AUBURN UNIVERSITY

COURSE SYLLABUS

1. Course Number: CTRD 7510

Course Title: Research Studies in Reading Education

Credit Hours: 3 semester hours

Prerequisites: None

Corequisite: None

2. Date Syllabus Prepared: July 1998

3. Text :

Articles for assigned readings will be on reserve in LRC. The following text will be used as a resource and will also be on reserve in LRC.

Barr, R., Kamil, M., Mosenthal, P., & Pearson, P.D. (Eds.). (1996). Handbook of reading research: Vol. II. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

4. Course Description:

Review, analysis, and interpretation of available research with emphasis on designing new research to meet the changing needs of the school.

5. Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

a. demonstrate a basic understanding of the methodologies used in research related to reading education.

b. demonstrate knowledge of landmark as well as current research studies in reading education.

c. demonstrate an ability to critique research in reading education.

d. demonstrate an ability to identify new questions for study in reading education.

6. Course Content:

Weeks 1-2 Research Methodology and Its Relationship to Theory

For each of the following topics, students will be expected to review, critique, and interpret assigned readings. In addition, they will be expected to identify emerging research questions.

Weeks 3-5 The Reading Process

Weeks 6-8 Emergent Literacy and Beginning Reading Instruction, MIDTERM

Weeks 9-11 Reading Comprehension and Response

Weeks 12-13 Struggling Readers and Effective Intervention

Weeks 14-15 Preparing Teachers of Reading

Weeks 16 FINAL EXAM

  1. Course Requirements:
    1. Participate in class by attending all class sessions, contributing to all class discussions, and preparing by reading all assignments.
    2. Prepare an abstract for one research article each week. (Guidelines will be provided in class.)
    3. Complete a midterm exam.
    4. Complete a final exam.



Class Participation:

You will be expected to attend class and participate in class discussion. A class participation grade will be assigned based on the extent to which it is clear that you (1) have read the assigned readings carefully and thoughtfully as demonstrated in class discussion and (2) can integrate materials across sources.

Abstracts of Assigned Research Articles:

You will be expected to read all assigned articles. However, you will be required to turn in one abstract each week. Guidelines for abstracts and grading criteria will be provided in class.

Midterm and Final Exam:

Both the mid-term and final will be comprehensive take-home essay exams. You will be expected to demonstrate that you have read the material carefully and insightfully, that you can synthesize information from many sources, and that you can write clearly and concisely.

8. Grading and Evaluation Procedures:

The final grade for the course will be based on the following:

Class participation 25%

Abstracts 25%

Midterm exam 25%

Final exam 25%

Total 100%

Any assignment or exam turned in late will result in a 5% grade deduction per calendar day.

The following grading scale will be used:

90-100% A

80-89.99% B

70-79.99% C

60-69.99% D

Below 60% F

9. Class Policy Statements:

A. Students are expected to attend all class meetings and lab sessions, and they are expected to participate in all classroom discussions and exercises (Tiger Cub, p. 73). Students are expected to contact the course instructor before missing a class meeting if possible.

B. Students are responsible for initiating arrangements for missed work due to excused absences (Tiger Cub, p. 74).

C. Students who need special accommodations should make an appointment to discuss the Accommodation Memo during office hours as soon as possible. If you do not have an Accommodation Memo, contact Dr. Kelly Haynes, Director, Program for Students with Disabilities, in 1244 Haley Center as soon as possible. Telephone: 3340844-5943 (Voice T/O)

D. All portions of the Auburn University Honesty Code found in the Tiger Cub (Title 1208) will apply in this class.









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Justification for offering CTRD 7510 as a graduate course:

CTRD 7510 provides graduate students with an overview of the different methodologies appropriate for research in reading education and helps them understand the relationship between methodology and theory. The course also familiarizes students with a broad range of significant bodies of research related to reading education and promotes their abilities to read research in careful and reflective ways as well as to identify emerging questions for further study.