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ANN ARBOR, Ml -IB 10fi IB Bl [.)( URP ROW, LONDON WC I R -II J i NOl AND 7908221 STRONG, BRENT MARVIN THE CLOZE TEST AS A PROCEDURE FOR ESTABLISHING OBJECTIVE GERMAN PROSE READABILITY STANDARDS. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, PH.D., 1978 University. Microfilms International joon /mhmoad ann ahhoh. mi mux, THE CLOZE TEST AS A PROCEDURE FOR ESTABLISHING OBJECTIVE GERMAN PROSE READABILITY STANDARDS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Brent M. Strong, B.A., M.S. ***** The Ohio State University 1978 Reading Committee: Approved By Professor Edward D. Allen Professor Gilbert A. Jarvis Professor Victor M. Rentel Advi ser College of Education To My Parents On Their 50th Wedding Anniversary i i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my appreciation to my reading committee, Professors Edward D. Allen, Gilbert A. Jarvis, and Victor M. Rentel. From each I received invaluable advice, assistance, and encouragement in conceptualizing and conducting this research. Additionally, I would like to thank Professor Werner Haas of the German Department for his assistance in selecting passages, proofreading tests, and paving the way for ob taining permission to collect the data. To my Air Force colleague, Captain Michael D. Bush of the United States Air Force Academy, I am especially indebted. His suggestions and help in both using the computer and analyzing the findings contributed signifi cantly. Finally, I express my gratitude to my wife, Kelly. Without her love, understanding, and willingness to shoulder additional family responsibilities in raising our six children, this undertaking could never have been accomplished. VITA September 6, 1 939 ........ Born - Idaho Falls, Idaho 1963 ....................... B.A., Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 1964-1972 .................. Intelligence Officer, United States Air Force 1974 ....................... M.S., Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 1973-1974 .................. German Instructor, Department of Foreign Languages, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado 1975 ....................... Assistant Professor of German, Department of Foreign Languages, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado 1975- 1977 .................. Air Force - Sponsored Doctoral Candidate, Department of Humanities Education, The Ohio State Uni versity, Columbus, Ohio 1978......................... Chairman of Basic Courses, Depart ment of Foreign Languages, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Foreign Language Education Studies in Methodology, Research, Supervision, and TESOL. Professor Edward D. Allen Studies in Educational Psychology, Research, Statistics, and Testing. Professor Gilbert A. Jarvis i v Minor Field: Curriculum and Foundations Studies in Instruction and Interaction Analysis. Professors J. B. Hough and J. K. Duncan Studies in Curriculum. Professor P. R Klohr v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................... iii VITA .................................................. iv LIST OF T A B L E S ......................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES...................................... ix Chapter I. INTRODUCTION .............................. 1 Rationale .............................. 1 Problem Statement ..................... 3 O b j e c t i v e .............................. 21 Summary and Statement of Research Questions........................... 26 Overview .............................. 28 II. REVIEW OF L I T E R A T U R E ..................... 29 Introduction ........................... 29 The Cloze Test as a Measuring I n s t r u m e n t ......................... 30 The Cloze Test and Foreign Languages........................... 33 The Cloze Test and Criterion S c o r e s .............................. 38 Summary.................................. 68 III. PROCEDURES ................................ 71 D e s i g n .................................. 71 Instrument Development ................ 74 Study D e t a i l s ......................... 93 Scoring Criteria ....................... 99 Statistical Analysis .................. 107 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS-CONTINUED Chapter Page IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION................... 109 Regression Analysis .................. 109 Test Reliabilities.................. 114 Data Modification..................... 115 Data Analysis......................... 116 The Research Questions .............. 138 V. SUMMARY, LIMITATIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS..................... 14 6 Summary................................ 14 6 Limitations............................ 148 Implications ......................... 150 Recommendations ....................... 151 APPENDICES A READING SELECTIONS ........................ 153 B INSTRUCTIONS AND TESTS ................... 158 C COMPUTED SIGNIFICANT WORDS .............. 17 3 D SENTENCE ANALYSES ........................ 178 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................ 218 vi i LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Research Findings by Bormuth Designed to Establish Cloze Criterion Scores Equivalent to Traditionally Ac cepted Performance Levels ........... 42 2. Cloze Test Criterion Scores Equivalent to Traditionally Accepted Perform ance L e v e l s ........................... 43 3. Bormuth's Study One Testing Sequence . 53 4. Bormuth's Counterbalanced Design Used in Study T w o ......................... 58 5. Bormuth's Latin Squares Design Used in in Study T h r e e ....................... 63 6. Cloze-Test Correlations and Means . 115 7. Analysis of Variance of Simple Linear R e g r e s s i o n ............................ 120 8. Sequential F-Test of each Power of a Fifth-Degree Polynomial Regression . 124 9. Partial F-Test of each Power of a Fifth-Degree Polynomial Regression . 125 10. Analysis of Variance of Fifth-Degree Polynomial Regression ................ 126 11. Fifth-Degree Polynomial Correlational Summary Table ......................... 127 12. Analysis of Variance of Four-Term Stepwise Regression .................. 134 13. Four-Term Stepwise Correlational Summary Table ......................... 135 v i Li LIST OF FIGURES Page Regression of Information Gain Scores on Cloze Scores Achieved from Bormuth's Study Three ................ 65 Research Design Used to Gather Data for Analysis........................... 75 Simulated Scattergram of Nonlinear Data Points ........................... 112 Simulated Scattergram of Nonlinear Data Points ........................... 113 Scattergram of Actual Data Points. 118 Plot of Simple Linear Regression Line. 119 Simple Linear Regression Line Plotted through the Specific Data Points. 121 Plot of Fifth-Degree Polynomial Regression Curve....................... 129 Fifth-Degree Polynomial Regression Curve Plotted through the Specific Data Points.................................. 130 Simulated Line Produced by the Logarithmic Function.................. 132 Simulated Line Produced by the Arc Tangent Function.................. 132 Plot of Four-Term Stepwise Regression Curve .................................. 136 Plot of Both Nonlinear Regression Curves.................................. 137 ix LIST OF FI CURES-CONTINUED Figure Page 14. Roth Nonlinear Regression Curves Plotted through the Specific Data Points. 139 15. All Three Regression Lines Plotted through the Specific Data Points. 140 x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Rat ionale The Importance of Reading Of all the skills one acquires as a result of formal education, the ability to read must certainly be ranked as one of the most important. Literacy, which is