developed and validated the Visual Representations Test in Chemistry (VRTC). A hypothesized three-level progression of this construct was drafted and validated using Rasch analysis. The first version of the VRTC comprised 26 multiple-choice items covering particle models, ball-and-stick models, skeletal structures, electrostatic potential maps, Fischer projections, and Newman projections. The test was administered to 827 pre-medical students across four institutions in the Philippines. Dichotomous Rasch analysis provided evidence of reliability, unidimensionality, and item fit. Item-content validity indices indicated fair-to-excellent values, and the item hierarchy confirmed the hypothesized progression of knowledge about visual representations in chemistry. Analysis of variance of item difficulties revealed significant differences in mean item difficulty across the three hypothesized levels of knowledge, F(2,23) = 17.273, p&lt;.001, supporting construct validity. However, Rasch analysis revealed student ability gaps, items with overlapping difficulty levels, and differential item functioning based on year level. Overall, the VRTC exhibited adequate psychometric properties for assessing pre-medical students’ knowledge and understanding of visual representations in chemistry.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">600-616</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Tamara N. Rončević</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Željka Đ. Ćuk</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dušica D. Rodić</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mirjana D. Segedinac</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Saša A. Horvat</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">AN ANALYSIS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ABILITIES TO READ REALISTIC, CONVENTIONAL, AND HYBRID IMAGES IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Journal of Baltic Science Education</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">general chemistry</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">image types</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">reading images</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">textbook images</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">visual representations</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2019</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2019</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2019/987-1576226371.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">18</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">This research considered students’ abilities to read images about dispersed systems, taken from the chemistry textbook. 103 high school students (37 males, 63 females, and 3 unknown) from the school “Svetozar Marković“ in Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia, were included as the research participants. Students’ abilities to suggest the titles of the realistic, conventional, and hybrid textbook images about dispersed systems, as well as their written interpretations of images contents, were examined. The collected data were analysed qualitatively, and information about students’ conceptual understandings and misunderstandings about selected chemistry topic was provided. Identified misunderstandings, some of which are the contribution of this research, gave significant results. Additionally, it was concluded that the majority of students’ difficulties were related to reading realistic textbook images. Students relied on what they literally saw in the photography without making proper connections with chemical contents about dispersed systems. The findings of the present research could be helpful for science teachers and educators, interested in how and why students use textbook images to learn science concepts. They will also alert authors and textbook illustrators to pay more attention to the selection of appropriate textbook images.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">943-954</style></section></record></records></xml>