The Language of Science and Readability. Correlations between Linguistic Features in TIMSS Science Items and the Performance of Different Groups of Swedish 8th Grade Students.

Tomas Persson

doi:10.17585/njlr.v2.186

Abstract

This study examines how linguistic features in the Swedish Grade 8 Science items from TIMSS 2011 correlate with results from different groups of students. The language use in different science subjects is analysed using four characteristic meaning dimensions of science: Packing, Precision, Presentation of information and Personification within the text, as well as using conventional measures of readability and information load. For each subject, one or more of the meaning dimensions show statistically significant correlations with students’ performances. Many meaning dimensions shown to influence high performers’ results are not influencing low performers, and vice versa. The use of meaning dimensions is shown to be an enriching complementary method for analysing language use in science, as it links language use in items with student performances where conventional measures do not. Unexpected findings are that placing items in everyday contexts lowers the likelihood of them being answered correctly, and that skilled readers are aided by high precision in items whereas less skilled readers seems unaffected.

Highlights

Drawing conclusions about students’ scientific understanding from answers to test questions is not an easy task
A previous study (Persson et al, in press) showed that the use of linguistic features expressing the four meaning dimensions varies among the different scientific subjects in TIMSS 2011
Physics is characterized by significant positive correlations of small to medium effect sizes, where a low level of Packing of information is interpreted as an obstacle for all groups studied except low performers

Summary

Introduction

Drawing conclusions about students’ scientific understanding from answers to test questions is not an easy task. Most teachers know that there are many different ways Á other than those intended Á for students to interpret questions. That which is measured is influenced by the reading demands the questions have, rendering it necessary to investigate the relationship between students’ results and the reading demands of the questions

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion