Assessing academic emotions via the experience sampling method

Abstract

This chapter outlines the experience sampling method (ESM) and addresses practical issues when conducting ESM research on academic emotions (sample size, number of assessments, missing data, hardware and software, measures, analysis). Examples of ESM studies in the field of academic emotions are highlighted, and the strengths (e.g., high ecological validity) as well as pitfalls (e.g., intensive data collection) of ESM for the assessment of emotions in educational settings are discussed. Finally, the chapter highlights opportunities for growth in this research area, including the development of state academic emotions scales and combining real-time self-reports with objective measures (e.g., biological data).