A1 Journal article (refereed)
Reading Comprehension Skills and Prior Topic Knowledge Serve as Resources When Adolescents Justify the Credibility of Multiple Online Texts (2024)

Kiili, C., Strømsø, H. I., Bråten, I., Ruotsalainen, J., & Räikkönen, E. (2024). Reading Comprehension Skills and Prior Topic Knowledge Serve as Resources When Adolescents Justify the Credibility of Multiple Online Texts. Reading Psychology, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2024.2351485

The research was funded by Strategic Research Council at the Research Council of Finland.

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Kiili, Carita; Strømsø, Helge I.; Bråten, Ivar; Ruotsalainen, Jenni; Räikkönen, Eija

Journal or series: Reading Psychology

ISSN: 0270-2711

eISSN: 1521-0685

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 15/05/2024

Volume: Early online

Publisher: Routledge

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2024.2351485

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/94930

Abstract

This study sought to understand how well students (n = 274; Mage = 12.45) were able to identify the author, the main claim, and the supporting evidence (identification performance) and to justify the author’s expertise, the author’s benevolence, and the quality of the evidence (justification performance) while reading multiple online texts. The study also examined the contribution of prior topic knowledge and basic reading skills (word recognition and reading comprehension) to students’ identification and justification performance. Students read two more and two less credible online texts about sugar effects on health. After reading each text, they responded to multiple-choice items that measured the identification and justification performance. Justifying credibility seemed more challenging for students than identifying the claim, evidence, and author. Word recognition and reading comprehension were statistically significant predictors of identification performance, whereas prior knowledge and reading comprehension were statistically significant predictors of justification performance. The findings offer new insights into the relationship between basic reading skills and credibility evaluation that can inform both theory and instruction.

Keywords: reading; reading comprehension; literacy

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Ministry reporting: Yes

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1