Module 1: planning for learning at work: learner's workbook

Understanding your learning styles: questionnaire result

Page last updated: 2004

Before we proceed, it is assumed that you have already completed the questionnaire and scored it. You therefore have four scores, ranging from nought to twenty, for Activist, Reflector, Theorist and Pragmatist. The question is: what do these four scores tell you?

Since the maximum score for each style is 20, at first sight you might conclude that the highest of your four scores indicates your predominant learning style. This, however, is not necessarily so. Before drawing a conclusion you need to view your scores in relation to those obtained by other people who have completed the questionnaire. Norms, as they are called, have been calculated for various groups of people and you need to decide which group you will select to compare your scores. If in doubt use the general norms below which are based on the scores obtained by well over a thousand people.

The norms are calculated on the scores obtained by:

  1. The highest scoring 10 percent of people
  2. The next 20 percent of people
  3. The middle 40 percent of people
  4. The next 20 percent of people
  5. The lowest scoring 10 percent of people
The general norms are as shown in the diagram and table below.

To illustrate how to use norms to interpret your LSQ result let us suppose your scores are Activist 11, Reflector 11, Theorist 11 and Pragmatist 11. (We have chosen these scores deliberately because they admirably demonstrate the importance of using norms to reach an interpretation). The norms give the identical raw scores of 11 different weightings as follows:
  • A score of 11 for Activist falls in the B range indicating a strong preference for this style.
  • A score of 11 for Reflector falls in the D range indicating a low preference for this style.
  • A score of 11 for Theorist falls in the C range indicating a moderate preference.
  • A score of 11 for Pragmatist falls in the D range indicating a low preference.

Diagram: General norms

Text equivalent below for Diagram: General norms
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Text version of Diagram 2

The diagram is a curve. Refer to calculating norm scores above.

Table: General norms preferences

Very Strong PreferenceStrong PreferenceModerate PreferenceLow PreferenceVery Low Preference
Activist
13-20
11-12
7-10 (mean 9.3)
4-6
0-3
Reflector
18-20
15-17
12-14 (mean 13.6)
9-11
0-8
Theorist
16-20
14-15
11-13 (mean 12.5)
8-10
0-7
Pragmatist
17-20
15-16
12-14 (mean 13.7)
9-11
0-8