The present experiment was designed to investigate the effects of staging (the sequencing of information) and readers' prior content knowledge on the on-line processing and acquisition of procedural text information. An "expert model" of the procedure was used to manipulate text staging as well as to evaluate readers' processing and comprehension of the procedure. / The experimental design consisted of four experimental groups, with six subjects in each group. Subjects at two levels of prior knowledge, experts and novices, were randomly assigned to read one of two differently staged texts, hierarchical and enactment. Various properties of the frame model were used to predict subjects' performance. The experimental design was a mixed between-within subjects repeated-measures multivariate design. / Statistical analyses of data obtained from subjects' reading times and verbal protocols coded against the expert model provided support for a frame construction model of text processing where readers use a top-down application of grammar rules for selectively processing high level procedural information as it becomes available. Both text staging and prior content knowledge affected readers' comprehension on-line. It appears as though these processes are highly automatic since prior content knowledge had limited significant on-line effects.

No description available.

Typescript. / Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1981. / Bibliography: leaves 118-123. / Photocopy. / ix, 123 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2002. / Advisr: Salvatore Soraci, Jr. Submitted to the Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-73). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2003. / Adviser: Maryanne Wolf. Submitted to the Dept. of Child Development. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-190). Access restricted to members of the Tufts University community. Also available via the World Wide Web;

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: James Hiebert, School of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 217-227).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Washington, 1988. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves [100]-115.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of New South Wales, 2003. / Also available online.

Thesis (EdD) -- Australian Catholic University, 2005. / Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Education. Bibliography: p. 170-206. Also available in an electronic version via the internet.