The question of the need to clarify the conceptual apparatus in the analysis of empirical data, including motivational indicators, is discussed. Various classifications of academic motives created on the basis of different theoretical approaches are reflected in the methodological tools, primarily in questionnaires. The material obtained with using of some projective techniques can be interpreted in different ways, based on different terminology. An adequate understanding of the data concerning academic motivation involves the correlation of the types of academic motives presented in different classifications. An attempt at such correlation is presented in this article.