Terry W. Murphy, Ph.D.
122154
Action Research Project
RESEARCH PROCESS
1. What student data formed the baseline
The FCAT baseline data for 2008, 2009, 2010 Reading Reference and Research subtest
revealed that 31 percent of my English IV students scored 60 or below. Students could
not organize, synthesize, analyze, or evaluate the validity and reliability of information
from multiple sources (including primary and secondary sources) to draw conclusions
using a variety of techniques, and correct use of standardized citations. This data was
confirmed by classroom pretests--our students do not understand the ramifications of
improperly documenting sources into their presentations resulting in failure to achieve success on
both standardized testing and in persuasive argumentation.
2. What research resources, i.e., books, documents, were studied?
Internet
http://www.search-institute.org/nimf
http://www.frankwbaker.com/media_literacy.htm
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm
http://www.medialit.org/
http://literacy.org/
http://www.lscc.edu/library/Documents/mlacite.pdf
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/plagiarism/default.asp?s=&n=&i=&v=&o=&ns=0&t=&
uid=4281885&rau=4281885 Bedford St Martin Workshop on Plagiarism.
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/ Diana Hacker-Research and Documentation
LITERATURE
Gambrell, Morrow, and Pressley. Best Practices in Literacy Instruction. New York:
Guilford, 2007. Print.
Mertler, PhD, Craig A. Action Research: Teachers as Researchers in the
Classroom.Second ed. Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc, 2008. Print.
Schmuck, Richard A. Practical Action Research: A Collection of Articles. Second
ed.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2008. Print.
Riel, M. "Understanding Action Research." Center For Collaborative Action Research.
Peeperdine University, - 2010. Web. 19 Jan. 2011.web
<http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/ccar/define.html>.
3. What student demographic groups were used and how were they selected?
As an instructor of Senior English, my demographic groups focused on students in my
classes needing to take FCAT reading retakes because the subscores in the Reference and
Research section of the test were 60 or below. However the project included students
1
from my AP English Literature class, my Honors English IV class, and my regular
English IV class. Special attention was paid to ESL and free or reduced lunch students.
4. What strategies were implemented during the study?
Strategies used during the study included directed, guided instruction that included
modeling and think alouds. Students were guided through the metacognitive processes of
metaliteracy in an effort to help them make the text their own and open the door for using
the ideas of the text in extended and strategic reasoning. Emphasis was always placed on
the concept of someone’s idea—gaining that idea by being able to paraphrase and
summarize that idea—comprehending it, and then understanding that even though the
student now owns the idea, it is still someone else’s and needs to be cited. Students were
given scaffold help in synthesizing these ideas and recognizing the need to cite them even
in their new contexts.
5. What was the timeline for the study?
We began the study immediately in the fall, used our pretests early in order to understand
the level and depth of instruction that would be needed. Lessons were taught and
interfaculty observations were completed by the first half of the courses. The second half
of the courses become the testing ground for the student projects to used to measure the
result of the instruction. The last quarter of the course was used for reflection.
ABSTRACT:
(1) Considering the ridiculous ease with which the Internet can be accessed and information
copied and pasted into a variety of places with no consideration as to the accuracy of the
information, we quickly found that our students had no real understanding of Media
Literacy. (2) Our own pretests and the results of our students on the Media Literacy
subtest of the FCAT clearly demonstrated the problem. In order to understand why our
students were lacking in this area, we needed to research what constituted success in
Media Literacy. We soon found that one of the primary failures was a reading
problem—students with comprehension problems never are able to take ownership of the
material; hence they cannot use their findings in upper level thinking (comparative
analysis, causal analysis, division analysis, or ethical thinking). This discovery required
us to revisit the work of Dr. Michael Pressley on metaliteracy in order to develop
questioning, predicting, paraphrasing, and summarizing skills in our students. Following
the College Boards’ research on the synthesis process, we determined that we needed to
build upon the comprehension skills of the students to develop ownership of the idea.
Students need to be aware that they are not just using someone else’s words--they are
using that person’s ideas. From there, we consulted the work of the Modern Language
Association, to find patterns and methods to employ in instructing students in making the
appropriate connections. (3) By searching the results from FCAT Star, we were able to
identify the problem and the subgroups of students in which the problem was prevalent.
2
We confirmed these findings with pretests. (4) Based on our discoveries we began a
series of direct, explicit instructions, complete with modeling and practice. Time was
spent reviewing the reading process. Students were explicitly taught to question the text,
relate it to their own experiences, and to put it into their own words. They were then
asked to do something with it beyond just reproducing it. Short practice exercises led to
a lengthy research paper with a minimum of five sources (correctly cited) with intext
citations. Students then submitted the papers to the teacher for grading and to
turnitin.com for plagiarism checks. (5) For the most part the exercise was very beneficial;
however, a research paper by itself may be too big a project for many students. Since
some seniors resisted having to write a research paper, our total results are slightly
skewed. Upon reflection, we would probably 1) do the guided instruction on more than
one or two occasions, 2) increase the number of smaller research projects rather than
asking for one large one, 3) provide other vehicles for measuring outcomes, and 4)
develop a standardized way of testing results. Altogether, this project was a worthwhile
activity. Concise summaries of various authors’ works as well as correct citations of
these works are essential components of a well-organized research project. And like all
important tasks, teachers must provide students with direct, explicit, close step-by-step
instruction that present the opportunity for feedback.
Turnitin.com data is attached.
3
Pretest for documentation.
1. Statistics on page 374 of the book entitled Personal English. The book was published in 2002
in New York by Argosy Press. The authors appear to be Simon Kenton and Phillip
Nestleroad, listed in that order on the title page. How should the works cited entry for this
work be written?
A. Personal English. Kenton and Nestleroad. New York, Argosy Press: 2002. Print.
B. Simon Kenton and Phillip Nestleroad. New York. Personal English. 2002,
Personal English. Print.
C. Kenton, Simon and Phillip Nestleroad. Personal English. New York: Argosy Press, 2002.
Print.
D. Kenton, Simon and Nestleroad, Phillip. Personal English, New York—Argosy
Press, 2002,Web.
E. No entry is needed
6.3.2
2 . How would the in-text citation for this work be written?
A. (Kenton and Nestleroad 374).
B. (Personal English, 374).
C. (Kenton, 374).
D. (Kenton and Nestleroad, p. 374.)
6.3.2
E. No need to cite statistics.
3. On a webpage composed by Erin Hawley you found a terrific piece of information that you cut
and pasted into your research exercise. You discovered the webpage was entitled Dinosaurs—
Missing Links. Hawley posted it on July 17, 2006. You found it at
http://www.HawleysDinos.edu and downloaded it on December 12, 2007. How would you cite
this on your works cited page?
A. No need to cite web pages.
B. http://www.HawleysDinos.edu.
C. Hawley, Erin. “Dinosaurs—Missing Links.” 17 Jul 2007.Web.
12 Dec 2007.
D. Hawley, Erin. “Dinosaurs—Missing Links.” 12 Dec 2007. 6.3.3
4 .The in-text citation for this webpage would be
A. (Hawley).
B. (http://www.HawleysDinos.edu).
C. (12 Dec 2007).
D. No need to cite websites.
6.3.3
5.What source would give the most recent information to support your research paper topic?
A. A classic textbook
B. A news release in last Thursday’s New York Times.
C. A website last updated on November 25, 2006
D. A scientific journal dated June 2010
3.5.2
6. You are seeking information for a research paper on the danger of residential development to
the Everglades. Which of the following would be the most reliable source?
A. An interview with one of your friends whose father works for Florida Fish and Game Dept.
B. An article on the Everglades in The World Book Encyclopedia
C. An article entitled “Pythons in the Everglades” at the website Florida Today
D. An environmental study published last year in South Florida Wetlands.
3.5.2
4
Documentation from Turnitin.com for Research Project.
Mark Cleaver
Club drugs
90 percent
Paper returned to student for remediation
Tania Carreon
racism
80 percent
11 percent after cleaning for cited works
Tessa Townsend
Alcoholism
61 percent
32 percent after cleaning for quotes
Chelsea Thompson
Heart of Dark 52 percent
42 percent after replacing quotation marks
Alex Emery
Report
37 percent
0 percent after cleaning
Alexus Laboo
RP
29 percent
10 percent after cleaning
Mardaysha Harris
RP
28 percent
15 percent after cleaning
Ashely Young
To Kill
26 percent
18 percent after cleaning
Vibhu Banala
RP
23 percent
2 percent after cleaning
Victoria Chandler
RP
23 percent
21 percent after cleaning
Lauren Sage
RP
23 percent
3 percent after cleaning
Greg Balut
Ball Turret
17 percent
5 percent after cleaning
Drew Albrecht
RP
14 percent
1 percent after cleaning
Devon Hamilton
RP
13 percent
0 after cleaning
Rachel Peters
RP
13 percent
9 percent after cleaning
Steven Vo
RP
11 percent
9 percent after cleaning
Rachel Shoemaker
RP
10 percent
3 percent after cleaning
Jacques St. Louis
To Kill
4 percent
0 when cleaned
Elise Bjerken
Tale of Two
2 percent
2 percent when cleaned
Christy Key
RP
2 percent
2 percent when cleaned
Kyle Schneider
Lord of the
2 percent
2 percent when cleaned
Nichole Pounders
AnimalRights 0
0
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