AN EVALUATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL METHOD AND A GROUP METHOD OF TEACHING COLLEGE FRESHMAN THE MECHANICS OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION

159 Pages·05.944 MB·English

by  KARP, MARK

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University Microfilms
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ID3907
.323 Karp, iiark.
1942 An evaluation of an individual meth::
.N3 and a group method of teaching colie
freshmen the mechanics of hnglish co
position... New York, 1C41.
vi, 96 typewritten leaves, tables,
forms. 29cm.
Thesis (Ph.D.) - New York university,
School of education, 1942.
Bibliography: p. 78-82.
A78243
' ~ — 1 - ■ 1
Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106
THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED.
//
h I Thesis accepted
^ JAu u 1942
AN EVALUATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL METHOD AND A GROUP
METHOD OF TEACHING COLLEGE FRESHMEN THE MECHANICS
OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION
MARK KARP
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in the school of Education of
New fork University
1941
PLEASE NOTE:
Some pages may have
indistinct print.
Filmed as received.
University Microfilms, A Xerox Education Company
/' '■ '
The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness
to those who have made this study possible: to Professor
Walter Barnes for his guidance as chairman of the commit­
tee and for encouragement and help; to Professor Ernest
Wood and Professor Earl Gabler for their suggestions and
help; to Dr. Samuel Unzicker and Miss Christie Jefferies,
his colleagues at Paterson State Teachers College, for
their part as critics; to Miss Juliette Trainor, his col­
league, for her assistance as an instructor of two classes
involved in the experiment and for her cooperation; to Dr.
Clair S. WLghtman, President of State Teachers College,
Paterson, New Jersey, for his assistance as a critic and
for his encouragement, active cooperation, and suggestions
and to his wife, Cecelia, for her assistance in clerical
work and in organizing the project.
A 7 8 2 4 3
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Chapter I THE PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION.................. 1
Statement of the Problem.....................1
Definition of Terms......................... 1
Scope and Delimitation of the Study........... 2
Significance of the Investigation.............2
Purpose of the Investigation................ 11
Specific Problems of the Investigation....... 12
Summary. ................................. 12
Chapter II THE METHOD OF PROCEDURE......................... 13
Introduction......... 13
The Formation of the Groups................. 13
The Testing Program........................ 14
Administering the Tests and Using the Results..14
The Two Methods of Teaching................. 15
Assignment 1 (Summary)................. 16
Western Civilization...............16
Government........................17
Psychology of Personality
Development.......................18
Assignment 2 (Opinion)................. 18
American Government............... 19
Psychology of Personality
Development.......................20
Assignment 3 ( Comparison)..............20
Western Civilization...............20
American Government................21
Psychology of Personality
Development .....................22
Assignment 4 (Criticism)................22
Western Civilization...............22
American Government. .......... ..23
Psychology of Personality
Development........ 23
Procedure in Class......................... 24
The Text Book........ 24
Contrasting Procedures................. .25
Visits by Critics...........................27
Summary................................... 28
iii
Chapter III THE RESULTS................................... 29
The Purpose of this Chapter................29
The Methods to be Evaluated................29
Sources of the Data....................... 30
Table 1 American Council on Education
Psychological Examination......31
Table 2 Cooperative English Test,
Form 0, (Sept)................32
Table 3 Cooperative English Test,
Fona P.......................33
Table 4 Cooperative English Test,
Form 0, (April)...............34
Table 5 C R of D between M of 0S
and M of P................... 33
Table 6 C R of D between M of P
and 0a. ...................36
Table 7 C R of D between M of 0S
and M of 0a. ................37
Table 8 Gains on the basis of Psycho­
logical Examinations.
(Instructor 1)................38
Table 9 Gains on the basis of Psycho­
logical Examinations.
(Instructor 2)................40
Table 10 Gains on the basis of English
Test, Form 0 (Instructor 1)....43
Table 11 Gains on the basis of English
Test, Form 0 (Instructor 2)....45
Conclusions...............................46
Summary.................................. 47
Chapter IV EVALUATION BY THE CRITICS.......................48
Introduction..............................48
The Schedule of Visits.................... 48
The Letter to the Critics............ 49
The Evaluationso f the Critics............. ..49
First Report:
Critic X........................ 49
Critic Y........... 51
Critic Z.........................52
Second Report:
Critic X................. *...... 55
Critic Y.........................58
Critic Z...................... ...61
Summaries. ...... .63
Conclusions....................... 66
Summary.................................. 68
iv
Chapter V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND DISCUSSION...............69
Restatement of the Problem....................69
Summary.................... ...69
Conclusions.................................72
Application of the Findings.................. 74
Suggested Topics for Research................ 76
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................ 78
APPENDIX....................................................83
Appendix A............................................. 84
Appendix B............................................. 88
Appendix C............................................. 89
Appendix D............................................. 92
v
LIST OF TABLES
Number Title Page
1 American Council on Education Psychological Examination....31
2 Cooperative English Test, Form 0, (Sept.)................32
3 Cooperative English Test, Form P........................ 33
4 Cooperative English '^est, Form 0, (April)...... .34
3 C R of D between M of 0S and M of P...............33
6 C R of D between M of P and 0a ......... 36
7 C R of D between M of 0S and M of 0a............ ..37
8 Gains on the basis of Psychological Examinations
(Instructor 1).......... .38
9 Gains on the basis of Psychological Examinations
(Instructor 2)........................................40
10 Gains on the basis of English Test, Form 0 (Instructor 1)..43
11 Gains on the basis of English Test, Form 0 (Instructor 2)..45
vi
AH EVALUATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL METHOD AND A GROUP
METHOD OF TEACHING COLLEGE FRESHMEN THE MECHANxOS
OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION
CHAPTER 1
The Purpose of the investigation
Statement of the Problem
xhe purpose of the experiment is to evaluate an individual method
and a group method of teaching college freshmen the mechanics of
English composition.
Definition of Terms
Group instruction means the type of instruction which involves
the attendance of the entire group at one time. Material is presented
with the entire group in attendance.
Individual instruction means the instructing of a single individual
at one time.
Mechanics of writing here means punctuation, capitalization, gram­
matical usage, and sentence coherence.
Punctuation means the marks used for the division of a composition
inuo sentences and of sentences into parts of sentences.
1