An experimental study of metacognitive reading strategies: do authentic intellectual reading materials work?

Abstract

This paper describes a research study demonstrating the effectiveness of reading materials developed within an authentic intellectual work (AIW) framework. An experimental pre-test, post-test control group design was conducted during the 2013-2014 academic year with 59 students from the Department of Psychological Counselling and Guidance in a private university in Turkey. To measure the metacognitive strategies students use while reading at university level, the study used the metacognitive reading strategies questionnaire (MRSQ) scale developed by Taraban et al. (2004). A significant difference was found between students' MRSQ pre and post-test scores F (2,55) = (p = 0,00 < .05). Experimental group 1, which received small-group AIW-based teaching, achieved the highest post-test MRSQ scores, followed by experimental group 2, which received individual AIW teaching, and lastly, the control group. However, there was no significant difference in scores between the two experimental groups (MRSQ; exp2, (p< ,016). Thus, this study shows that AIW materials strengthen the use of reading strategies.