1

Data Collection

Rachel Furhman

Grand Canyon University

TCH-539: Introduction to Educational Research

Dr. Mark Potts

November 17, 2021

 2

Data Collection Plan

The goal of this action research study is to demonstrate that by allowing students to

choose the books they read not only will they increase their motivation, but also improve their

comprehension skills. I will be exploring how students’ motivation and comprehension will

increase when they are given time to read independently in class as opposed to being given

assigned passages. The study will consist of the 65 seventh-grade students in my three LAL

classes; 39 girls and 26 boys. Of these 65 students, two have 504 plans and two other students

have IEPs. During this study, I will be using a survey to collect qualitative data to determine if

there was a change in students’ motivation to read. To determine the improvement in students’

comprehension, I will be using the scores provided on SuccessMaker, a district provided reading

assessment tool that identifies students’ reading levels and shows any increase or decrease in

students’ abilities. I will also be using district created benchmark scores to show an

improvement in reading. Each marking period, students take a district wide assessment in

reading, if their comprehension is improving, their scores on this assessment should improve as

well.

The plan for this study is that over the course of a marking period, students’ will be

provided with time to read independently during class as well as at home. According to Stephen

Merrill and Sarah Gonser, “When students get to make decisions about their learning, it can be

powerfully motivating” (2021). Students will have the opportunity to choose what they read

from the class library, their homes, town library or any other bookstores they choose. The only

requirement will be that the books are on or above grade level and that they are appropriate for

adolescents. To increase motivation, not only will students be provided with time to read in

class, but I will also be utilizing a reading competition that is both individual and class oriented.
 3

For each book a student reads, a sticker will go on the chart. At the end of the second and fourth

marking periods, the student in each class who has read the most books will receive a prize. To

make the challenge even more rewarding, the class with the most books read will also receive a

prize. The final piece to increasing motivation is the allowance for extra credit. When students

complete a book, they can create a review for other students to see. Each review is worth extra

credit at the end of the marking period. My goal is to increase student motivation when it comes

to reading.

“The National Reading Panel (as cited by Reutzel, Spichtig, & Petscher, 2012) concludes

there is little question the opportunity to read, whether silently or aloud, has been shown to be

strongly associated with gains in students’ reading achievement” (Jones, 2021). My second goal

with this study is to show how having a choice in reading material can improve reading

comprehension. At the beginning of the year, students utilize SuccessMaker to identify their

independent reading level. Throughout the year, students practice with this program to improve

their reading abilities. However, the students are not engaged in what they are given to read.

My plan is to cut the amount of time spent on the program in half and use the extra time to allow

for independent reading in hopes that students’ reading levels will progress with the opportunity

to read what they choose. The more students actively read, the greater their comprehension

becomes. When reading material of their choosing, the hope is that they will be reading more

actively.
 4

The plan for data collection can be seen in the triangulation matrix below:

Research Question Data Source 1 Data Source 2

Will seventh-grade students’ comprehension scores SuccessMaker District reading

improve when they are given extra time to read scores benchmark scores
materials of their choice in addition to the core reading
requirements?
What activities could be implemented in the classroom Number of books Submitted extra credit
to motivate students to become avid readers read by students
independently?
Will allowing students’ choice in their reading Student surveys Observations of
materials lead to a greater connection between students students use of
and reading? independent time to
read

(Sagor & Williams, 2017)

Data Collection Process

When collecting data, researchers look at two main forms of information: quantitative

and qualitative data. “Qualitative research is expressed in words. It is used to understand

concepts, thoughts or experiences…Common qualitative methods include interviews with open-

ended questions, observations described in words, and literature reviews that explore concepts

and theories” (Streefkerk, 2019). For the purpose of this research study, I will be using a survey

with a variety of questions to help interpret students’ opinion on reading to gather qualitative

data. According to Streefkerk, “quantitative research is expressed in numbers and graphs. It is

used to test or confirm theories and assumptions…Common quantitative methods include

experiments, observations recorded as numbers, and surveys with closed ended questions”

(2019). To gather quantitative data, I will be looking at the students’ independent reading levels

as provided by SuccessMaker as well as their district benchmark assessment scores.

Qualitative Data Collection

 5

I will be providing students with a survey (see below) at the start and end of the study to

help answer the following questions: What activities could be implemented in the classroom to

motivate students to become avid readers independently and will allowing students’ choice in

their reading materials lead to a greater connection between students and reading? Using

modified surveys from several places, I created a survey to reflect the data I wanted. To

determine what genre of books students, enjoy reading, I used a survey from Smekens’ Reader

Interest Inventory (2010). I compiled questions from Assessing Motivation to Read, to help

understand the amount of time students spend reading independently (2014). Lastly, I used a

survey from McCloud to help create questions regarding how students prefer to read and how

often they choose to read at home (2020).

Independent Reading Survey

1. Highlight the number for each type of reading you enjoy:

1 2 3 4 5
Hate it! Not my fave. It’s OK. Like it. Love it!
Mystery 1 2 3 4 5
Horror 1 2 3 4 5
Current Events 1 2 3 4 5
Sports News 1 2 3 4 5
Fantasy 1 2 3 4 5
Action/Adventure 1 2 3 4 5
How-to books 1 2 3 4 5
Biographies 1 2 3 4 5
Poetry 1 2 3 4 5
Science Fiction 1 2 3 4 5
Historical Fiction 1 2 3 4 5
Realistic Fiction 1 2 3 4 5
Non-Fiction 1 2 3 4 5
Chick-lit (Drama) 1 2 3 4 5
Humor and Jokes 1 2 3 4 5
Graphic Novels 1 2 3 4 5
(Smekens, 2010)
 6

2. Do you enjoy reading? Yes. No.

Explain_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

3. Reading a book is something I like to do?

Never Almost Never Sometimes Often

4. I think becoming a good reader is___________.

not very important sort of important important very important

5. I think spending time reading is______________.

Really boring boring great really great

6. When I have free time, I spend _____________.

none of my time reading very little of my time reading

some of my time reading a lot of my time reading

7. What ways do you enjoy reading?

Read aloud students taking turns reading as a class

Reading with a partner reading independently

8. How do you find the books you want to read?

Talking with your peers the library Your teachers

Online media
 7

Quantitative Data Collection

In this study I am also looking to identify if allowing students a choice in their

reading material will aid in improving reading comprehension. To measure this, I will be using

the reading scores shown in SuccessMaker, a reading diagnostic tool created by Savvas

Learning Company. My plan will be to have the students track their progress on the program

using a plot chart like the one below. At the start of the study, I will have students mark their

starting reading level. At the end of each week, I will have them chart their progress and at the

end of the study, I will record how many students improved compared to those who remained

atthe same level or a lower level. I will also look at the amount of increase shown by each

student. District benchmark scores will be used as another form of quantitative data, I will be

comparing the students’ scores from prior to the study with the scores from after the study to see

if there is any improvement.

 8

References

Gonser, S. & Merrill, S. (2021, September 16). The importance of student choice across all

grade levels. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/importance-student-choice-

across-all-grade-levels

Jones, S. (2021). Increasing reading achievement: An applied research study on the effects of

implementing an independent reading time at Lester Elementary School. ProQuest

Dissertations & Theses Global. (2545962031). https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?

url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/increasing-reading-achievement-

applied-research/docview/2545962031/se-2?accountid=7374

Malloy, J.A., Marinak, B. A., Gambrell, L. B., & Mazzoni, S. A. (2013, December-2014,

January). Assessing motivation to read: The motivation to read profile revised. The

Reading Teacher. 67(4), 273-282. https://www.booktrust.org/files/2016/08/Motivation-

to-Read-Profile-Revised.pdf

McCloud, A. (2020). Perfecting independent reading in the classroom. Repository at St. Cloud

State University. 88. https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=1107&context=sped_etds

Sagor, R.D. & Williams, C. (2017). The action research guidebook. (3rd edition). Corwin: A

Sage Publishing Company.

https://bibliu.com/app/#/view/books/9781506380582/epub/OEBPS/s9781506380629.i66

5.html#page_147

Smekens, K. (2010). Reader interest inventory. Smekens Education Solutions Inc.

https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/16294/urlt/ReadInterInvent612.pdf
 9

Streefkerk, R. (2019, April 12). Qualitative vs. quantitative research. Scribbr.

https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-quantitative-research/