The object of this research was to develop a measure of motivation of elementary school children to predict academic achievement independent of intelligence. Three basic steps were proposed to analyze data from approximately200 Black children. These steps were: l) operational (content) analysis of two free response measures, resulting in a coder's manual, 2) tests of reliability of the measure, 3) tests of the validity of the measure. Procedures included establishment of coder reliability, test homogeneity and stability; determination of discriminant validity, predictive validity, and experimental validity of the new test. Results indicate that the measure meets criteria which make it useful for experimental purposes and has comparable reliability and validity to other free response measures of motivation. It is significantly related to verbal measures of academic achievement independent of intelligence. The amount of significant variance accounted for is small. Classroom motivation training units were strikingly reflected in the measure demonstrating its validity experimentally. (Author/CK)