Examines expository text processing abilities of fourth- and sixth-grade students and college students. Reports these major findings: topic sentence reading times were shorter if a transition question informed the reader of the next topic; topic sentence reading times were shorter if the new topic was directly related to the immediately preceding…

Examines data collected on the connection between second-grade children's conceptions of reading, reading group experiences, and success in reading. Notes consistent differences in the perceptions of high and low achievement groups' conceptions of reading. Finds a direct, if qualified, correspondence between student conceptions and experiences.…

To investigate the order in which the components of the text-lookback strategy are acquired, 100 fifth-grade students were asked to tutor younger readers. The order of acquisition was as follows: undifferentiated rereading, text sampling, question differentiation, and text manipulation. (Author/BW)

A learning activity level scale was developed to assess the learning efforts of older persons with minimal formal education. The sample consisted of 132 urban, black men and women, aged 60-94, with mean educational attainment of six grades. Results showed that sex and self-perceived reading ability emerged as the most significant predictors.…

Critically examines the assumption underlying research into stages of word recognition provided by R.J. Chabot and others and questions whether their analysis of speed of processing differences warrants making strong conclusions about the nature of reading deficits. (HOD)

This overview of Program READER, a self-administered reading assessment for college students, discusses the software, selection of readings, construction and validation of questions, and suggestions for future use. The program is designed to give students immediate feedback about reading skill and collect demographic data for the college. (MBR)

Examines how fourth and fifth grade students write summaries of both expository and narrative prose and lists eight qualities possessed by successful summarizers. (HOD)

Good readers performed better than poor readers on temporal order retention tests as expected, but contrary to expectation, also maintained their superiority on the spatial tasks. However, error pattern differences supported earlier evidence linking poor readers' short-term memory deficiencies to reduced effectiveness of phonetic representation.…

Describes the uses and limitations of the revised Reading Evaluation Adult Diagnosis test. (HOD)

Describes and presents an inventory for estimating primary grade students' ability to read mathematical vocabulary and their understanding of math concepts. (FL)

The principles of readability are in every style manual. Readability formulas are in every writing aid. What is missing is the research and theory on which they stand. This short review of readability research spans 100 years. The first part covers the history of adult literacy studies in the U.S., establishing the stratified nature of the adult…

A study investigated whether using literature circles in the study of non-fiction improved student attitudes about reading and improved comprehension while developing self-confidence and cooperation. A purposeful sample of five students from a combined grade 5/6 class were chosen based on their negative responses about attitude and ability…

This paper examines potential relationships between students' reading proficiency and performance in general psychology classes. The primary research objective was to determine if there existed a relationship between reading level, as measured by a student's initial ACCUPLACER reading placement, and performance in a general psychology class, as…