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. 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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 development division. Some 1S to i10 members of the division were involved in the construction of the tasks. A panel meeting to review the preliminary. reading tasks and to suggest revisions- and directions for continuing the'construction of tasks was held in August, 1971. Ann /ungeblut and Carolyn Massad organized the meeting and approximately 20 ETS staff membefs participated. We are-grateful to the 24' panel member's who attended the meeting and to the members of other organizations who participated. A list of those who participated is given in Chapter 4. Joan Knapp drafted the report on which Chapter_.4 is based. 16, -2- The grOup administration phase and the National Reading Performance' Survey were coordinated by Lola Appel, the resent project manager. It is not possible to list the many directors andtaff members of the various centers who-cooperated in the group administ ion of the adult reading tasks. The following individuals made the cont is and obtained the necessary clearances: Arthur C. Wenzel', Directbr of Manpower and Develop- rgeht for the State of New Jersey; Robert H. Arents, Diiector of th4 Work Incentive Programs for the State cyf New Jersey; Neal Carr, Supervisor of the Bureau of Basic and Continuing,Education of the State of New York; Edward W. O'Daniel, Acting Director of tihe Manpower Development Training Program for the City of New Yoi-k; and Mrs. Sandra Adelman, Supervisor of Curriculum and Evaluation for the Manpower Development Training Program in New York City. The National Reading Performance Survey was conducted during May and June, 1973. .Leonard Cahen, Jim Fortune, Donald Rutin, Lawrence Stricker and Bary Wingersky reviewed the proposals submitted by various survey organizations. The survey was carried out by Response Analysis.Corporation under the direction