Analyzing a
Running Record
An Instructional Module for
Reading Teachers
What is a Running Record?
 How is it used?
 What information will it give me?
 How do I go about analyzing a Running
Record?

Anomalous momentum transport has been observed in
Alcator C-Mod tokamak plasmas. The time evolution of
core impurity toroidal rotation velocity profiles has been
measured with a tangentially viewing crystal x-ray
spectrometer array. Following the L-mode to EDA
(enhanced D ) H-mode transition in both Ohmic and ion
cyclotron range of frequencies heated discharges, the
ensuing co-current toroidal rotation velocity, which is
generated in the absence of any external momentum
source, is observed to propagate in from the edge
plasma to the core with a timescale of the order of the
observed energy confinement time, but much less than
the neo-classical momentum confinement time. The
ensuing steady state toroidal rotation velocity profiles in
EDA H-mode plasmas are relatively flat, with V ~ 50
km s-1, and the momentum transport can be simulated
using a simple diffusion model.
What are you thinking?
Three Cueing Systems
•Meaning
•Structure
•Visual
Consider an Analogy:
Reading can be like making a great soup.
Does
Not
+
=
Does it need to simmer
longer? Should I add more
spices? Or broth?
Combined just right…
+ Does it make sense?
+ Does it sound right?
+ Does it look right?
+
= Reading
What is a Running Record?
A running record is an
assessment tool used to
pinpoint which cueing systems
a struggling reader is neglecting
while reading.
Taking a Running Record

The child reads a book or passage aloud.
 The teacher uses a coding system of marking
conventions to record the students words and
actions while reading.
 Afterwards the teacher analyzes the running
record for types of errors or miscues.
 Miscues and Self-Corrections are labeled
Meaning, Visual, or Structure.
What is considered an error?
The student substitutes another word
for a word in the text
 The student omits a word
 The student inserts a word
 The student has to be told a word by the
person administering the running record

What is a Self-Correction?
A self-correction is when a
student has made an error but
then fixed the error by reading
it correctly.
Marking Conventions
Click on the link below to view the
marking conventions for running
records.
http://www.msu.edu/~jonesreb/Marking
Conven.doc
Cueing System Review

Meaning (M)
Meaning is part of the cueing system in which the child takes his
or her cue to make sense of text by thinking about the story
background, information from pictures, or the meaning of a
sentence. These cues assist in the reading of a word or phrase.

Structure (S)
Structure refers to the structure of language and is often referred
to as syntax. Implicit knowledge of structure helps the reader
know if what he or she reads sounds correct.

Visual (V)
Visual information is related to the look of the letter in a word
and the word itself. A reader uses visual information when he or
she studies the beginning sound, word length, familiar word
chunks, etc.
Example Problem #1
runned
The dog ran beyond the shed.
Example Problem #2
behind
The dog ran beyond the shed.
Example Problem #3
began
The dog ran beyond the shed.
Please Remember…
When analyzing a miscue, use
only the text up to the point of
error to determine which cueing
systems are being used.
Anything beyond the miscue is
information that will skew your
analysis.
Problem #1
makesure fast
“I need someone to measure how far I can jump.”
Meaning
Structure
Visual
Yes. You are correct
The sentence up to this point would make
sense. You may also notice that the
phrase would also be structurally sound.
The reader is neglecting the visual cueing
system.
Yes. You are correct
The sentence up to this is structurally
sound. You may also notice that the
phrase also makes sense. The reader is
neglecting the visual cueing system.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
If you read up to the point of error, the
phrase makes sense and is structurally
sound. Please try again.
Problem #2
Raccoon looked at her shiny new medal
per R
and felt proud.
Meaning
Structure
Visual
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using the visual cueing and
neglecting meaning and in essence structure
as well.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
If you read up to the point of error. The
phrase does not make sense. Please
try again.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice
If you read up to the point of error. The
phrase does not sound grammatically
correct. Please try again.
Problem #3
he
Down the side of the hill rushed the
fast
rock, faster and faster until…crash!
Meaning
Visual
Structure
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using meaning up to this point.
Please note that the phrase is also structurally
sound. The reader is neglecting visual cues.
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using structure up to this point.
Please note that the phrase also makes
sense. The reader is neglecting visual cues.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
The reader is not using the visual cues
provided. Please try again.
Problem #4
s-st-opped SC R
The rock stopped at the bottom of the
R fair
rever/reever SC
hill, not far from the river.
Meaning
Visual
Structure
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using visual cues and is not
attending to meaning.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
If you read up to the point of error. The
phrase does not make sense. Please
try again.
Sorry. Not the best choice.
Structure is debatable here. However
there is a more obvious choice. Please
try again.
Problem #5
wite
Lizard lost so much weight that he
began to get skinny.
Meaning
Visual
Structure
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
If you read up to the point of error. The
phrase does not make sense. Please
try again.
Sorry. Not the best choice
Structure is debatable here. However
there is a more obvious choice. Please
try again.
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using visual cues but
not meaning.
Structure is debatable in this example.
Problem #6
suddenly
“Oh, no!” he said sadly.
Meaning
Visual
Structure
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using meaning up to this point.
Please note that the phrase is also structurally
sound. The reader is neglecting visual cues.
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using structure up to this point.
Please note that the phrase also makes
sense. The reader is neglecting visual cues.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
The reader is using some visual clues
but is not attending to all the letters.
Please try again.
Problem #7
R many
tine/tiny
“I may be as thin as a stick…
Meaning
Visual
Structure
Yes. You are correct
The reader is using visual cues but
not meaning or structure.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
If you read up to the point of error, the
phrase does not make sense. Please
try again.
Sorry. Incorrect Choice.
If you read up to the point of error, the
phrase is not structurally sound. Please
try again.
Help Michelle
Instructions

Go to the following website to print out
Michelle’s running record.
http://www.msu.edu/~jonesreb/TigerPrin
t1.doc
Instructions Continued

Notice the letters M S V on the right hand
side of the paper. These letters stand for
Meaning, Structure, and Visual.
 On an actual running record the user records
the cueing systems that the reader is using to
decode an unknown word.
 The student may be using one or more
cueing systems to decode.
 The cueing systems being used are recorded
by circling the appropriate letter: M S or V
Instructions Continued

Remember that any error marked with SC is
not considered an error. The student has
self-corrected themselves therefore it is not
analyzed as an error.
 While listening to Michelle read, it is your task
to analyze the cueing systems that she is
using to try to decode unknown words.
 Often the reader uses more than one cueing
system at a time. Good luck!
Tiger’s Whirlwind Day
“But Dad !”
said Karla, “You know
out
Tiger is not a tiger at all.
really a scaredy cat.
Has
He’s
Please let me
go out and find him. I can’t let him
stay out in this storm!”
St- SC
“Stay right here!”
Dad said firmly.
“It’s not safe for you to go out!
We’ll have to wait for the storm to
pass.
probly gone
Cats are pretty good at taking
care of themselves.” “But I have to
go!”
instead
insisted Karla.
n- SC
She looked in Dad’s eyes and knew
he meant what he said.
Karla could
tors beginning
- SC
feel the tears begin to well up in her
R
eyes.
unful
She felt awful.
The house
em-pa-ty
seemed very empty without Tiger.
“Come sit here with us,” said
Mom.
You SC
“We can sing some songs or tell
stories until the storm lets up.”
I
watched
wish the storm would go away NOW!”
engory
said Karla in an angry voice.
“And I
didn’t
don’t feel like telling any stories.”
“Come on.
said.
Come sit down,”
Dad
“I’m sure Tiger will find a place
to hide.”
Check Yourself

Please go to the following link to check your
analysis.
http://www.msu.edu/~jonesreb/TigerCheck.doc
Review the Analysis
Note how many errors were made
throughout the entire running record.
 Tally how many times each of the
cueing systems was neglected.
 Decide which cueing system will be
your main focus of instruction for
Michelle.

Check Yourself

There were 12 total errors or miscues.
 Out of 12 errors Michelle neglected to use
visual cues 8 times.
 She also neglected to use meaning and
structure 4 times.
 Since most of Michelle’s errors occurred
because she neglected visual cues, the visual
cueing system would be the main
instructional focus.
Additional Information

Please remember that this is only one piece
of information to use in directing instruction.
We should always consider additional
information as well.
 A running record can also help pinpoint a
student’s reading level and self-correction
rate.
 Also our professional experience and
knowledge of a child are invaluable pieces of
the puzzle.
Final Survey

Please take a few moments of your time to
complete the closing survey found at
http://www.msu.edu/~jonesreb/RunningRecor
dSurvey.doc
 This survey will help me improve the
effectiveness of this instructional module.
 Follow the link to the survey, then make and
save a copy of the survey to fill in.
 Please email me an attached copy of your
survey to beckylcole@prodigy.net