Answering Reading Comprehension Items without the Passages on the SAT–I

1999 ◽  
Vol 85 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1157-1163
Author(s):  
Stuart Katz ◽  
Christopher Johnson ◽  
Erika Pohl

Research has shown that many items on the old SAT reading task are answered correctly when the accompanying passages are missing. The purpose of this study was to find out if the new SAT (SAT–I) is similarly flawed. Reading tasks from two parallel forms of the SAT–I were administered with and without the passages. Analysis showed that, without the passages, examinees performed much better than would be expected by chance. Also, over-all scores in the without-passage condition were strongly correlated with SAT Verbal score. Finally, an item analysis showed that more than 60% of all items were flawed. It appears that performance on the SAT–I reading task, like that on its predecessor, is primarily associated with factors unrelated to reading the passage.

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Anni Holila Pulungan

The study deals with the Contextual Teaching and Learning of the students’ reading comprehension at junior high school. Contextual Teaching and Learning is a new alternative for every teachers to relate the materials to the real world. The aims of the research are to analyze the effect of non and CTL method of the students’ reading comprehension.  The research method is an experimental method. The data analysis is taken from the two classess. Then, they divided into two  groups, the control and experimental group. The major findings of the study shows that the effect of Contextual Teaching and Learning on the students’ reading comprehension is better than the non CTL method-lecture method for the junior high school students.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kshema Jose

<p>This study observed how two hypertext features – absence of a linear or author-specified order and availability of multiple reading aids – influence reading comprehension processes of ESL readers. Studies with native or highly proficient users of English, have suggested that readers reading hypertexts comprehend better than readers reading print texts. This was attributed to (i) presence of hyperlinks that provide access to additional information that can potentially help overcome comprehension obstacles and (ii) the absence of an author-imposed reading order that helps readers exercise cognitive flexibility. An aspect that remains largely un-researched is how well readers with low language competence comprehend hypertexts. This research sought to initiate research in the area by exploring the question: Do all ESL readers comprehend a hypertext better than a print text?</p> <p>Keeping in mind the fact that a majority of readers reading online texts in English can be hindered by three types of comprehension deficits – low levels of language proficiency, non-availability of prior knowledge, or both – this study investigated how two characteristic features of hypertext, viz., linking to additional information and non-linearity in presentation of information, affect reading comprehension of ESL readers. </p> <p>Two types of texts that occur in the electronic medium – linear or pre-structured texts and non-linear or self-navigating texts, were used in this study. Based on a comparison of subjects’ comprehension outcomes and free recalls, text factors and reader factors that can influence hypertext reading comprehension of ESL readers are identified. </p> Contradictory to what many researchers believe, results indicate that self-navigating hypertexts might not promote deep comprehension in all ESL readers.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002221942098298
Author(s):  
Robin L. Peterson ◽  
Lauren M. McGrath ◽  
Erik G. Willcutt ◽  
Janice M. Keenan ◽  
Richard K. Olson ◽  
...  

Despite historical emphasis on “specific” learning disabilities (SLDs), academic skills are strongly correlated across the curriculum. Thus, one can ask how specific SLDs truly are. To answer this question, we used bifactor models to identify variance shared across academic domains (academic g), as well as variance unique to reading, mathematics, and writing. Participants included 686 children aged 8 to 16. Although the sample was overselected for learning disabilities, we intentionally included children across the full range of individual differences in this study in response to growing recognition that a dimensional, quantitative view of SLD is more accurate than a categorical view. Confirmatory factor analysis identified five academic domains (basic reading, reading comprehension, basic math, math problem-solving, and written expression); spelling clustered with basic reading and not writing. In the bifactor model, all measures loaded significantly on academic g. Basic reading and mathematics maintained variance distinct from academic g, consistent with the notion of SLDs in these domains. Writing did not maintain specific variance apart from academic g, and evidence for reading comprehension-specific variance was mixed. Academic g was strongly correlated with cognitive g ( r = .72) but not identical to it. Implications for SLD diagnosis are discussed.


Genus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Priulla ◽  
Nicoletta D’Angelo ◽  
Massimo Attanasio

AbstractThis paper investigates gender differences in university performances in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses in Italy, proposing a novel application through the segmented regression models. The analysis concerns freshmen students enrolled at a 3-year STEM degree in Italian universities in the last decade, with a focus on the relationship between the number of university credits earned during the first year (a good predictor of the regularity of the career) and the probability of getting the bachelor degree within 4 years. Data is provided by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR). Our analysis confirms that first-year performance is strongly correlated to obtaining a degree within 4 years. Furthermore, our findings show that gender differences vary among STEM courses, in accordance with the care-oriented and technical-oriented dichotomy. Males outperform females in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science, while females are slightly better than males in biology. In engineering, female performance seems to follow the male stream. Finally, accounting for other important covariates regarding students, we point out the importance of high school background and students’ demographic characteristics.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026553222199148
Author(s):  
Tineke Brunfaut ◽  
Judit Kormos ◽  
Marije Michel ◽  
Michael Ratajczak

Extensive research has demonstrated the impact of working memory (WM) on first language (L1) reading comprehension across age groups (Peng et al., 2018), and on foreign language (FL) reading comprehension of adults and older adolescents (Linck et al., 2014). Comparatively little is known about the effect of WM on young FL readers’ comprehension, and even less within testing contexts. Young FL readers are still developing their L1 reading skills and general cognitive skills (e.g., attentional regulation abilities). Completing FL reading tests might be particularly taxing on their WM, and differences in WM capacity – as well as other learner and task characteristics – might create construct-irrelevant variance in test performance. In this study we investigate the effects of WM, grade level, and reading task on young learners’ FL reading test performances. Ninety-four young English language learners (Grades 6–7) in Hungary completed the TOEFL® Junior™ Comprehensive’s reading test and a WM test battery. Our mixed-effects model predicted significantly higher comprehension accuracy among learners with higher WM capacity, and among learners in Grade 7 compared to learners in Grade 6. Reading task differences were not associated with significant comprehension accuracy differences. We discuss the implications of our findings for testing young learners’ FL reading comprehension.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.B. Machta ◽  
E. Grey ◽  
M. Nouri ◽  
N.L.C. McCarthy ◽  
E.M. Gray ◽  
...  

AbstractDiverse molecules induce general anesthesia with potency strongly correlated both with their hydrophobicity and their effects on certain ion channels. We recently observed that several n-alcohol anesthetics inhibit heterogeneity in plasma membrane derived vesicles by lowering the critical temperature (Tc) for phase separation. Here we exploit conditions that stabilize membrane heterogeneity to further test the correlation between the anesthetic potency of n-alcohols and effects on Tc. First we show that hexadecanol acts oppositely to n-alcohol anesthetics on membrane mixing and antagonizes ethanol induced anesthesia in a tadpole behavioral assay. Second, we show that two previously described ‘intoxication reversers’ raise Tc and counter ethanol’s effects in vesicles, mimicking the findings of previous electrophysiological and behavioral measurements. Third, we find that hydrostatic pressure, long known to reverse anesthesia, also raises Tc in vesicles with a magnitude that counters the effect of butanol at relevant concentrations and pressures. Taken together,these results demonstrate that ΔTc predicts anesthetic potency for n-alcohols better than hydrophobicity in a range of contexts, supporting a mechanistic role for membrane heterogeneity in general anesthesia.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-07
Author(s):  
Abbas Ali Zarei ◽  
Pershang Mahmoodzadeh

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of different multimedia glosses on reading comprehension and vocabulary production. To this end, 65 female students of a high school in Qazvin, Iran were selected for the treatment. They consisted of four groups, one comparison group and three multimedia gloss groups. Glossed groups included pictorial gloss group, textual gloss group, and textual-pictorial group.  They were given a pre-test before the treatment and two post-tests of vocabulary production and reading comprehension at the end of the treatment. Data were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA procedure. The results of the data analyses indicated that multimedia glosses performed better than the comparison group on vocabulary production, and there was no difference among three glossed groups. Moreover, for reading comprehension no significant differences were found among the groups.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 256
Author(s):  
Sayit Abdul Karim ◽  
Suryo Sudiro ◽  
Syarifah Sakinah

Apart from teaching, English language teachers need to assess their students by giving a test to know the students� achievements. In general, teachers are barely conducting item analysis on their tests. As a result, they have no idea about the quality of their test distributed to the students. The present study attempts to figure out the levels of difficulty (LD) and the discriminating power (DP) of the multiple-choice (MC) test item constructed by an English teacher in the reading comprehension test utilizing test item analysis. This study employs a qualitative approach. For this purpose, a test of 50-MC test items of reading comprehension was obtained from the students� test results. Thirty-five students of grade eight took part in the MC test try-out. They are both male (15) and female (20) students of junior high school 2 Kempo, in West Nusa Tenggara Province. The findings revealed that16 items out of 50 test items were rejected due to the poor and worst quality level of difficulty and discriminating index. Meanwhile, 12 items need to be reviewed due to their mediocre quality, and 11 items are claimed to have good quality items. Besides, 11 items out of 50 test items were considered as the excellent quality as their DP scores reached around 0.44 through 0.78. The implications of the present study will shed light on the quality of teacher-made test items, especially for the MC test.


Author(s):  
Saidna Zulfiqar Bin-Tahir ◽  
Ummu Saidah ◽  
Nuril Mufidah ◽  
Riki Bugis

 The study aimed at measuring the effect of translanguaging approach in teaching Arabic reading comprehension to the second semester students of Indonesian Education Department, Universitas Iqra Buru. 64 students involved as the participants through simple random sampling technique. 32 students participated in each of the experimental and control group. The researchers used reading test of written test to obtain information about the students’ achievemnt in reading on the use of translanguaging approach and it was distributed to the respondents after the last treatment given. To find out the mean score, standard deviation and the t-test value between the pretest and the posttest the researchers used the SPSS 17 program. The researchers found that the use of translanguaging approach in learning Arabic reading comprehension improves the students’ ability of Arabic reading comprehension is better than the conventional method.


Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Desheng Zhang ◽  
Qin Zhang ◽  
Sida Li ◽  
Hongying Yang

The application of silver is seriously affected by its tendency to oxidize and corrode. Therefore, the addition of proper alloying elements to silver-based alloys to achieve better properties has become a hot topic at present. In this current study, the effects of the addition of the two elements Au and Ge on the microstructures and properties of Ag-1.5Cu-0.1Y alloys were investigated. The results showed that the microstructures were refined and the second dendrite was shortened in the Ag-1.5Cu-0.1Y alloys with the addition of Au and Ge. Adding Au enhanced the corrosion resistance of the Ag-1.5Cu-0.1Y alloys. Furthermore, the corrosion resistance of the Ag-1.5Cu-0.1Y alloys with the addition of both Ge and Au was better than that of the alloy samples with Au added alone. The best corrosion resistance of the Ag-1.5Cu-0.1Y alloys was achieved by adding 1.0 wt.% Au and 1.0 wt.% Ge. The microhardness was enhanced by the addition of Au and Ge, and was strongly correlated with the secondary dendrite arm spacing (λ2) of the Ag-1.5Cu-0.1Y alloys. In addition, the Au addition could improve the conductivity of the Ag-1.5Cu-0.1Y alloy; however, Ge had little effect on the conductivity of the alloy samples. This work provides an experimental basis for the design of better performing silver-based alloys.


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