The Role of Overlapping and Contradictory Information in Students' Multiple Texts Comprehension

• In Event: Poster Session 4
  In Poster Session: Language Instruction and Assessment

Abstract

The frequency of different types of information units in 7th graders’ summaries were examined after reading four separate, conflicting, partly overlapping multiple texts. The findings revealed significantly more overlapping than contradictory information units in the students’summaries compared to the texts. Moreover, the results show a positive connection between the amount of important information the students include in their summaries on one hand, and how much unique, contradictory and overlapping information they include on the other. Interestingly, there is a particularly strong connection between the frequency of overlapping information and the amount of important information in the students’ summaries, which may support the view of a bottom up, resonance process when young students read multiple texts.

Authors

• Wenke Mork Rogne, Volda University College

• Helge I. Stromso, University of Oslo