Die Textstruktur als Navigationssystem: Lesepfade und ihre Auswirkung auf das Verstehen von Informationen im Medium Hypertext.

In this empirical study on navigational behavior the influence of the independent variable textual structure on the dependent variables reading speed and comprehension was tested on the basis of three different hypertext structures. For this purpose a source text on the topic of speed reading was transformed into a linear, an axial and a networked hypertext. The subjects in this test series were 60 students of English and American studies from the University of Graz, who were all at level C1 according to the Common European Framework. The results of the one-way analysis of variance show a highly significant effect of the variable textual structure on reading comprehension (p=, 005, Duncan Post Hoc Test). The axial text structure, which is hierarchically organized, led to the best comprehension results. However, no significant evidence for a relationship between textual structure and reading speed could be provided. Data gathered from interviews conducted after the online reading test suggests that the segmentation of textual information through the use of hyperlinks facilitates the recognition of semantic relations between functional text components. Links are perceived as providing additional cohesive features which allow identifying the hierarchical organization of macropropositions within texts. Moreover, hierarchically organized hypertexts cause least navigational problems and facilitate the locating of information. Another finding is that prototypical hypertext structures trigger prototypical navigational behavior. In the final section of the paper, the relevance of the presented results to Web design and the development of adaptive hypertexts are discussed

ADOLESCENTS' CONSTRUCTIVELY RESPONSIVE READING STRATEGY USE IN A CRITICAL INTERNET READING TASK

The goal of this study was to examine types and patterns of reading strategies that proficient adolescent readers used while reading on the Internet. Informed by research related to reading comprehension, intertextuality, and new literacies, I drew upon the model of Constructively Responsive Reading that had evolved from print reading to Internet reading (Afflerbach & Cho, 2009; Pressley & Afflerbach, 1995). The model offered an analytical tool to construct descriptions of the complexity of use of the four general types of strategies in Internet contexts: Realizing and Constructing Potential Texts to Read, Identifying and Learning Text Content, Monitoring, and Evaluation. Seven highly proficient adolescent readers (Mean Age = 17.5) individually performed Internet reading, with a goal to create a critical question about their self- selected controversial topic across two 45-minute sessions: Open Website Searching and Focused Website Learning. I used multiple sources to triangulate complementary data to infer participants' Internet reading strategy use. Participants' think-aloud verbal reports were synchronized with their reader-computer interactions recorded in the computer. These real-time strategy data were complemented by other contextual data (e.g., pre-/post-reading interviews, participant-generated critical questions). I integrated these data into Internet Reading Strategy Matrices of the individual participants, which were analyzed, both qualitatively and quantitatively. During the entire course of data analysis, I constantly referenced the model of Constructively Responsive Reading with the four strategy categories. My data analyses afforded detailed descriptions of diverse constructively responsive reading strategies in Internet contexts and dynamic patterns of such reading strategy use. Grounded-analysis of data resulted in the identification of an array of reading strategies and many instances of strategy interplay among the four strategy categories. Chi-squared analysis of aggregated strategy data revealed the goal-directed nature of strategy use, as participants' use of these four types of strategies was associated with two different session tasks. Also, analysis of the processing chains visualizing the flow of strategy use indicated differences in the performances of Internet reading strategy use among the participants and their distinctive modes of Internet reading. Overall, my study supported the theoretical model of Constructively Responsive Reading, with empirical data that described diversity and patterns of constructively responsive reading strategies in Internet contexts. The complexity of Internet reading was discussed with regard to constructively responsive reading that coordinates different roles and functions of the four general types of strategies

The effects of reading goals in hypertext reading

The present study examined the influence of different reading goals on reading in a hypertext environment. The study focused on text based electronic documents. The study was an independent samples design experiment with three different conditions. Ninety participants read the hypertext allocated into three different conditions and then, all answered the same set of questions. The results show that reading goals did not influence reading times, comprehension scores, and amount of visited links. The data also revealed two factors that influence hyperlink selection: coherence, and location