Readers' advisory (RA) librarians use appeal to translate between readers and books, to make connections between readers and myriad other title possibilities based on the effects of the story. Appeal addresses the elements of books that readers respond to, the features that "draw a reader into a book" and help shape a particular reading…

This research study had two purposes, (a) to design and develop a Web-based learning environment that supports the use of a set of reading strategies, and (b) to investigate the impact of this Web-based learning environment on readers' "memory" and "understanding" of an instructional unit on the human heart (Dwyer &…

Argues that by closely examining, editing, and rewriting actual autobiographical texts, students can learn how their own writer-oriented materials can be transformed into reader-oriented materials. (RAE)

Offers a mediation on the 2003 People's Poetry Gathering. Includes two writers' thoughts on epics and ballads. Contends that the themes of epics remain relevant, yet there must always be a gap between the modern reader and the ancient epic singer. Proposes that studying folklore and finding ways to preserve and present older forms in innovative…

Presents evidence that indicates recognition memory consists of three separate representations: a surface representation, a propositional textbase, and a situation model. (KEH)

Examines the role of visual form in the free verse of Robert Creeley, Charles Olson, William Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofsky. Argues that this functional approach, entailing careful attention to how visual form affects the experience of printed poems, can contribute toward developing the "theory of graphic prosody" called for by John…

Asserts that post-structuralism cannot be applied to literary texts because to talk about applying post-structuralism assumes: (1) free-standing subjects; (2) free-standing objects of investigation; (3) free-standing methods; and (4) free-standing interpretation. (RAE)

Presents three prediction strategies to ensure that prior knowledge activated about a topic is pertinent to a lesson's objective: (1) questions for prediction; (2) anticipation guides; and (3) key word strategies. (RAE)

Examines what "hypertext" means to literary criticism on the one hand (i.e., intertextuality) and computing on the other, to determine how the two concepts may serve each other in a mutually productive way. (GLR)

Considers the role of bodily routines and practices as a component in the study of literacy. Examines a practice by physicians in the late 19th and early 20th centuries of binding fine or rare texts in human skin. Relates this embodied literacy practice to the transformation of medical practice from an oral to a textual discipline. (SR)

Deals with the problems engendered by the contradictory tensions of authority and ownership in student writing. Draws on the insights of Michel Foucault to propose overcoming the paradox of reconceptualizing what student writing represents. Supplants notions of ownership with those of authority in the Foucauldian sense of…

States that articles dealing with documents on demand tend to presume a static digital format such as a scanned page. Discusses a flexible document format subject to user specification based on particular reading needs or habits. Argues for digitally created masters which ensure access to old, rare, and out-of-print texts. (PA)

Three experiments, using text designed to suggest two causal interpretations, examined second and fourth graders' recognition of interpretive ambiguity. Found that older children were more likely than younger children to report two interpretations, with initial interpretations reflecting the most recently encountered causal information. Second…

This article considers the role of reader characteristics in processing and learning from informational text, as revealed in think-aloud research. A theoretical framework for relevant aspects of readers' processing and products was developed. These relevant aspects included three attentional foci for processing (comprehension, monitoring, and…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the uses of informational texts within an ethnically diverse, second grade classroom and how the teacher carefully scaffolded students' developing understandings about these texts. A community of practice theoretical framework was employed to better understand the ways in which…