Bridging Inferences and Learning from Multiple Complementary Texts

The purpose of this study was to investigate bridging inferences and learning when students with low topic knowledge read multiple complementary biology texts. Using a think-aloud protocol, we assessed students’ (n = 74) cognitive processes while they read one text about principles of natural selection and three texts about examples of natural selection. After reading, participants completed a topic knowledge posttest. Nonparametric tests indicated that readers who had high and moderate scores on the posttest generated more bridges to the principles text than readers who had low scores on the posttest. The multiple regression analysis indicated that bridging inferences to the principles text were predictive of scores on the topic knowledge posttest. An exploratory case analysis highlighted the importance of text-based bridging inferences to principles for readers with the highest scores on the topic knowledge posttest. These findings suggest that starting a set of complementary texts with an overview principles text followed by more exemplar-based texts can support learning when readers with low initial topic knowledge make inferences between principles and examples during reading.

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Discourse Processes on 2021-05-25, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/0163853X.2021.1924586.

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Work Title Bridging Inferences and Learning from Multiple Complementary Texts
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Matthew T. McCrudden
  2. Linh Huynh
  3. Bailing Lyu
  4. Jonna M Kulikowich
Keyword
  1. Bridging inferences
  2. Text processing
  3. Multiple complementary texts
  4. Principled learning
License CC BY-NC 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Discourse Processes
Publication Date May 25, 2021
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2021.1924586
Deposited August 09, 2023

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Added MS_2021_4_28_for_distribution.docx
  • Added Creator Matthew T. McCrudden
  • Added Creator Linh *Huynh
  • Added Creator Linh Huynh
  • Added Creator Bailing *Lyu
  • Added Creator Bailing Lyu
  • Added Creator Jonna M Kulikowich
  • Published
  • Updated Keyword, Publication Date Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Bridging inferences, Text processing, Multiple complementary texts, Principled learning
    Publication Date
    • 2021-01-01
    • 2021-05-25
  • Deleted Creator Linh *Huynh
  • Deleted Creator Bailing *Lyu
  • Updated Creator Linh Huynh
  • Updated Creator Bailing Lyu
  • Updated Creator Jonna M Kulikowich
  • Updated