Writing and Designing Science Trade Books for Young Adolescents: Model Development and Application

A text design model was developed by reviewing the related literature and using the premises that (a) text generation, layout, and design are integral parts of the text design process that are recursive with one another and (b) the text design process should result in a publishable product with considerate text and appropriate appeal for the readers. The model was tested by planning and writing a science chapter for a trade book. Then, the chapter was revised in two separate ways, (a) by analyzing reader protocols and (b) by incorporating the comments of a professional editor, to produce two new manuscripts. Computer technology was used and methods developed to prepare high quality, color pre-press documents for use with the participants. The manuscripts were reviewed by young readers and adult jurors. Adult jurors included science teachers, reading specialists, children's librarians, parents, and a publishing professional. Results show that author analysis of reader protocols was effective for revising both text and design. In addition, more adult jurors preferred the protocol-edited version over the professionally edited version. Adults rated 14 survey items all of which favored the protocol edited version and four of which were statistically significant for organization, innovative style, layout, and suitability for publication and nearly statistically significant for interest of photographs and illustrations. Young readers would recommend the reading to other readers interested in the topic and overall gave high ratings for interestingness of and helpfulness of illustrations. Average and high ability readers gave more useful protocols than low ability readers. The author/investigator collected an author protocol on videotape while using the text design model to write and design. Analysis of the author protocol was used to revise the text design model. The final model appears in Appendix A.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Litteral, Linda Lambert

Contributors dc:contributor

• Armbruster, B.,

• Journalism
• Education, Sciences

Identifier

(UMI)AAI9329100

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/71943