Mindy Kalakis

MED 6080
Dr. Louise Moulding

Research Design Matrix

Approach Purpose/Research Participants Instruments/Method for Procedure Analysis Procedure
Question Collecting Info.
Quantitative What are my Approximately AMRP – Adolescent Obtain permission Data will be collected
student’s attitudes 190 eighth grade Motivation to Read and grouped to
Descriptive toward reading? students. Profile Post questionnaire identify attitudes
Research on Google toward reading,
Google form doc/form readers vs. non-
Survey readers, and
Assign demographic
questionnaire to information.
students in class
The data will be
Collect data compared to data
received from the
same questionnaire
given at the conclusion
of the study.

Quantitative What is the effect of Approximately Reading Inventory Obtain permission Test results will be
the book talk 400 eighth grade (Lexile) test. compared to determine
Quasi- program on Reading students. Assign students to if there is a significant
Experimental Inventory scores take the RI test difference in Lexile
compared to Group one: 200 prior to any reading scores.
students who did not students from a instruction.
participate in the classroom using
book talk program?
 the book talk Assign students to
program. take the RI test at
the conclusion of
Group two: 200 the study period.
students from a
classroom that is
not using the
book talk
program.
Qualitative What do students 10 students Interviews with Obtain permission Look for patterns of
think about the book randomly participants. meaning in the data.
Case Study talk program? selected from Prepare questions
several different for interviews. Write a narrative of
class periods. the findings.
Conduct interviews
with students.

Record interviews
with participants.
Action What is the best Students sharing Stop watch Obtain permission Evaluate the time and
Research length of time for a book talks in a observation data to
book talk? given class Teacher observation Record the amount determine the ideal
Should there be a period. of time it takes for length of time for a
time limit imposed? each student to book talk.
Students complete their book
listening to the talk. Encourage students to
book talks. stick to the determined
Observe the time.
audience and the
attention/inattention Repeat the process.
given to the speaker
as it relates to the
length of the book
 talk. Record notes Analyze whether or
on the observation. not there is a benefit to
imposing a time limit.

Arts-based How does the book Sampling of Handwritten letters Obtain permission The digital scrapbook
talk program students and from students who have can be viewed and
influence the lives parents who participated in the Collect handwritten analyzed to determine
of students? wrote letters. program. notes and letters. how the program
influences its
Pictures of students Collect pictures of participants.
giving book talks. students.

Thank you letters and Create a digital

emails from parents. scrapbook
showcasing the
items.

Curriculum Project: Strategy instruction for using book talks to promote reading enjoyment.
Purpose/Research Question: Present the book talk program so that other teachers can use it in their classrooms.
Procedure: Create a digital file that contains the following information:
10-15 minutes of silent reading time every class period.
Students choose their own reading material.
No page requirements.
No genre requirements. Magazines, comic books, ebooks, etc. are okay.
No report requirements.
No tracking requirements.
No reading level requirements. Although, students should be encouraged to read books that are close to or slightly above their
personal reading level as determined by the RI test.
Students can re-read a book they have read before.
Book talks are not graded. Instead, students choose their own personal reading grade each term based on the number of book talks
they share. Four or more book talks is an A, three is a B, two is a C, one is a D. The idea is that students have more choice in what
they read and what they share with their peers thus giving them a positive experience with reading. Students who have social anxiety
or other disorders that inhibit their ability to speak in front of the class are allowed to share after school if they bring a small group of
friends to listen. The key is to keep it simple, casual, and fun. Creating a positive classroom environment is essential to success.
I have had students with severe anxiety, PTSD, tourette syndrome, speech impediments, and autism who, over time, have gone from
sharing after school to speaking in class because they enjoy the social aspect of sharing what they’ve read with their peers. These
experiences make my heart happy.
The Book Talk
Anyone who would like to share a book talk should prepare their answers to a set of questions and share this information with the
class. The questions were developed after studying several peer-reviewed papers and books on the subject of promoting reading
enjoyment for adolescents.
Questions:
What is the theme or main idea?
How did the text relate to you and your life?
Did you like it? Why/why not?
What did you learn from the text?
Would you recommend this text to others? Why/why not?
Which type of reader would enjoy this text?
Research has shown that students enjoy hearing what their teachers are reading. Teachers should tell their students what they are
reading and share book talks with the class every time they finish a text. Not only does this promote the enjoyment of reading, but it
also gives students an example of a good book talk.
I typically put the books I read on the shelf in my classroom for students to read. They often argue over who gets to read it first or
they head to the school library to see if they can get a copy.
Research also shows that students look to their family members, especially their parents, for reading suggestions. I’ve thought of
incorporating visitor book talks, where I invite a parent/guardian to come in and share what they’ve been reading.