Contradiction Matters. The Role of Information Processing When Seventh Graders Work With Multiple, Partly Contradictory Texts: A Think-Aloud Study

• In Event: 52.027 - Comprehension of Conflicting Information

Abstract

First, the study's aim was to investigate how 7th graders process multiple, partly contradictory texts. Second, our aim was to investigate the possible relationships between the students’ strategy use and different aspects of their post-reading comprehension and memory for central information. Our results show that 7th graders use various strategies in working with multiple texts, and that students frequently used elaboration strategies while processing the texts. Superficial strategies like paraphrasing did not seem to support an integrated understanding of multiple texts. On the other hand, deeper strategy use seemed to facilitate students’ attention to central information in the texts and the inclusion of contradictions in student representations of the text set. A follow-up contrastive case study supported this conclusion.

Authors

• Wenke Mork Rogne, Volda University College

• Helge I. Stromso, University of Oslo