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Dissertation Information for Nancy Karen Snyder

NAME:
- Nancy Karen Snyder

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (USA) (1993)

ADVISORS:
- Susan Steinfirst

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Elfreda Annmary Chatman
- Robert M. Losee
- Barbara Marie Wildemuth
- Fillenbaum Samuel

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: A cognitive analysis of concept books

Abstract: The author conducted a content analysis of a sample of 197 children's concept books (an informational type of picture book) to determine some of the characteristics of the genre. The choice of characteristics that were analyzed was drawn primarily from research in the areas of children's literature, concept development, and expository text structure. The theoretical framework for the study was schema theory.

Concept books often form the initial model of informational books to which young children are exposed. Therefore, children's expectations and understanding of how information is organized and presented in books may derive from concept books. Much of children's school experience will depend on their ability to extract and process information contained in expository books, so children's development of a well-structured expository schema may lead to increased success in school.

The study discovered that the majority of concept books did not meet a standard criteria for well-structured expository text, that of structural cohesiveness. Information included in almost three-quarters of the sample of concept books were as loosely connected as most shopping lists.

Topic choice seems to be dominated by "traditional" perceptual topics that may reflect out-moded ideas about how children develop concepts. There is a dearth of mental states topics in concept books, for example.

Concept books showed some strengths in presenting concepts in age appropriate ways, by using realistic illustrations that contributed to the organization and explanation of the text, by using regular text/illustration layout patterns, and generally using methods of presenting hierarchical relationships that are understandable by young children.

MPACT Scores for Nancy Karen Snyder

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:20:21

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