Date of Award
Spring 1978
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Leslie, Lauren
Second Advisor
Steeves, Frank L.
Third Advisor
Schmidtlein, Roxanne
Abstract
The present study was designed to determine the effects of standardized testing on student attitude toward reading. It was hypothesized that the methods surrounding reading-test administration and student achievement on the test would not affect attitude toward reading. An additional hypothesis was formulated indicating that these two independent variables {method of administration and student achievement) interact to affect attitude toward reading. The Nelson-Denny Reading Test ( 1973) was used to measure reading achievement. The even-numbered items of the Kennedy and Halinski (1975) 1170-Item Attitude Instrument" were used to measure attitude toward reading. The tenth-grade subjects (N = 120) were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions. The Counseled group (n = 30) received pretest counseling and posttest score interpretation surrounding administration of the reading-achievement test. The Score Only group (n = 30) received .only their Total score grade equivalent following the administration of the standardized reading test. The No Score group (n = 30) received no score report following testing. The Control group (n a 30) received no standardized reading achievement test. Following treatment, all groups completed the attitude toward reading scale. The method of test administration was found to significantly affect student attitude toward reading. Significant differences in attitude were found between the No Score group and all other groups in the design. The No Score method of test administration resulted in the least favorable attitude toward reading. Attitude scores of subjects in the Control group were higher than attitude scores of subjects Who were tested but not told their scores. The effects of testing without reporting the scores to the students were sufficiently negative to strongly suggest reassessment of testing done in this manner...