Education Research

This page includes supplemental information for ED 350 - Content Area Reading Strategies with K. Staack. Use these resources in addition to the tabs on the left to jump-start your research.

Summarize, Analysis, Reflect Papers

Guiding Question: 

Which research-based reading or writing strategy supports learners in the area I plan to teach?

Directions: 

• Select and describe research-based content area reading or writing strategies designed to facilitate learning and is appropriate to the students and subject matter you plan to teach.  This will be completed in three different papers due throughout the course.

• Identify and discuss the use of the strategy and justify the application to the self-selected learners and subject matter. 

• Synthesize findings in a brief three-page minimum SAR paper focusing on one type of content-area reading or writing strategy 

The SAR paper will include:

• A summary of the strategy including -pre, during, after strategies presented and the rationale for selecting each strategy (e.g., this is your research base).

• An analysis of the strategy’s strengths and appropriate applications.

• A reflection which includes a synthesize about the strategies and integrates your personal experiences or prior knowledge related to the strategies.  The reflection will also include a description of the learners’ thoughts and implementing the strategy and poses questions the learner still has about the strategy and its implementation.

• An APA-formatted reference list.

SAR Paper Requirements

Your Summary, Analysis, and Reflection papers require you to locate current information about content area reading in your respective teaching fields. Your professor requires you to use research-based resources and cite them using APA citations. 

Throughout the course, you will locate research on before, during, and after reading strategies appropriate to the students and the subject matter you plan to teach. These requirements will help you set constraints around your searches to help you find the most relevant research available. The first step is looking in the right place.

Locating Research-Based Resources

Starting your search in the Vogel Library databases allows you to more easily ensure you have located research-based resources. Each database includes different resources. For a diversified research strategy, look in all three of the databases listed below.

Education Specific Databases

Multidisciplinary Database

Creating your Search

Putting together an effective search is a process that takes a bit of trial and error. Once you choose the database, you want to search. Consider the terms experts in the field use to talk about your topic. It's okay if you aren't sure of that yet! As you search, you can change your keywords to show better what you learn in the process. For your first search, try "content area reading" in one box and your specialty area in the second box. 

Once you have a list of results to start considering, use the limiters on the side to narrow down your results to items from the last ten years. If this narrows your results too far, and you need more articles to consider, you might need to play around with your search terms.

• Try "reading comprehension" or "reading" instead of "content area reading," this will broaden your search results.
• Try adding a specific strategy you are specifically interested in locating. For example, "think pair share" or "brainstorming." This will narrow your results considerably but utilizes a different vocabulary.
• Try adding a time period in which you would enact the strategy (pre-reading OR before reading, during reading, post-reading OR after reading).
• Remember, try all three databases! Each has different publications and will offer various articles.

Citing Your Sources

One of the benefits of finding your resources in the Vogel Library Databases is the ability to pull the APA citation from the record. Within each Education Research Complete and ERIC record, there is a "Cite" button on the right side. After clicking on this button, you can copy the APA citation or "Export to Bibliographic Management Software" like RefWorks.

If you are using ProQuest Central, the same principles apply, but it looks a little different. In these records, there is also a "Cite" button on the right. To get to the RefWorks Export, however, you have to click on the "All Options" button.

NOTE: Be aware that these citations are not always 100% accurate. Use the "APA Citations" page on the left to locate resources you can use to correct your citations.