The effects of varied text structures and response formats on the reading comprehension

Download
2006
Yılık, Mehmet Ali
This research study examines the effects of varied text structures and response formats on Turkish university students’ reading comprehension test performance. More precisely, it deals with investigating the effects of awareness of rhetorical organization on reading comprehension and on testing of comprehension through different procedures. First, a short review of the relevant research on the text structure and response formats and their effects on reading comprehension is presented. Then, the results of a reading experiment are given. In this experiment, four groups of upper-intermediate level EFL students (100 students) read two English passages written in “description” and “cause-effect” rhetorical organization formats. Then, their comprehension of the texts was tested through a cloze procedure and a multiple choice test. The tests were carried out on first year university students from different departments at the English Language Department of Başkent University during the 2006-2007 Academic Year Fall Semester. After the research period finished, the data collected throughout the research period were transferred into MS Excel and SPSS spreadsheets and analyzed using the statistical procedure of the paired samples t-test. Relying on the analysis of the data, the hypotheses formulated for the study were weighed against the results in order to see if they were confirmed or rejected. The study showed significant difference between the varied text structures and subjects’ reading comprehension test performance. However, there was not any significant difference between the different response formats and the subjects’ reading comprehension test performance. Finally, the thesis ends with an interpretation and discussion of the results of the study.

Suggestions

The effect of computer-assisted language learning on learners' achievement on the toefl exam
Kılıçkaya, Ferit; Seferoğlu, Gölge; Department of English Language Teaching (2005)
This study aimed to explore the effect of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) on the sophomore undergraduate students̕ success on the TOEFL exam. The study was designed as quasi-experimental research and two variables were focused on: Computer-assisted language learning and traditional instruction. Participants were 34 sophomore students in EFL department in Middle East Technical University. The participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups using a table of random numbers...
The effects of european union funding on Turkish civil society
Arkan, Seda; Tür Küçükkaya, Özlem; Department of International Relations (2007)
The thesis explores the impact of European Union funding on Turkish non-governmental organizations in the post-Helsinki period. The European Union financial aids in the post-Helsinki period is analysed with a specific emphasis on civil society and how Turkish civil society is affected from these financial aids. The search for impact analysis is done through case studies of three different civil society organisations at several levels. The organisations studied are, Women Entrepreneur’s Support Foundation of...
The relationship between attachment styles and perfectionism in high school students
Saya, Pelin; Aydın, Gül; Department of Educational Sciences (2006)
The main purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between attachment styles and perfectionism as a function of gender in Turkish high school students. Factor structure of Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale in Turkish high school was also investigated. Four hundred and ninety five 11th grade high school students from four different state high schools in Ankara participated in the study. Turkish versions of Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS, Oral, 1999) and Relationship Scale ...
The formation and consolidation of Pamiri ethnic identity in Tajikistan
Davlatshoev, Suhrobsho; Tokluoğlu, Ayşe Ceylan; Department of Eurasian Studies (2006)
The aim of this study is to examine the formation and consolidation of the Pamiri people in Tajikistan. The research focuses on two topics. The first is to compare the primordialist and constructionist schools over the question of the features individuating ethnic groups. The formation of Pamiri ethnic identity during the Soviet rule was selected as a case study of this thesis. The second topic of this study is to examine the formation of Pamiri ethnic identity and the factors that contributed for its conso...
An analysis of the weekend supplements of Turkish daily newspapers : from women's pages to lifestyle guides
Akpınar, Neslihan Ş; Kaya, Ahmet Raşit; Department of Media and Cultural Studies (2006)
This study is an attempt to analyse the newspaper supplements published by the Turkish printed press. An analysis of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the contents of the newspaper supplements selected due to the circulation numbers follows a brief history of the newspaper supplements. The study ends with the interviews made with the editor-in-chiefs of the weekend supplements. What results from these two analyses on different levels is that even though the basic aim of the daily newspaper...
Citation Formats
M. A. Yılık, “The effects of varied text structures and response formats on the reading comprehension,” M.A. - Master of Arts, Middle East Technical University, 2006.