Analysis of a Journal Research Report

EDFL 5900
Introduction to Research

Instructions:
Review a professional journal to locate a report of research in education that
is of interest to you. Submit an analysis of the article by providing the
following information. Use this worksheet to organize your analysis.

1. Present the analysis in the attached format (see attached)

2. The analysis should incorporate responses to the following areas:
3. The analysis must be typed or computer generated with correct APA
referencing style. (double spaced)

Statement of the problem investigated:

Subjects:

Procedure and Methods:

Results or statistical analysis:

Conclusions/Discussion/Recommendations:

Criticisms of the study (strengths and weaknesses):

Type of Research:
EDFL 5900 I. M. Investigator

ANALYSIS OF A JOURNAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Berkowitz, S. J. (1986). Effects of instruction in text organization on sixth-

grade
students' memory for expository reading. Reading Research
Quarterly, 21(2), 161-178. (See APA, p. 198-199)

Type of Research: Experimental (indicate method of research)

The problem investigated was a comparison of two experimental

methods of instructing six-grade students to use the organization of ideas in
content reading as a framework for studying (map-construction and map-
study procedures) with two control study methods, which did not focus
students' attention on text organization (question-answering and rereading
procedures). The subjects were a sample of 99 sixth-grade students from a
middle school in a suburb of Minneapolis. These students participated in four
classes to which the researcher randomly assigned instructional procedures.

Procedures for the study required that instructors of the classes be

provided in-service instruction by the investigator. To minimize teacher
effect, instructors were rotated to use all strategies. After a six-week
instructional period, recall data were subjected to statistical inspection using
a multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA). Numerous significant effects
were noted at both the .01 and .05 levels.

Results of the study indicated that students who used map-

construction scored significantly higher on immediate free recall for one of
two expository passages than students who used other study procedures.
No effects were found in favor of the map-study procedure. The results
suggest that students in middle grade classrooms would benefit from
instruction and practice in map-construction.

Discussion in the report considered several implications and

suggestions for further research. The investigator concluded with the
observation that "further research is needed to determine how to teach
students to detect relationships between ideas on a given topic across two or
more pieces of content reading."

The study would have been stronger (had external validity) with a
better sampling of participants. Although these individuals were randomly
assigned to groups, they were selected from available groups. The length of
the study (six weeks) is questionable in the context of affecting a variable of
this nature. There was a clear attempt to insure the internal validity of the
study and protect its integrity. The rotation of instructors was admirable (in
an attempt neutralize teacher effect); however, it may have caused a
distraction for these students. Although the instructors participated in an in-
service, it was not clear of the purpose of this in-service (instructional or
assessment of student work).

Although this example is single spaced, your analysis should be

double-spaced.