The Use of Cronbach's Alpha Reliability in Educational Research: A Systematic Review

Cronbach’s alpha remains one of the most widely used reliability coefficients in educational and psychological research. However, its application is often accompanied by misinterpretations and methodological limitations. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines to examine the use, assumptions, cut-off criteria, and alternatives to Cronbach’s alpha in educational research. A comprehensive search of major academic databases identified 44 eligible studies published between 2000 and 2026, which were critically analyzed based on their relevance, methodological rigor, and contributions to reliability assessment. The review provides key conceptual clarifications, summarizes empirical applications, highlights methodological advancements, and identifies emerging alternatives to Cronbach’s alpha. The findings indicate that although Cronbach’s alpha remains a foundational index of internal consistency, its interpretation must be done with careful consideration of scale dimensionality, sample characteristics, and item properties. The review further emphasizes the importance of reporting Cronbach’s alpha alongside complementary reliability indices, adopting context-specific cut-off criteria, and ensuring transparent and robust estimation procedures. This synthesis offers evidence-based recommendations to enhance reliability assessment practices in educational research.