DOCUMENT RESUME 0- N ED 109 650 CS 6112'os

AUTHOR Murphy, Richarl 2. . TITLE Adult FunctionatiReading Study; Project 1.:Targeted ResearCh & Development Reading Program 'Objective, Sub7parts_1, 2, and 3. Final Report with Appendixeg A, B, and C. INSTITUTION Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J. SPONS 'AGENCY. National Inst. of Education (DHEW) , Washington, D.C. REPORT NO ETS-PR-73-48 BUREAU NO BR-0-9004 PUB DATE Dec 73 CONTRACT OEC-0-70-4191(508) NOTE 438p.; Not available in hard copy due to marginal legibility of original document; See related documelt CS 002 056

EDRS PRICE KF-$0.76 PLUS POSTAGE. HC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS *AdUlt Literacy; Criterion' Referenced Tests; *Functional Readiltg; National Surveys;. Reading Interests; *Reading Research; *Reading Tests IDENTIFIERS --*Adult Functional Reading Study

ABSTRACT The purpose of this project, begun in July- 1970, was to learn what American ,adults read, and what they are able to'read, as they go'abouttheir ordinary activities in the course,of anormal' day. A national survey of the reading activities of adults was administered to 5,096 individuals. Some conclusions dratin from the survey-data are as follows: the average person reads for almosttwo hours in a typical -day; most of the-time is Spent reading newspapers,. magazines, books, and job-related matter; 5 percent of all adults cannot read in the English'language; and an individual's style of life, as represented. by socioeconomic status, is related to his or her reading habits. Data are given on the percentage of readers performing a specific reading activity, the socioeconomic status of . those readers, the.average time spent performing the-task, and the importance placed ;on the task. A national reading performance survey, consisting' of 170 reading tasks, was constructed, and portions were administered to.7,866 adults. Items were intended to correspond to the ordinary reading tasks identified in the -Survey of reading habits. Data on specific task performance are presented. (MKM)

********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ER -IC incrudeihmany informal unpullEished *' * materials not.available from other sources, ERIC makes everyeffort * * to obtain the best copy available. nevertheless, items .of marginal * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality * /, of the microfiche and hardcopyreproductions ERIC makes available * * via the ERIC Reproduction Service (EDRS) .EDRS is not * * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. * *********************************************************************** . U S OEPART/wENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION L WELFARE I NATIONAL INSTITUTE Of- EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DICED EXACTLY AS RECE,vED FROM THE PERSON OR OkGAN,ZATION ORIGIN ,ATNG .T POINTS OF 1,,E OR OPINIONS , STATED DO NOT NEOESSARILY REPRE SENT OFFICIAL NATi0 AL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POS TION OR POLICY

tr.), FINAL RERT

0 Project No. 9004

Grant No. OEC-0-70- 791 (508\k 0 .PR-73-48,

ADULT FUNCTIONAL READING STUDY

Project I,Targeted R search & Development Reading Program Objective, Sub-parts 1, 2, and 3,

Richa T. Murphy Educational Testing Service Princeton, ew Jer;ey 08540

Decemb r 1973

The research reported herein was perf rmed pursuant to a contract with the Office of Education, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Contractors undertaking such projects under Govern- ment sponsorship are encouraged to,express freely their-professional judgment in the conduct of the project. Points of view or,opinions stated do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Office of rr Educat4on position or policy.

(

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

National Institute'of Education

A i

fi CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Chapte'r 1 - Background 3

9 'Chapter 2 - National Survey of Adult Reading Activities .

Chapter 3 5. Development of the Reading Tasks 49

Chapter 4 - Panel Meeting 55

Chapter 5 Group Administration 67

. 75 Chapter 6 - National Reading Pcrform4nce,Survey . a .

Chapter 7 - Summary and Conclusions 95

References 113 . \

ii

, LIST6OFTABLES AND FIGURES,

Table 2.1 vcio-Econgric Variables 17

Table 2.2 Intercorrelations of the ten socio-economic variables 19'

. Figure Frequency distribution plot of reading time for total population of readers 21

Tabler - Reading occurring during-general daily activities 22 4 e 2.4 Newspapers 25 - +-

ble 2:5 Magazines 27

able 2.6 Books 30

Table 2.7 - Mail 32 r- Table 2.8 - Meals 34 4

Table 2.9 r At wuk ...... 35

Table 2.10 Working around the house' 37

Table 2.11 - At schoo 38

,Table 2.12 - Traveling, commuting 39

Table 2.13:7 Shopping 41

°Table 2/4- Club, church 42

-Table 2.15'- Theater; game, event 43

Table 2.16_- Recreation, free time 45'

4.1 = Panelists for Adult Functional'Reading Study . 63

Ta e Othei'eattendirigpanel meeting

Tble5.1.---Characteristics of respondents 71

Table 54 --: Testing sites 73 1

iii

Table 6.1 - Item descriptions with accompanying benifit and formclassifications .79 7/7.

Table 6.2 - Distribution of benefit by book . . .

Table 6.3 - Distribution of form by book . 90,

Table 6.4 - Distribution of form by benefit 91

Table 6.5 - Item statistics-weighted sample 92

Table 6.6 - Distribution of item difficulties by,book . . . . 94

Table 7.1 - Identical questions on 'the two surveys . . . . :98

Table 7.2 - Correct percent response comparison 103 Acknowledgments'

Responding to an initial request for a proposal from the United States Office of Education, Scarvia Anderson and Samuel Messick, vice presidents Educational Testing Service, organized a team of staff membersto draft {thethe original 'proposal for this project. Contributions to the original proposal'were lade by :Thomas Barrows, David Brodsky; Thomas Donlon, John `Fremer, Robert Jones, Ann Jungeblut, Louis Levine,.Donald Melville, Donald Trismen, Bary Wingersky and Michael Zieky. Contributiods.were also made by Reuben Cohen (Response Analysis Corporation) and by Nevins Baxter, William Baumol, Edward reenblat, Robert Ragusi, Jr., and Kan-Hua Young (Mathematica,' Inc.).,

Revisions in the original proposal were suggested by Thomas Moorefield of the United tateal Office of Education. Monte Penney has served through- out the course of the project as proiat manager for the Office of Education and currently for the National Institute of Education.

The original project director was Donald Trismen. His contribution to the project is a major and fundamental one. The material in Ch4pt2rs through 4 of the final report, is a synthesis of reports prepared under his direction. He has prihided continuing support during the Latter phases of the project. Dean Seibel directed the project during the' planning stage of the group administration phase of the project.

Ann Jungeblut, the original project, manager,-coordinated the work necessary for carrying out the National Reading Activities Survey, develop- ing the Original adult reading tasks, and organizing the panel meeting of outside consultants to review the reading tasks constructed. Joseph Bianchini has served as the financial manager of the project.

The National Reading Activiti Survey was conducted by Response Analysis Corporation under the di tion of Reuben Cohen, vice president of Response Analysis. The plan for the analysis of,the data collected in ,the Reading Activities' Survey was designed by Thomas Barrows, Amiel Sharon and Bary Wingersky. Amiel Sharon wrote the project report on the Reading Activities Survey (Reading Activities of American Adults, ETS, December,

1972). .

The development of the'actual reading tasks was carried out under the direction of ThomasDonlon and Michael Zieky of the test developmen