MEASURING STUDENTS'APPRECIATION

OF POETRY

by

ALAN GEOFFREY SANDERSON

B.A., U n i v e r s i t y of Oxford, 1963

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF EDUCATION

in

THE FACULTY. OF GRADUATE STUDIES

We accept t h i s t h e s i s as conforming
to the r e q u i r e d s t a n d a r d

THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA "

March, 1977

(c) Alan Geoffrey Sanderson, 1977

In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for

an advanced degree at the U n i v e r s i t y of British Columbia, I agree that

the Library shall make it freely available for r e f e r e n c e and study.

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by his representatives. It is understood that copying or publication

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2075 Wesbrook P l a c e
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V6T 1W5
 ii

ABSTRACT

The purposes of the study were: (1) to develop and t e s t a new measure,

of a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y , and (2) to determine the r e l a t i o n s h i p between

a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and (a) c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y , (b) silent

r e a d i n g a b i l i t y , and (c) s u b j e c t i v e assessment by a t e a c h e r of a s t u d e n t ' s

l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n .

F o l l o w i n g a review of some of the major attempts t h i s century to

d e f i n e and measure a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e , the procedures adopted

i n the study were o u t l i n e d . Based on the f i n d i n g s of the r e s e a r c h , i t

was d e c i d e d to employ p o e t r y r a t h e r than prose i n the new measure, and

d e s i g n i t s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r the j u n i o r secondary l e v e l . The test, called

the Poem Comparison T e s t , c o n s i s t e d of twelve poems. Each poem was in

two v e r s i o n s , the o r i g i n a l and an i n f e r i o r i m i t a t i o n , and the s u b j e c t was

asked to r a t e each of the two v e r s i o n s . In order to measure c r e a t i v e p e r -

formance i n p o e t r y t h r e e o t h e r measures were a l s o developed specifically

f o r the s t u d y . These measures were: the Rhyme T e s t , the Rhythm T e s t , and

the Imagery T e s t . So t h a t the s u b j e c t s ' responses would be as l i t t l e restric-

ted as p o s s i b l e , a l l t h r e e of these t e s t s employed an open-ended format.

Two o u t s i d e markers were employed to s c o r e the Rhythm T e s t and the

Imagery T e s t . S i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y was measured by the Gates-McGinitie

Reading T e s t , Survey E, Form 2M. The s u b j e c t i v e assessment of the students'

l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n was measured by a q u e s t i o n n a i r e , a l s o developed

s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r the study, and g i v e n to the t e a c h e r s of the students

i n v o l v e d i n the study.

The s u b j e c t s were grade e i g h t and grade t e n s t u d e n t s i n a l a r g e

 iii

m e t r o p o l i t a n secondary s c h o o l i n an average socio-economic s e c t i o n of

the c i t y . The t e s t i n g took p l a c e i n A p r i l , 1975, and complete data were

o b t a i n e d f o r 95 s t u d e n t s . The main q u e s t i o n s t h a t the study was designed

to answer were:

(1) I s there a s i g n i f i c a n t , p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a p p r e c i a t i o n o f

p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n poetry? (p>.5)

(2) I s t h e r e a s i g n i f i c a n t , p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a p p r e c i a t i o n of

p o e t r y and s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y ? (p>.5)

(3) I s t h e r e a s i g n i f i c a n t , p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between s t u d e n t s '

a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and t h e i r t e a c h e r s ' assessment of t h e i r level

of a p p r e c i a t i o n ? (p>.5)

(4) Do a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y i n c r e a s e

from grade e i g h t t o grade ten? (a=.01)

(5) Are g i r l s b e t t e r than boys i n a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e

performance i n poetry? (a=.01)

Based on the data o b t a i n e d , the f o l l o w i n g c o n c l u s i o n s were drawn:

(1) There i s not a s i g n i f i c a n t , p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a p p r e c i a t i o n

of p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y

(2) There i s n o t a s i g n i f i c a n t , p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a p p r e c i a t i o n

of p o e t r y and s i l e n t r e a d i n g ability

(3) There i s n o t a s i g n i f i c a n t , p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between s t u d e n t s '

a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and t h e i r t e a c h e r s ' assessment of t h e i r l e v e l of

appreciation,

(4) A p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y i n c r e a s e s from grade e i g h t t o grade t e n , b u t

c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y does n o t .

(5) G i r l s , a r e b e t t e r than boys i n c r e a t i v e performance i n rhyme and rhythm,

 i v

but not i n a p p r e c i a t i o n of poetry or c r e a t i v e performance i n

imagery.

The o v e r a l l conclusions f o r the study were: (1) there i s a f a c t o r of

a p p r e c i a t i o n of poetry which i s d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from both c r e a t i v e

performance i n poetry and s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y , and (2) that the measure

of a p p r e c i a t i o n of poetry developed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r t h i s study could

provide a v a l i d t o o l f o r both the researcher and the classroom teacher.

 V

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES •. ........................ v i i

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........ • ... . ' ........ viii

CHAPTER I . THE PROBLEM OF MEASURING APPRECIATION OF LITERATURE.. 1

Introduction 1
Behaviours I n v o l v e d i n Appreciation 4
Conclusion 10
CHAPTER I I . THE BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH 13

Introduction 13
Attempts t o Measure A p p r e c i a t i o n 14
S t u d i e s employing normative measures 14
Normative measures employing p r o s e 17
Normative measures employing p o e t r y 21
S t u d i e s employing d e s c r i p t i v e measures 27
D e s c r i p t i v e measures employing p o e t r y 27
D e s c r i p t i v e measures employing p r o s e 29
Conclusion 31
CHAPTER I I I . PROCEDURES • ' ' ...... 33

Introduction 33
Development of the Measures 34
. Research Hypotheses 38
'• P o p u l a t i o n and Sample 42
Measures Employed 43
Rhyme T e s t 44
Poem Comparison T e s t 45
Rhythm Test 47
Imagery T e s t 48
Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e 49
Response of the Students t o the T e s t s 50
Marking of the Measures 51
Rhyme T e s t 52
Poem Comparison T e s t 53
Rhythm T e s t 53
Imagery T e s t 54
Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e 56
Conclusion 56

CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS OF DATA .... .............. 58

Introduction 58
Item A n a l y s i s 59
Rhyme T e s t 59
Poem Comparison T e s t 61
Rhythm T e s t 62
Imagery T e s t 64
Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e 66
Correlation Analysis 67
A n a l y s i s ^ of.LVariance- •- . 69
Conclus±ojjjs ion 73
 vi

Page

CHAPTER V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ............ 75

Summary 75
I n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the F i n d i n g s 79
Weaknesses of the Study 84
I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r Research 87
I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r Teaching 89
APPENDIX A. SUMMARY OF THE MEASURES OF.APPRECIATION
DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER I I .... . . . . 92

APPENDIX B. THE FULL FORMS OF THE MEASURES DEVELOPED

FOR.THE STUDY ' • '. . 96

Rhyme T e s t 97
Poem Comparison T e s t 98
Rhythm T e s t 112
Imagery T e s t 117
Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e 121
APPENDIX C. INFORMATION BASED ON PARTIAL DATA.... . 122

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ' 125

 vii

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

FIGURES P a
8 e

1. Rhyme T e s t : P l o t of Mean S c o r e s . . . . 71

2. Rhythm T e s t : P l o t of Mean S c o r e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

3. Poem Comparison T e s t : P l o t of Mean S c o r e s . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

TABLES

1. Students I n v o l v e d i n the Study 43

2. Rhyme T e s t : C o r r e l a t i o n M a t r i x 60

3. Poem Comparison T e s t : Item A n a l y s i s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

4. Rhythm T e s t : Item A n a l y s i s 63

5. Imagery T e s t : Item A n a l y s i s 65

6. Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e : Item A n a l y s i s 66

7. C o r r e l a t i o n M a t r i x : T o t a l Scores (Complete Data) 67

8. F a c t o r A n a l y s i s : T o t a l Scores (Complete D a t a ) . . . . . . . . 68.

9. C e l l Means and Standard D e v i a t i o n s . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

10. Analyses of V a r i a n c e 70

11. C o r r e l a t i o n M a t r i x : T o t a l Scores and Sub-scores '"•*•> .

( P a r t i a l Data) 123

12. Number of Simultaneous Observations 124

 viii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would l i k e t o take t h i s o p p o r t u n i t y t o express h i s thanks

to t h e f o l l o w i n g members of the F a c u l t y of E d u c a t i o n f o r the encouragement,

h e l p and p a t i e n t u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t they showed towards him d u r i n g the

w r i t i n g of t h i s t h e s i s : P r o f e s s o r s S. B u t l e r , D. Rodgers, M. R a l s t o n ,

T. Rogers and R. Conry.

In a d d i t i o n , the author would l i k e t o acknowledge h i s indebtedness

to C R . Cooper, whose a r t i c l e on the measurement of l i t e r a r y appreciation

i n t h e S p r i n g 1971 e d i t i o n of Research i n the Teaching o f E n g l i s h p r o v i d e d

the o r i g i n a l i n s p i r a t i o n f o r t h i s thesis.
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM OF MEASURING APPRECIATION OF LITERATURE

Introduction

Few problems i n e d u c a t i o n o f f e r the t e a c h i n g p r o f e s s i o n so much of

a c h a l l e n g e as the measurement of a p p r e c i a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y i n the area

that a f f e c t s the g r e a t e s t number of s t u d e n t s — l i t e r a t u r e . I n the p a s t

t h e r e has been an understandable tendency on the p a r t of E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s

to i g n o r e the problem c o m p l e t e l y , or a t b e s t t o d e a l w i t h i t i n a h a l f -

h e a r t e d and i n e f f e c t i v e f a s h i o n . The p r e s s u r e c u r r e n t l y e x e r t e d on

teachers t o develop measurable hehay.&;o.ur a l o b j e c t i v e s f o r every

:
l
aspect

of e d u c a t i o n i s , however, f o r c i n g the E n g l i s h teacher to t h i n k h a r d e r

about t h r e e c l o s e l y r e l a t e d a s p e c t s of h i s task: (1) h i s aims i n t e a c h i n g

literature, (2) h i s methods of a c h i e v i n g those aims, and (3) h i s means

of e v a l u a t i n g student p r o g r e s s i n t h i s area. I t i s w i t h the l a s t problem

t h a t t h i s study i s c h i e f l y concerned i n t h a t i t examines the v a r i o u s

methods t h a t have been used t o measure a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e and

d e s c r i b e s the development and t e s t i n g of a new measure of a p p r e c i a t i o n of

poetry.

E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s have always claimed t h a t one of t h e i r major g o a l s

i n t e a c h i n g l i t e r a t u r e i s t o develop t h e i r s t u d e n t s ' a p p r e c i a t i o n of the

l i t e r a t u r e they r e a d . The reason f o r t h e i r r e l u c t a n c e , however, a c t u a l l y

1
 2

t o attempt to measure what they p r o f e s s e d to be teaching is.not difficult

to see, for i t lies i n the n a t u r e of a p p r e c i a t i o n i t s e l f . How have w r i t e r s

on a e s t h e t i c s and l i t e r a r y theory viewed a p p r e c i a t i o n ? Here are a few

examples:

Whatever e l s e most poems do, they u s u a l l y succeed i n p r e s e n t i n g a

complex a e s t h e t i c o b j e c t which i s the source and o r i g i n of the
complex a c t of a p p r e c i a t i o n . 1

A p p r e c i a t i o n . . . means t a k i n g t h i n g s f o r v a l u e s found i n them d i r e c t -

l y , and not as a r e s u l t of a n a l y s i s . 2

The a p p r e c i a t i o n of a poems i s the e x p e r i e n c i n g , the r e a l i z a t i o n of

a e s t h e t i c a l l y v a l u a b l e q u a l i t i e s . . . p r e s e n t i n the poem f o r any
competent r e a d e r . 3

It i s c l e a r t h a t a p p r e c i a t i o n i s not o n l y a complex mental p r o c e s s , but

it a l s o i n v o l v e s the e x p r e s s i o n of v a l u e and enjoyment, and for this reason

i t belongs more i n the a f f e c t i v e than the c o g n i t i v e domain of b e h a v i o u r .

Teachers have always been more r e l u c t a n t to measure a f f e c t i v e o b j e c t i v e s

than c o g n i t i v e o b j e c t i v e s . As Bloom has observed, " . . . a f f e c t i v e o b j e c t i v e s

are f r e q u e n t l y mentioned by teachers but they are [ i n c o n t r a s t to c o g n i t i v e

o b j e c t i v e s ] l i t t l e emphasized and r a r e l y measured. I|lt

The reasons g i v e n f o r t h i s r e l u c t a n c e have u s u a l l y been: (1) the

a l l e g e d l y great l e n g t h of time needed to a c h i e v e a measurable change

i n student a t t i t u d e compared w i t h student knowledge, (2) a b e l i e f on the

^HMiB'lack"-, "Some Q u e s t i o n s About Emotive Meaning," iniJ'A Symposium

on Emotive Meaning" by B l a c k and o t h e r s , The P h i l o s p h i c a l Review, V o l . 57
(1948), p. 115.

2
L . Stein, Appreciation: P a i n t i n g , P o e t r y and Prose (New York: Crown
P u b l i s h e r s , 1947.), p..6.65.
;

R. Wellek, Theory of L i t e r a t u r e $ ( New

3
York: H a r c o u r t , Brace and
World Inc., 1956) p.?249/

B.S. Bloom and o t h e r s , Handbook on Formative and Summative E v a l u a t i o n

4

of Student L e a r n i n g , (New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 1971} ,, p . - 226.

;
 . 3

p a r t of s o c i e t y t h a t an i n d i v i d u a l ' s a t t i t u d e s are a p r i v a t e r a t h e r than

a p u b l i c matter, and ( 3 ) the f a r g r e a t e r d i f f i c u l t i e s i n v o l v e d i n measur-

i n g s t u d e n t a t t i t u d e compared w i t h student knowledge. Of these arguments

the l a s t i s probably the most i n f l u e n t i a l . N e v e r t h e l e s s , i t i s now generally

agreed t h a t a f f e c t i v e o b j e c t i v e s are a l e g i t i m a t e a r e a of concern f o r

t e a c h e r s , and t h a t i f they are to be pursued they must be measured; o t h e r -

wise we have no means of e v a l u a t i n g our i n s t r u c t i o n a l methods. For the

E n g l i s h t e a c h e r the consequences of t h i s d e c i s i o n are t h a t b e f o r e "appre-

c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e " can be measured, the b e h a v i o u r s . e v i d e n c i n g i t must

be o p e r a t i o n a l l y d e f i n e d .

E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s have been among the l e a s t e n t h u s i a s t i c about framing

b e h a v i o u r a l o b j e c t i v e s f o r t h e i r s u b j e c t i n g e n e r a l , and the t e a c h i n g

of l i t e r a t u r e i n p a r t i c u l a r . There has been good reason f o r t h e i r position,

however, because "the g o a l s of t e a c h i n g l i t e r a t u r e are more numerous

and more s u b t l y c o m p l i c a t e d than those of many other areas of education." 1

The danger of " t r i v i a l i z a t i o r i * " . ! i n h e r e n t i n the e x c e s s i v e use of b e h a v i o u r a l

o b j e c t i v e s , i s e s p e c i a l l y g r e a t i n the study of l i t e r a t u r e , where a teacher

needs to measure "the gleam i n the s t u d e n t ' s e y e . " 2

Hook summarized the

p o s i t i o n of the d i r e c t o r s of a t r i - u n i v e r s i t y study of b e h a v i o u r a l o b j e c -

tives thus:

J
W. Loban, " E v a l u a t i n g growth i n the study of l i t e r a t u r e , " E n g l i s h
J o u r n a l , V o l . 37 ( 1 9 4 8 ) , p. 2 7 7 .

2
J . N . Hook, "The T r i - U n i v e r s i t y BOE P r o j e c t : A P r o g r e s s Report,"
On W r i t i n g B e h a v i o u r a l O b j e c t i v e s f o r E n g l i s h , ed. John Maxwell and
Anthony T o v a t t (Champaign, I l l i n o i s : N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of Teachers of
E n g l i s h , 1 9 7 0 ) , p. 8 2 .
 4

I t must be e n d l e s s l y r e p e a t e d . . . t h a t because of the n a t u r e of

E n g l i s h some" a s p e c t s of i t do not l e n d themselves to c o m p l e t e l y
r e l i a b l e n o n - s u b j e c t i v e measurement, e s p e c i a l l y at the time when the
in-school learning i s occurring. 1

The problem f o r the E n g l i s h teacher i n t r y i n g to measure a p p r e c i a t i o n

has been w e l l s t a t e d by another w r i t e r i n t h i s way:

What we want to measure i s complex but s u b j e c t i v e ; the methods we

have to work w i t h are o b j e c t i v e but s i m p l e . The problem, then, i s
to make our g o a l s more o b j e c t i v e and our measures more complex. 2

I t i s apparent t h a t the task of d e f i n i n g a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e i n

o b j e c t i v e l y measurable terms must p r e s e n t the E n g l i s h teacher w i t h a

considerable challenge.

Behaviours I n v o l v e d in Appreciation

What e x a c t l y are the b e h a v i o u r s i n v o l v e d i n l i t e r a r y appreciation

t h a t make i t s measurement such a problem? L e t us look a t some of

the attempts to d e s c r i b e them t h a t have been made t h i s century. Not a l l

w r i t e r s a c t u a l l y used the term " a p p r e c i a t i o n " to r e f e r to the activity

f o r which they were attempting to o u t l i n e b e h a v i o u r s . Terms such as

" r e a c t i o n to r e a d i n g " and "response to l i t e r a t u r e " have, therefore,been

i n t e r p r e t e d as b e i n g more or l e s s synonomous w i t h a p p r e c i a t i o n i n so f a r

as they i n c l u d e d the a f f e c t i v e b e h a v i o u r s of r e s p o n d i n g , e n j o y i n g and

valuing.

^ b i d . , p. 82.

2
G.A. Forehand, "Problems of Measuring Response to L i t e r a t u r e , "
C l e a r i n g House, V o l . 40 (1966), p. 369.
 5

Three w r i t e r s who defined the r e l a t i o n s h i p between c o g n i t i v e and

a f f e c t i v e b e h a v i o u r s i n a p p r e c i a t i o n were C a r r o l l , P o o l e y , and Early. 1

C a r r o l l d i v i d e d a p p r e c i a t i o n i n t o three sub-categories: (1) a sensitivity

to s t y l e , ( 2 ) an a b i l i t y to a p p r e c i a t e intellectually the deeper meanings

of a l i t e r a r y work, and ( 3 ) an e m o t i o n a l c a p a c i t y to respond to the fine

shades of meaning i n the b e s t w r i t e r s . 2

He d i d n o t , however, f e e l that

a student would n e c e s s a r i l y be equally strong i n a l l three areas of

appreciation. C a r r o l l ' s three sub-categories do not appear to be

e n t i r e l y d i s c r e t e ; the f i r s t and t h i r d , f o r example, seem to o v e r l a p some-

what. Nevertheless i t i s c l e a r that C a r r o l l f e l t that appreciation

consisted of a c o g n i t i v e b e h a v i o u r ^ - r ^ i n t e l l e c t u a l -understanding, and an

a f f e c t i v e behaviour,—=r lemotionaleresponse.

P o o l e y developed C a r r o l l ' s d i s t i n c t i o n between the two a s p e c t s of

a p p r e c i a t i o n when he d i v i d e d a p p r e c i a t i o n i n t o two p r o c e s s e s which he

labelled "fundamental r e c o g n i t i o n " and "secondary response.'," 3

A funda-

mental r e c o g n i t i o n he defined as an e m o t i o n a l response to the techniques

of l i t e r a t u r e such as we might f i n d i n a c h i l d ' s r e a c t i o n to a nursery

^.A. C a r r o l l , "A Method of Measuring P r o s e A p p r e c i a t i o n , " E n g l i s h

J o u r n a l , V o l . 2 2 ( 1 9 3 3 ) , pp. 184-189; R.C. P o o l e y , "Measuring the
A p p r e c i a t i o n of L i t e r a t u r e , " E n g l i s h J o u r n a l , V o l . 24 ( 1 9 3 5 ) , pp. 627-633;
M. E a r l y , "Stages of Growth i n L i t e r a r y A p p r e c i a t i o n , " E n g l i s h J o u r n a l ,
s

Vol. 49 (March 1 9 6 0 ) , pp. 161-167.

2 2
C a r r o l l , p. 184.

3
P o o l e y , p. 630.
 6

rhyme: the c h i l d enjoys i t w i t h o u t r e a l l y knowing why. According to

P o o l e y , t h i s response i s " l a r g e l y u n i d e n t i f i e d , unapprehended, and non-

communicable i n words." I t i s , however, an e s s e n t i a l p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r the

secondary response which " a r i s e s from an i n t e l l e c t u a l apprehension of the

technical s k i l l o f the a r t i s t and the c o n t e n t of the s e l e c t i o n s " 1

Pooley's fundamental recognition i s obviously an a f f e c t i v e b e h a v i o u r , and the

secondary response has, a t l e a s t , a l a r g e c o g n i t i v e component. Pooley

went f u r t h e r than C a r r o l l , however, i n i n s i s t i n g t h a t the a f f e c t i v e response

had t o precede the c o g n i t i v e response.

E a r l y e s s e n t i a l l y followed P o o l e y ' s approach when she o u t l i n e d the

t h r e e main s t a g e s o f growth t h a t she-saw i n l i t e r a r y a p p r e c i a t i o n . She

first noted t h a t the p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n known t o e x i s t between i n t e r -

p r e t i v e r e a d i n g s k i l l s and i n t e l l i g e n c e suggested t h a t growth i n appre-

c i a t i o n was a f f e c t e d by mental m a t u r i t y . She p o i n t e d o u t , however, t h a t

s u p e r i o r i n t e l l i g e n c e would n o t ensure a s e n s i t i v e e m o t i o n a l response —

i n h e r o p i n i o n , an important a s p e c t of a p p r e c i a t i o n . 2

E a r l y ' s t h r e e stages of growth i n l i t e r a r y a p p r e c i a t i o n were:

(1) unconscious enjoyment, (2) s e l f - c o n s c i o u s a p p r e c i a t i o n , and (3) c o n s c i o u s

delight. A c c o r d i n g t o E a r l y , unconscious enjoyment i s an e s s e n t i a l stage

in the development o f l i t e r a r y a p p r e c i a t i o n . The r e a d e r has f i r s t t o be

convinced that l i t e r a t u r e a f f o r d s pleasure. A t the l e v e l of s e l f - c o n s c i o u s

a p p r e c i a t i o n , the reader b e g i n s t o ask why, and l o o k s f o r l o g i c a l answers.

Vlhid.
2
E a r l y , p . 163.
 7

These two stages correspond closely to Pooley's "fundamental recognition"

and "secondary response" i n that the f i r s t stage i s a purely a f f e c t i v e

behaviour whereas the second i s a largely cognitive one. At the highest

l e v e l of appreciation, conscious delight, the a f f e c t i v e and cognitive

behaviours are i n complete harmony; the reader responds with delight,

knows why, r e l i e s on his own judgment, and chooses discriminatingly.

Unfortunately however, not a l l readers, according to.Early, are necessarily

capable of reaching this l e v e l . 1

Since the early 1940's other educators have attempted to categorize

the various behaviours, both cognitive and a f f e c t i v e , generally considered

desirable i n connection with l i t e r a t u r e . Although, as we have just seen,

appreciation includes a cognitive component, the primary and e s s e n t i a l

component i s the a f f e c t i v e response. Therefore i t i s not surprising that

those behaviours which seemed most germane to appreciation were a f f e c t i v e

behaviours. In 1942, for example, the Committee on the Evaluation of

Reading of the Progressive Education Association set forth seven aspects

of "reaction to reading", a l l of which were a f f e c t i v e behaviours. 2

The seven aspects were:

1) s a t i s f a c t i o n i n the thing appreciated

2) desire f o r more of the thing appreciated
3) desire to know more of the thing appreciated
4) desire to express one's s e l f c r e a t i v e l y
5) i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of one's s e l f with the thing appreciated
6) desire to c l a r i f y one's thinking with regard to the thing appreciated
7) desire to evaluate the thing appreciated 3

" ilbidT, pp. 163-166.

• E.R. Smith and R.W. Tyler, "Aspects of Appreciation," Chapt. 4 i n

2

Appraising and Recording Student Progress* (New York.: Harper and Brothers,
1942)., pp. 245-276.

3
I b i d . , pp. 248-249.
 8

The committee did not define the term "the thing a p p r e c i a t e d " which appears

i n s i x of the seven behaviours. Nevertheless, i t s constant r e p e t i t i o n

suggests that they considered a l l these behaviours to be c l o s e l y r e l a t e d

to a p p r e c i a t i o n .

In 1944 White and Enochs composed a series of o b j e c t i v e s f o r reading

and i n t e r p r e t i n g l i t e r a t u r e . 1
Their f i f t h o b j e c t i v e , "the student r e a c t s

to his reading emotionally and i m a g i n a t i v e l y , " is at the same time the

most a f f e c t i v e of t h e i r o b j e c t i v e s and the one most connected w i t h appre-

c i a t i o n . The four sub-categories which they l i s t e d for t h i s behaviour

confirm that i t i s indeed an important aspect of a p p r e c i a t i o n :

1) he [the student] enters v i c a r i o u s l y i n t o l i t e r a r y s i t u a t i o n s

2) he enjoys the beautiful,tumorous, f a n t a s t i c ... i n l i t e r a t u r e
3) he is s e n s i t i v e to d i c t i o n and the appropriateness and a r t i s t r y of form

4) he responds to the system of values expressed by the a u t h o r . 2

One of the most recent attempts to o u t l i n e the behaviours expected

of students i n r e l a t i o n to l i t e r a t u r e was made by a sub-committee of the

N a t i o n a l Assessment of E d u c a t i o n a l Progress. 3
They f i r s t proposed " f i v e

t e n t a t i v e goals that students should s t r i v e f o r i n l i t e r a t u r e , " which were:

1) understand the meaning of a work

2) r e l a t e parts of the work to the whole
3) make and defend an e v a l u a t i o n of the work
4) respond at a personal l e v e l to a l i t e r a r y work
5) understand the basic metaphors through which man has expressed h i s
values and tensions i n Western culture. * 1

Of these goals the most obviously a f f e c t i v e are the t h i r d and f o u r t h ,

which are also the ones most r e l a t e d to a p p r e c i a t i o n .

1
V. White and J.B. Enochs, " T e s t i n g the Reading and I n t e r p r e t a t i o n of
L i t e r a t u r e , " English J o u r n a l , V o l . 33 (1944), pp. 171-177.

7 2
I b i d . , p. 174.

National Assessment of E d u c a t i o n a l Progress, L i t e r a t u r e Objectives

(Ann Arbor: Michigan^ 1970.).

^Ibid., p. 5.
 9

Based on the f i v e t e n t a t i v e g o a l s the committee e s t a b l i s h e d the follo-

wing t h r e e broad o b j e c t i v e s f o r s t u d e n t s i n l i t e r a t u r e :

1) r e a d l i t e r a t u r e of e x c e l l e n c e
2) become engaged i n , f i n d meanings i n , and e v a l u a t e a work of l i t e r a t u r e
3) develop a c o n t i n u i n g i n t e r e s t and p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n l i t e r a t u r e and the
l i t e r a r y experience. 1

A l l t h r e e of these o b j e c t i v e s , but the l a s t two i n p a r t i c u l a r , are a f f e c t i v e .

However, the problem of .measuring these o b j e c t i v e s , mentioned e a r l i e r i n the

c h a p t e r , a g a i n becomes c l e a r when one examines the b e h a v i o u r s suggested

by the committee f o r a s s e s s i n g the attainment of these o b j e c t i v e s f o r

three sample ages: n i n e , t h i r t e e n , and seventeen. For each age the

predominant verbs are "know," " r e c o g n i z e , " " i d e n t i f y , " "translate,"

" a p p l y , " and " d i s t i n g u i s h , " a l l of which (with the p o s s i b l e e x c e p t i o n of

the l a s t ) a r e c o g n i t i v e b e h a v i o u r s . How such c o g n i t i v e b e h a v i o u r s can

be used t o measure a f f e c t i v e o b j e c t i v e s i s not e x p l a i n e d by the committee.

Finally, two w r i t e r s who have c a t e g o r i z e d the b e h a v i o u r s i n v o l v e d

i n a s t u d e n t ' s t o t a l response t o l i t e r a t u r e are Forehand and Purves. 2

Both w r i t e r s f e l t t h a t response t o l i t e r a t u r e i n c l u d e s both affective

and c o g n i t i v e b e h a v i o u r s , although the terms used by each are slightly

different. Forehand listed the f o u r s i d e s of response to l i t e r a t u r e as:

(1) u n d e r s t a n d i n g , (2) i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , (3) e v a l u a t i o n , and (4) t a s t e . Of

these b e h a v i o u r s the f i r s t two are l a r g e l y c o g n i t i v e and the l a s t two

largely affective. Purves a l s o had f o u r c a t e g o r i e s of response:

1
I b i d . , pp. 8-14.

; 2
F o r e h a n d , pp. 369-375; A.C. Purves, " E v a l u a t i o n of L e a r n i n g i n .
L i t e r a t u r e , " i n Handbook on:Formative arid Summative E v a l u a t i o n of Student
Learning,., ed. B. Bloom and others., (New York: McGraw-Hill I n c . , 1971),
pp. 702-744.
 -10

(1) engagement, (2) p e r c e p t i o n , (3) i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , and (4) evaluation.

Of these c a t e g o r i e s p e r c e p t i o n and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n are m a i n l y c o g n i t i v e ,

and engagement and e v a l u a t i o n mainly affective.

Despite the s u p e r f i c i a l d i f f e r e n c e s i n terminology, the two writers'

c a t e g o r i e s of response are r e a l l y q u i t e s i m i l a r . I f we assume t h a t

P u r v e s ' category of p e r c e p t i o n i s very c l o s e to Forehand's c a t e g o r y of

u n d e r s t a n d i n g , then t h r e e of the f o u r c a t e g o r i e s presented by each w r i t e r

are the same: p e r c e p t i o n - u n d e r s t a n d i n g , i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , and evaluation.

L e f t remaining are Forehand's c a t e g o r y of t a s t e and Pur.ves' c a t e g o r y of

engagement. P u r v e s , who developed h i s c a t e g o r i e s i n c o n s i d e r a b l y more

d e t a i l than Forehand, c o n s i d e r e d t a s t e to be r e a l l y a sub-category of

e v a l u a t i o n i n t h a t i t was simply the e x p r e s s i o n of a p a t t e r n of preference.

The importance of h i s own category of engagement Purves j u s t i f i e d by a

reference to S q u i r e ' s finding that:

I n v o l v e d r e a d e r s . . . tend to be s u p e r i o r readers i n t h a t they open

themselves to a maximum of f a c e t s , accommodate i m a g i n a t i v e l y the w i d e s t
p o s s i b l e number of avenues to the l i t e r a r y e x p e r i e n c e . 1

His last category, e v a l u a t i o n , Purves f e l t was the h i g h e s t of the four

orders of response s i n c e i t always depended on at l e a s t one of the previous

three.

Conclusion

While a p p r e c i a t i o n c o n s i s t s , as we have seen, of b o t h an affective

and a c o g n i t i v e component, the primary and more important component i s

the a f f e c t i v e . For a p p r e c i a t i o n to e x i s t at a l l the a c t of r e a d i n g must

!j.R. S q u i r e , The Responses of A d o l e s c e n t s w h i l e Reading Four Short

S t o r i e s . (Champaign ~, 111.: N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of Teachers of E n g l i s h , 1964) >
;

pp. 22-23.
 11

be a pleasurable e x p e r i e n c e , one t h a t i n v o l v e s or engages the reader.

P o o l e y , E a r l y , Purves and Squire a l l s t r e s s e d the fundamental importance

of the a f f e c t i v e response at any l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n . Even though

a c o g n i t i v e response, i n the form of an i n t e l l e c t u a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g of

the techniques used by w r i t e r s to a c h i e v e t h e i r e f f e c t s , becomes i n c r e a s i n g -

l y important as one's a b i l i t y to a p p r e c i a t e d e v e l o p s , the affective

response remains paramount. Evaluation, as the h i g h e s t l e v e l of appreciation,

i n v o l v e s both an a f f e c t i v e and a c o g n i t i v e response, but i t is s t i l l primari-

l y an a f f e c t i v e b e h a v i o u r . I t would seem to f o l l o w , t h e r e f o r e , that any

attempt.to measure a p p r e c i a t i o n should i n c l u d e a measure of evaluation,

and f u r t h e r t h a t t h i s measure would n e c e s s a r i l y t e s t a s t u d e n t ' s affective

r a t h e r than c o g n i t i v e response to literature.

With these c o n s i d e r a t i o n s i n mind, the f o l l o w i n g q u e s t i o n s are the

major ones t h a t t h i s study w i l l attempt to answer:

1. Is measurement of a p p r e c i a t i o n p o s s i b l e , and w i l l an instrument

show b o t h growth and differences i n appreciation?

2. Does a p p r e c i a t i o n develop measurably i n secondary school?

3. Are there any d i f f e r e n c e s between g i r l s and boys i n appreciation?

4 . What i s the r e l a t i o n s h i p between a p p r e c i a t i o n and creative

performance i n l i t e r a t u r e ?

5. What i s the r e l a t i o n s h i p between a p p r e c i a t i o n and reading ability?

The f i n a l two questions are i n c l u d e d as p a r t of the study because they

cover areas which might w e l l prove f r u i t f u l to e x p l o r e . The answers

t o these two questions w i l l help to determine whether a p p r e c i a t i o n of

l i t e r a t u r e i s a c t u a l l y d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e from e i t h e r c r e a t i v e ability
 12

i n l i t e r a t u r e or r e a d i n g a b i l i t y . A l l of the above q u e s t i o n s a r e , or

s h o u l d be, of i n t e r e s t to E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s , and y e t t h e r e i s a t the

moment l i t t l e f i r m evidence upon which t o base c o n c l u s i o n s . This study

w i l l attempt to p r o v i d e such evidence.

 CHAPTER I I

THE BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH

Introduction

Despite the d i f f i c u l t and perhaps even c o n t r o v e r s i a l n a t u r e of the

task, a number of attempts to measure a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e have been

made. There have, however, been.very few p u b l i s h e d t e s t s of a p p r e c i a t i o n .

Only one such t e s t i s c u r r e n t l y a v a i l a b l e , The Rigg P o e t r y Judgment T e s t ,

p u b l i s h e d i n 1942. 1
Most of the s o - c a l l e d " l i t e r a t u r e t e s t s , " f o r example,

p u b l i s h e d by the major d i s t r i b u t o r s of e d u c a t i o n a l t e s t i n g m a t e r i a l s ,

cannot be c o n s i d e r e d v a l i d t e s t s of a p p r e c i a t i o n s i n c e they confine themselves

to measuring a p u r e l y c o g n i t i v e response. They g e n e r a l l y ask only trivial

questions of the " t r u e - f a l s e " type, which t e s t only a student's knowledge

of l i t e r a t u r e or h i s comprehension of a p a r t i c u l a r passage. One exception

i s the Iowa L i t e r a t u r e T e s t which uses m o r e . a l l u s i v e and imaginative passages

than most t e s t s of t h i s type, and even asks q u e s t i o n s dealing with matters

of s t y l e as w e l l as matters of c o n t e n t . 2
This test i s also one

^.G. R i g g , The Rigg P o e t r y Judgment T e s t (Iowa C i t y : Bureau of Edu-

c a t i o n a l Research and S e r v i c e , S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y of Iowa, 1942).

2
" A b i l i t y to I n t e r p r e t L i t e r a r y M a t e r i a l s , " T e s t 7 i n Iowa T e s t s of
E d u c a t i o n a l Development (Chicago, S c i e n c e Research A s s o c i a t e s , 1970).

13
 14

of the v e r y few to i n c l u d e passages of p o e t r y as w e l l as containing

passages of p r o s e . Even t h i s t e s t , however, comes no c l o s e r to measuring

a student's a f f e c t i v e response to a passage than a s k i n g him to s e l e c t

an a d j e c t i v e t h a t b e s t d e s c r i b e s i t s tone.

In the absence of commercial t e s t s , t h e r e f o r e , we must r e l y almost

e x c l u s i v e l y on r e s e a r c h m a t e r i a l to p r o v i d e us w i t h i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g

the v a r i o u s attempts t h a t have been made to measure a p p r e c i a t i o n .

Attempts to Measure A p p r e c i a t i o n

The b u l k of the s t u d i e s t h a t have examined a f f e c t i v e response to

l i t e r a t u r e have employed e i t h e r normative or d e s c r i p t i v e measures; t h a t i s ,

e i t h e r they have used a m u l t i p l e - c h o i c e format w i t h one response considered

correct (normative measures), or they have t r i e d to a n a l y z e the v a r i o u s types

of response without n e c e s s a r i l y t r y i n g to determine whether one type was

c o r r e c t or s u p e r i o r to another ( d e s c r i p t i v e measures). In the research

l i t e r a t u r e , s t u d i e s employing normative measures have c o n s i d e r a b l y out-

numbered those u s i n g d e s c r i p t i v e measures. 1

S t u d i e s employing normative measures

An e a r l y r e s e a r c h e r i n the f i e l d expressed s u c c i n g t l y the two aspects

to the problem f a c e d by the r e s e a r c h e r engaged i n t h i s type of r e s e a r c h :

A L
summary of the measures of a p p r e c i a t i o n d e s c r i b e d i n t h i s
chapter i s g i v e n i n Appendix A.
 15

The attempt to measure l i t e r a r y t a s t e i s thus s u b j e c t to a double

d i f f i c u l t y ; the s e l e c t i o n of the m a t e r i a l t h a t i s c o n s i d e r e d to be
of l i t e r a r y m e r i t , and the assessment of the i n d i v i d u a l ' s r e a c t i o n
t o the m a t e r i a l . 1

The first difficulty, the s e l e c t i o n of the m a t e r i a l , Fox overcame

by choosing h i s m a t e r i a l from "acknowledged c l a s s i c a l sources of literature,"

a p r a c t i c e t h a t , w i t h m o d i f i c a t i o n s , has been f o l l o w e d by test-constructors

ever s i n c e . 2
The m a t e r i a l s e l e c t e d f o r the t e s t s has been g e n e r a l l y

taken, i f not from c l a s s i c a l s o u r c e s , at l e a s t from w r i t e r s of established

reputation, whereas Fox, however, was.prepared to a c c e p t a w r i t e r ' s

r e p u t a t i o n as a s u f f i c i e n t proof of m e r i t , l a t e r researchers have been

more c i r c u m s p e c t . I t has become common p r a c t i c e , f o r example, t o submit

the proposed items on a t e s t to a p a n e l of " e x p e r t " judges — university

professors, teachers, literary critics, and graduate s t u d e n t s i n E n g l i s h —

and o n l y where t h e r e i s a high l e v e l of agreement among the judges i n

t h e i r response to an item i s t h a t item retained.

A l t h o u g h t h i s procedure i s c l e a r l y an improvement over the earlier

r a t h e r t r u s t i n g assumption t h a t whatever a well-known author wrote was

automatically of h i g h q u a l i t y , i t i s c e r t a i n l y not fool-proof. The vali-

d i t y of a d u l t j u d g e s ' responses must be somewhat suspect simply by v i r t u e

of t h e i r f a r g r e a t e r f a m i l i a r i t y with l i t e r a t u r e . Can the test-constructor

always be s u r e , f o r example, t h a t the expert has approved a p i e c e because

of i t s i n t r i n s i c m e r i t ? Could i t not a l s o be p o s s i b l e t h a t he either

recognizes the p i e c e o u t r i g h t or at l e a s t r e c o g n i z e s q u a l i t i e s i n the

1
C . Fox, "The method of t e s t i n g l i t e r a r y a p p r e c i a t i o n , " British
J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y, V o l . 21 (1938), p.2.

2
Ibid.
 16

piece t h a t c o u l d a c t as c l u e s ? I t would, a f t e r a l l , be an almost impossible

task to f i n d many p i e c e s of w r i t i n g t h a t were of u n q u e s t i o n a b l e merit

and at the same time c o m p l e t e l y unknown to a l l the expert judges a t e s t -

c o n s t r u c t o r might use. Cooper, n o t i n g t h a t most of these t e s t s were

v a l i d a t e d on "mature" judges, suggested that:

I f the t e s t s are to be used w i t h h i g h - s c h o o l s t u d e n t s , then a e s t h e -

t i c a l l y s e n s i t i v e and r e s p o n s i v e h i g h - s c h o o l s t u d e n t s , so i d e n t i -
f i e d by t h e i r t e a c h e r s , c o u l d p r o v i d e the source of v a l i d i t y . 1

This suggestion i s i n t e r e s t i n g and deserves s e r i o u s c o n s i d e r a t i o n . It

would appear, however, t h a t i t has not y e t been a c t e d upon.

The second problem mentioned by Fox, the assessment of the i n d i v i d u a l ' s

r e a c t i o n to the m a t e r i a l , has g e n e r a l l y been t a c k l e d i n the normative

measures by asking the student to express a p r e f e r e n c e , e i t h e r by pre-

f e r r i n g one s e l e c t i o n t o another or by r a n k - o r d e r i n g a number of competing

selections. The b e h a v i o u r measured by t h i s method i s r e a l l y t h a t of

e v a l u a t i o n , a l t h o u g h terms such as "judgment" and " d i s c r i m i n a t i o n " as

w e l l as " a p p r e c i a t i o n " are used by the authors of these t e s t s . Evaluation

is, as we have seen i n the p r e v i o u s chapter, the h i g h e s t l e v e l of appreci-

a t i o n and i n v o l v e s both an a f f e c t i v e and c o g n i t i v e response. It i s ,

t h e r e f o r e , a v a l i d b e h a v i o u r f o r t e s t s of a p p r e c i a t i o n to measure.

A number of v a r i a t i o n s on the b a s i c p r i n c i p l e of a s s e s s i n g student

preference i n l i t e r a t u r e have been t r i e d . In the r e s e a r c h literature

measures u s i n g p o e t r y have outnumbered those u s i n g p r o s e . The most likely

explanation f o r t h i s s i t u a t i o n i s t h a t , s i n c e a l l these t e s t s r e q u i r e a

- ^.R. Cooper, "Measuring a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e : a review of

attempts," Research i n the Teaching of E n g l i s h , V o l . 5 (Spring 1971),
p. 14.
 17

student to r e a c t to p r e v i o u s l y unread m a t e r i a l , the g r e a t e r d e n s i t y of

l i t e r a r y techniques i n p o e t r y a l l o w s a g r e a t e r number of items to be

presented i n the same t e s t .

Normative measures employing p r o s e . C a r r o l l d e v i s e d a t e s t of prose

appreciation for high school students. 1

I t c o n s i s t e d of twelve s e t s of

f o u r passages, a l l on the same s u b j e c t and a l l about one hundred words i n

l e n g t h , but a l l d i f f e r i n g i n q u a l i t y . The b e s t s e l e c t i o n s were taken

from w r i t e r s of r e p u t e , the second-best from l e s s e r a u t h o r s , the third

b e s t from cheap magazines, and the worst were d e l i b e r a t e m u t i l a t i o n s of

the best p i e c e s . The student was asked to rank the f o u r passages i n order,

of m e r i t . The t e s t was v a l i d a t e d on s i x t y - f i v e experts — literary critics,

u n i v e r s i t y l e c t u r e r s , and teachers. C a r r o l l claimed a reliability co-

efficient of .71 f o r e i t h e r the s p l i t h a l v e s or r e - t e s t methods. 2

The

t e s t was p u b l i s h e d but i s now out of p r i n t .

C a r r o l l f r e e l y admitted t h a t h i s t e s t , by u s i n g s h o r t e x t r a c t s ,

i n e v i t a b l y f o c u s s e d mainly on m a t t e r s of s t y l e , and t h e r e f o r e d i d not measure

a student's a b i l i t y t o a p p r e c i a t e a complete prose work such as a n o v e l

or s h o r t s t o r y . Based on h i s own experience as a t e a c h e r , however, he

felt that the c o r r e l a t i o n between h i s t e s t and any broader measure of

a p p r e c i a t i o n would be high. 3

W i l l i a m s , Winter and Woods c o n s t r u c t e d s e v e r a l a p p r e c i a t i o n t e s t s ,

^ . A . C a r r o l l , "A Method of Measuring P r o s e A p p r e c i a t i o n , " English

J o u r n a l , V o l . 22 (1933), pp. 184-189.

2
I b i d . , p. 188. 3
I b i d . , p. 189.
 18

f o r both p o e t r y and p r o s e , designed f o r high-school students. 1

Although

the r e s e a r c h e r s d i d n o t mention a source o f v a l i d i t y f o r t h e i r tests,

it i s apparent t h a t they r e l i e d , a t l e a s t i n p a r t , on authors of acknow-

ledged reputation. The f i v e measures t h a t employed prose were:

(1) Age S c a l e T e s t (A)

(2) Ranking Method Test (B)
(3) P a i r e d Comparison Test (C)
(4) T r i p l e Comparison T e s t - Sentences (D)

(5) T r i p l e Comparison T e s t - Prose E x t r a c t s (E)

In the Age S c a l e T e s t , the s t u d e n t s were asked t o rank i n . o r d e r o f m e r i t

f i f t e e n compositions a l l d e a l i n g w i t h the same s u b j e c t , " s c h o o l , " but

d i s p l a y i n g a range of m a t u r i t y . How the c o r r e c t order of r a n k i n g was

determined was not mentioned. I n the Ranking Method T e s t , the s t u d e n t s

had t o .sort twenty s h o r t e x t r a c t s of v a r y i n g m e r i t i n t o t h r e e c a t e g o r i e s -

those l i k e d , those d i s l i k e d , and those n e i t h e r l i k e d nor d i s l i k e d . In •

the P a i r e d Comparison T e s t , the student was p r e s e n t e d w i t h t h i r t y items,

each c o n s i s t i n g of two a l t e r n a t i v e forms of the same sentence. The

student was asked t o d e c l a r e a p r e f e r e n c e f o r one of the forms. I n the

T r i p l e Comparison Test-Sentences, the student was asked t o r a n k r o r d e r

t h r e e v e r s i o n s of the same sentence. I n each case the m e r i t of the b e s t

sentence l a y i n e i t h e r (1) i t s sound, or (2) i t s l o g i c a l c o n s t r u c t i o n , or

(3) the aptness o f p a r t i c u l a r words. I n the T r i p l e Comparison Test-Prose

E x t r a c t s , the student was asked to rank-order t h r e e s h o r t e x t r a c t s on

the same s u b j e c t . I n each case the b e s t passage had been taken from

1
E.D. W i l l i a m s and o t h e r s , " T e s t s of L i t e r a r y A p p r e c i a t i o n , "
B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n a l Psychology, V o l . 8 ( 1 9 3 8 ) , p p . 2 6 5 - 2 8 3 .
 19

The Oxford Book of P r o s e , the second-best from "an author of intermediate

type," and the worst from a p o p u l a r magazine. 1

The s u b j e c t s used i n the r e s e a r c h were a l l g i r l s aged 11-17, from

different types of s c h o o l . Even though the r e s e a r c h e r s were s c e p t i c a l

about the r e l i a b i l i t y c o - e f f i c i e n t s f o r t h e i r t e s t s , they c l a i m e d relia-

bilities r a n g i n g from .36 to .94 f o r the v a r i o u s t e s t s . The authors

did not g i v e d e t a i l e d r e s u l t s f o r each t e s t , but i n a g e n e r a l assessment

of the t e s t s they found T e s t A to be the l e a s t s a t i s f a c t o r y , and T e s t s B

and C to be the most e f f e c t i v e . T e s t s D and E were both found harder by

the s t u d e n t s , but T e s t D was nevertheless very e f f e c t i v e while Test E was

not. 2
The t e s t s were never p u b l i s h e d .

H a r p i n d e v i s e d a t e s t c o n s i s t i n g of n i n e matched p a i r s of e x t r a c t s

from n o v e l s , without c l u e s as to author or s o u r c e , and v a r y i n g c o n s i d e r a b l y

i n degree of l i t e r a r y merit. 3
A t e n t h s e c t i o n c o n s i s t e d of f o u r passages

to be arranged i n the s t u d e n t ' s order of p r e f e r e n c e . For each item the

student was asked to g i v e a r e a s o n f o r h i s c h o i c e . Criteria of e x c e l l e n c e

for the passages were: (1) r e p u t a b l e source, (2) expert o p i n i o n , and

(3) Harpin's own literary judgment. The t e s t was f i r s t v a l i d a t e d on

E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s , and then a d m i n i s t e r e d to 126 h i g h - s c h o o l s t u d e n t s , aged

15-18, and sixty teachers-in-training. Using the t e s t - r e t e s t method

Harpin obtained a r e l i a b i l i t y c o - e f f i c i e n t of .75.^

Some of Harpin's c o n c l u s i o n s based on h i s f i n d i n g s are of interest.

1
I b i d . , - p . 267. 2
I b i d . , p. 279-•

W.S.
3
H a r p i n , "The A p p r e c i a t i o n of P r o s e , " E d u c a t i o n a l Review,
Vol. 19 (1966), pp. 13-22.

^ I b i d . , p. 15.'
 20

To h i s s u r p r i s e , he found t h a t the c o r r e l a t i o n between a b i l i t y t o

d i s c r i m i n a t e on the t e s t and i n t e l l i g e n c e was much lower than e a r l i e r

s t u d i e s , s u c h as Burton's study mentioned below, had l e d him t o e x p e c t . 1

He d i d f i n d , however, a p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between the student's s c o r e

and the amount o f time c l a i m e d spent r e a d i n g n o v e l s . Of the v a r i o u s reasons

g i v e n by the s t u d e n t s f o r t h e i r c h o i c e s , " i n t e r e s t , " a r a t h e r vague term,

was e a s i l y the most p o p u l a r , f o l l o w e d by r e a l i s m , i m a g i n a t i o n , s i m p l i c i t y ,

and c l a r i t y . 2
F i n a l l y , Harpin f e l t that g i r l s d i s t i n g u i s h e d themselves

from the boys by t h e i r g r e a t e r a r t i c u l a t e n e s s , d e f i n i t e s u p e r i o r i t y i n

d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , and a p r e f e r e n c e f o r e m o t i o n a l e f f e c t s . Boys leaned

h e a v i l y on " i n t e r e s t . " 3

A l l t h r e e of the above t e s t s ( C a r r o l l ' s , W i l l i a m s ' , and H a r p i n ' s )

have the l i m i t a t i o n t h a t , because they employ prose passages never l o n g e r

than a paragraph i n l e n g t h , they c o n c e n t r a t e almost e n t i r e l y on m a t t e r s

of s t y l e . One k i n d of prose t e s t t h a t does n o t s u f f e r from t h i s weakness

i s the type used by Burton i n h i s study of the r e l a t i o n s h i p between literary

a p p r e c i a t i o n and (1) v e r b a l and n o n - v e r b a l i n t e l l i g e n c e , (2) s i l e n t

r e a d i n g a b i l i t y , and (3) socio-economic status. 4

The measures o f l i t e r a r y

a p p r e c i a t i o n used by Burton were C a r r o l l ' s Prose A p p r e c i a t i o n T e s t , and

two t e s t s of Burton's own employing short s t o r i e s . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , Burton

did n o t d e s c r i b e h i s two t e s t s i n g r e a t d e t a i l . The f i r s t , the B u r t o n

1
^ . L . B u r t o n , "The R e l a t i o n s h i p of L i t e r a r y A p p r e c i a t i o n t o C e r t a i n
Measurable F a c t o r s , " J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n a l Psychology, V o l . 43 (1952),
pp. 436-439, c i t e d i n H a r p i n , p. 16.

2
H a r p i n , p. 18. 3
I b i d . , p. 18;

^Burton, pp. 436-439.

Short Story Comparison Test, consisted of twenty m u l t i p l e choice items

based on two published short s t o r i e s , one good and one bad. The second,

the Burton Short Story Choice Test, consisted of an u n s p e c i f i e d number

of items i n each of which the student was asked to choose an ending from

three p o s s i b l e v e r s i o n s . 1
Tests of t h i s type would presumably be good at

measuring a p p r e c i a t i o n of such aspects of prose n a r r a t i v e s as p l o t

c o n s t r u c t i o n , character, and theme. Loban claimed that students' responses

on a p l o t completion t e s t (not described) c o r r e l a t e d h i g h l y w i t h the

k i n d of short s t o r i e s that they themselves wrote, thus presenting an

argument f o r the v a l i d i t y of t h i s kind of t e s t . 2

From h i s f i n d i n g s , Burton concluded that v e r b a l i n t e l l i g e n c e and

s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y were important f a c t o r s i n a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e .

He also concluded, however, that a student-Js a p p r e c i a t i o n was f a i r l y

s p e c i f i c , and could not be judged r e l i a b l y by a single t e s t . 3

Normative measures employing poetry. One of the f i r s t attempts to

measure students' a p p r e c i a t i o n of poetry was made by Abbott and Trabue. * 1

In t h e i r t e s t a number of short poems were presented i n t h e i r o r i g i n a l

form together w i t h three i n f e r i o r versions. The subjects had to s e l e c t

the best and worst from the four v e r s i o n s . " No attempt was made to i n c l u d e

the choice of the worst v e r s i o n as a f a c t o r i n determining the degree

x
I b i d . , p. 436.

2
W. Loban, " E v a l u a t i n g Growth i n the Study of L i t e r a t u r e , "
English J o u r n a l , V o l . 37 (1948);, p. 278.

3
B u r t o n , p. 439.

4
A. Abbott and M.R. Trabue, ""A !
Measure of A b i l i t y to Judge P o e t r y , "
Teachers College Record, V o l . 22 (1921), pp. 101-126.
 22

of the s u b j e c t s ' success, however, because the t e s t - c o n s t r u c t o r s felt

unable to determine c o n c l u s i v e l y which of the t h r e e i n f e r i o r versions

i n each item was a c t u a l l y the w o r s t . In each i t e m the three a l t e r n a t i v e

v e r s i o n s had been rendered i n f e r i o r i n the same way. The v e r s i o n s were:

(1) a " s e n t i m e n t a l " version with " s i l l y , gushy, a f f e c t e d or o t h e r w i s e

i n s i n c e r e f e e l i n g s , " (2>)Ja"prosaic" v e r s i o n , i n which the poet's imagery

was reduced to "a more p e d e s t r i a n and commonplace l e v e l , " and (3) a

" m e t r i c a l " v e r s i o n , which " r e n d e r e d the movement e i t h e r e n t i r e l y awkward

or l e s s f i n e and s u b t l e than the o r i g i n a l . " 1

The researchers confessed,

however, t h a t they had the g r e a t e s t difficulty i n rendering the original

v e r s i o n i n f e r i o r i n one of the three ways, w i t h o u t i n t r o d u c i n g one or

b o t h of the other forms of inferiority.

The poems were v a l i d a t e d on e x p e r t s , and f i n a l l y arranged i n two

p a r a l l e l forms of the t e s t , each c o n s i s t i n g of t h i r t e e n poems. The test

was found to be w h o l l y u n r e l i a b l e f o r elementary grades but had a reliabi-

lity c o - e f f i c i e n t of .44 f o r high-school students, .65 for college students,

and .72 f o r graduate s t u d e n t s i n E n g l i s h . 2

The v a l i d i t y of the t e s t f o r

the more mature groups must, however, be r a t h e r suspect since several

of the poems mentioned by the t e s t - c o n s t r u c t o r s as b e i n g i n the t e s t s are

well-known antihology p i e c e s . The older students' choices could, therefore,

have been based on r e c o g n i t i o n of the o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n r a t h e r than on abili-

ty to see i t s s u p e r i o r i t y over the a l t e r n a t i v e v e r s i o n s . Nevertheless,

the examples g i v e n i n the appendix t o the study i n d i c a t e t h a t the test

c o u l d be e f f e c t i v e f o r anyone p r e v i o u s l y unacquainted w i t h the poems.

It i s i n t e r e s t i n g to note t h a t the test-constructors f e l t t h a t the test

^ b i d . , p. 103. 2
I b i d . , p. 122.
 23

would be u s e f u l , a t the t e a c h e r - t r a i n i n g l e v e l , i n d e t e r m i n i n g a teacher's

competence t o teach literature'.

W i l l i a m s , Winter and Woods, i n the study mentioned above, used

passages of p o e t r y as w e l l as passages of prose i n t h r e e of t h e i r tests. 1

In the Ranking Method T e s t the s t u d e n t was asked t o s o r t twenty s h o r t

p o e t r y e x t r a c t s o f v a r y i n g m e r i t i n t o three c a t e g o r i e s - those l i k e d , those

d i s l i k e d , and those n e i t h e r l i k e d n o r d i s l i k e d . I n the P a i r e d Comparison

T e s t the student was p r e s e n t e d w i t h t h i r t y items, each c o n s i s t i n g of two

a l t e r n a t i v e forms of the same c o u p l e t , and asked to declare a preference

f o r one o f the forms. I n many cases the two forms were the f i r s t d r a f t of a

c o u p l e t by a well-known poet, and h i s l a t e r r e v i s i o n of i t . I n each case

the r e v i s e d v e r s i o n was c o n s i d e r e d s u p e r i o r . F i n a l l y , i n the T r i p l e

Comparison T e s t the student was p r e s e n t e d w i t h a s e r i e s of i t e m s , each

c o n s i s t i n g of t h r e e p o e t r y e x t r a c t s , a l l on the same s u b j e c t , which he

was asked to rank-order. I n each case the b e s t p i e c e was taken from

The Oxford Book of P o e t r y , the next b e s t from a poet " o f i n t e r m e d i a t e t y p e , "

and the worst from a p o p u l a r magazine. The r e s e a r c h e r s found t h a t the Ranking

Method and P a i r e d Comparison T e s t s were s a t i s f a c t o r y , but t h a t the T r i p l e

Comparison T e s t was n o t . 2

The Rigg P o e t r y Judgment T e s t i s the o n l y p u b l i s h e d t e s t of appre-

ciation s t i l l commercially available. 3

I t c o n s i s t s of f o r t y items, each

one c o n t a i n i n g a s h o r t passage of p o e t r y , never l o n g e r than s i x l i n e s , by a

Williams and o t h e r s , pp. 265-283.

2
I b i d . , p. 279.

3
M.G. R i g g , The R i g g P o e t r y Judgment Test.(Iowa C i t y : Bureau of
E d u c a t i o n a l Research and S e r v i c e , S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y of Iowa, 1942).
poet " o f e s t a b l i s h e d r e p u t a t i o n " t o g e t h e r w i t h another v e r s i o n of the

same l i n e s " p u r p o s e l y made i n f e r i o r i n some r e s p e c t . " 1

The Examiner's

Manual p o i n t s out t h a t the g e n e r a l procedure used by Abbott and Trabue

was f o l l o w e d , but t h a t by r e d u c i n g the number of i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n s from t h r e e

t o one, and by u s i n g s h o r t e r passages, the f o r t y items on the t e s t could

be answered i n about the. same time as the t h i r t e e n on the Abbott-Trabue

test. The t e s t was v a l i d a t e d on a group of " e x p e r t s , " c o n s i s t i n g m a i n l y

of 43 c o l l e g e p r o f e s s o r s o f E n g l i s h ; a t the h i g h - s c h o o l l e v e l the r e l i a b i l i -

t y c o - e f f i c i e n t f o r the two forms o f the t e s t was .84. 2

The t e s t does, however, have s e v e r a l shortcomings. One obvious

d e f e c t o f the t e s t , i n both v e r s i o n s , i s the "dated" n a t u r e o f many o f the

passages. None i s more modern than e a r l y t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y , and many of

them have not s u r v i v e d the passage of time v e r y s u c c e s s f u l l y . Another serious

d e f e c t i s t h a t , i n a d d i t i o n t o v a l i d a e s t h e t i c reasons f o r d i s t i n g u i s h i n g

the i n f e r i o r from the o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n , such as the weakening or removal

of an image or the s p o i l i n g o f t h e rhythm, t h e r e a r e a l s o s p u r i o u s con-

siderations. F o r example, t h e i n f e r i o r t v e r s i o n s c o n s i s t e n t l y use more

modern language than the o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n s , which o f t e n c o n t a i n p o e t i c

archaisms l i k e " h a t h , " "bark" (for "boat"!i)> or "shoon." There i s no i n t r i n -

s i c m e r i t i n archaisms, and the t e s t would have been g r e a t l y improved i f they

were e q u a l l y p l e n t i f u l i n both v e r s i o n s .

1
I b i d . , p. 3.

2
I b i d . , p. 10.
 E p p e l d e v i s e d a t e s t i n which the student was p r e s e n t e d w i t h a number

of p o e t i c e x t r a c t s , each w i t h a l i n e or l i n e s m i s s i n g . 1
He was asked t o

select , the m i s s i n g l i n e from among two c o u n t e r f e i t v e r s i o n s of the same

line. The t e s t - c o n s t r u c t o r s were c a r e f u l i n t h e i r s e l e c t i o n of poems, and

listed the f o l l o w i n g "important considerations" i n their choice. The poems

had t o : (1) d i s p l a y h i g h l i t e r a r y m e r i t , (2) cover a wide v a r i e t y of s t y l e s

and p e r i o d s , and (3) as f a r as p o s s i b l e , be unknown t o the s t u d e n t s . 2

As a f u r t h e r r e f i n e m e n t , they chose t h e i r poems from "two c l e a r l y - d e f i n e d

types of p o e t r y - ' d i r e c t ' and ' o b l i q u e ' , and from poems h a v i n g two c l e a r l y

d e f i n e d k i n d s of s u b j e c t - 'nature' and 'human r e l a t i o n s h i p s ' . " 3

I n the

final v e r s i o n of the t e s t t e n o b l i q u e and t e n d i r e c t poems were used;

and of these poems f o u r c l e a r l y d e a l t w i t h n a t u r e a n d f o u r w i t h human r e l a -

tionships. The t e s t was v a l i d a t e d on e x p e r i e n c e d E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s ; the

s u b j e c t s were secondary s t u d e n t s and a d u l t s . As i n the Abbott-Trabue study,

the r e s e a r c h e r s found "... a steady and h i g h l y s i g n i f i c a n t i n c r e a s e i n

t o t a l s c o r e w i t h i n c r e a s i n g age, s u g g e s t i n g t h a t p o e t i c discrimination

develops c o n s i s t e n t l y throughout and beyond a d o l e s c e n c e . " 11

They a l s o found

t h a t females g e n e r a l l y s c o r e d h i g h e r than males, and t h a t , a t a l l age

l e v e l s , s u b j e c t s g e n e r a l l y d i d b e t t e r on the o b l i q u e than on the d i r e c t

items. 5

Perhaps the most s o p h i s t i c a t e d and complex t e s t of a p p r e c i a t i o n of

p o e t r y was d e v i s e d by B r i t t o n . 6
H i s purpose was t o t e s t the h y p o t h e s i s

^.M. E p p e l , "A new t e s t of p o e t r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , " B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of

E d u c a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y , V o l . 20 (1950) pp. 111-116.

. I b i d . , p.
2
112. i2lbid.?,pUlll. I b k b i d y , pr-115. 5
Ibid.

6
J . N . B r i t t o n , "Evidence of Improvement i n P o e t i c Judgment,"
B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of Psychology, V o l . 45 (1954), pp. 196-208.
 26

t h a t changes of o p i n i o n are g e n e r a l l y f o r the b e t t e r i n matters of taste.

He p r e s e n t e d h i s s u b j e c t s w i t h f i f t e e n s h o r t complete poems d i v i d e d i n t o

genuine poems " t h a t had something to communicate" and spurious imitations,

w r i t t e n by B r i t t o n h i m s e l f , " t h a t had n o t h i n g to communicate." As a f u r t h e r

refinement to the t e s t , he s e l e c t e d h i s poems to r e p r e s e n t the f o u r p o l e s

of p o e t i c p r e f e r e n c e p o s t u l a t e d by Eysenck: abandoned-restrained and

simple-complex. 1
The f i f t e e n poems were d i v i d e d i n t o e i g h t t r u e poems,

two poems r e p r e s e n t i n g each of Eysenck's f o u r p o l e s , and seven f a l s e poems.

The s u b j e c t s were asked to arrange the poems i n order of p r e f e r e n c e , and,

where p o s s i b l e , g i v e a r e a s o n f o r t h e i r p r e f e r e n c e . The subjects, 120

a d u l t s and s t u d e n t s , were g i v e n the t e s t t w i c e , w i t h an i n t e r v a l of s i x

months between the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s . B r i t t o n d i d not examine the t e s t f o r

reliability.

In agreement w i t h B r i t t o n ' s h y p o t h e s i s t h e r e was a marked i n c r e a s e

i n the p r e f e r e n c e f o r the t r u e poems shown by a l l the s u b j e c t s on

the second t e s t . B r i t t o n concluded from t h i s r e s u l t t h a t "good p o e t r y

should be read and r e t u r n e d t o . " 2

Lkn a n a l y s i s of the s u b j e c t s ' responses,

a c c o r d i n g t o : (1) age, (2) f a c u l t y ( a r t s - s c i e n c e ) , and (3) sex, produced

the f o l l o w i n g f i n d i n g s . Only the " e x p e r t " group showed an o v e r a l l p r e -

f e r e n c e f o r the t r u e poems. G i r l s , rather surprisingly, d i f f e r e d little from

boys i n t h e i r r e s u l t s , a l t h o u g h B r i t t o n s t a t e s t h a t boys had a significant

p r e f e r e n c e f o r the f a l s e poems, and male s c i e n c e s t u d e n t s had a highly

s i g n i f i c a n t preference. There was a l s o a c l e a r i n d i c a t i o n of a g r a d u a l

shift i n p r e f e r e n c e w i t h i n c r e a s i n g age from s i m p l e , t o complex poems. 3

X
H.J; Eysenck, "Some F a c t o r s i n the A p p r e c i a t i o n of P o e t r y , and
t h e i r R e l a t i o n to Temperamental Q u a l i t i e s , " C h a r a c t e r and P e r s o n a l i t y , V o l . 9
(1940-41), pp. 164-165, c i t e d i n B r i t t o n , p. 197.

2
B r i t t o n , p. 205. 3
I b i d . , p. 200.
 27

S t u d i e s employing d e s c r i p t i v e measures

In a d d i t i o n t o the normative measures d e s c r i b e d above, f o u r s t u d i e s

which attempted o n l y to a n a l y z e or d e s c r i b e the f a c t o r s influencing

response t o a l i t e r a r y work are worthy of mention. These s t u d i e s d i d not

provide a score whereby the i n d i v i d u a l s t u d e n t ' s performance c o u l d be

measured; r a t h e r the responses of many s t u d e n t s were examined i n order

to determine the v a r i o u s p o s s i b l e types of response and the frequency

w i t h which they c o u l d be expected to occur. Not surprisingly, therefore,

the f a v o u r i t e t o o l of t h i s p a r t i c u l a r k i n d of r e s e a r c h has been content

a n a l y s i s . Three of the f o u r s t u d i e s , i n f a c t , used t h i s method. Two of

the s t u d i e s a r e concerned w i t h response to p o e t r y , one w i t h response to

prose f i c t i o n , and one w i t h response to b o t h p o e t r y and p r o s e . The two

s t u d i e s a n a l y z i n g response to p o e t r y w i l l be d i s c u s s e d first.

D e s c r i p t i v e measures employing poetry. One of the e a r l i e s t , and

p r o b a b l y b"est"4known s t u d i e s of s u b - s c h o l a r l y response to l i t e r a t u r e was

made by R i c h a r d s . 1
He would p r e s e n t t o h i s undergraduate s t u d e n t s a poem

without a title or any other c l u e r e g a r d i n g i t s a u t h o r s h i p , and ask them

to w r i t e down over a p e r i o d of s e v e r a l days t h e i r honest response to i t .

He c o n t i n u e d t h i s p r a c t i c e f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s , and used, in a l l , thirteen

poems and two s e p a r a t e groups of s t u d e n t s . The l a t t e r ' s responses to the

poems formed the b a s i s f o r h i s book. One of R i c h a r d s ' purposes was to

r e v e a l what he c o n s i d e r e d was the lamentable l a c k of l i t e r a r y a p p r e c i a t i o n

d i s p l a y e d by the m a j o r i t y of even a p p a r e n t l y w e l l - e d u c a t e d people, i n t h i s

I.A.
1
R i c h a r d s , P r a c t i c a l C r i t i c i s m ^ New York-: H a r c o u r t , Brace and World,
1929).
 28

case B r i t i s h u n i v e r s i t y students.

Based o n . h i s a n a l y s i s o f h i s s t u d e n t s ' responses, R i c h a r d s l i s t e d the

f o l l o w i n g g e n e r a l c o n c l u s i o n s : (1) h i s s u b j e c t s s u f f e r e d f r e q u e n t l y from

immaturity and l a c k of r e a d i n g , (2) women were more d i s c r i m i n a t i n g than men

and c e r t a i n l y more f a m i l i a r w i t h p o e t r y , and (3) even the b e s t r e a d e r s were

inclined t o be v e r y v a r i a b l e i n the q u a l i t y of t h e i r responses. 1

Gunn, i n a study of the f a c t o r s i n v o l v e d i n s t u d e n t s ' a p p r e c i a t i o n of

p o e t r y , used a much more s t r u c t u r e d technique than R i c h a r d s . 2

Gunn's

study i s the o n l y one of the d e s c r i p t i v e s t u d i e s not t o employ content

analysis. He f i r s t drew up a l i s t of n i n e q u a l i t i e s which he thought might

i n f l u e n c e a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y . These q u a l i t i e s were: (1) l i k i n g - d i s l i k i n g ,

(2) comprehension, (3) rhythm, (4) mental imagery, (5) rhyme, (6) e m o t i o n a l

a p p e a l , (7) i d e a or thought c o n t a i n e d , (8) word music, (9) s u i t a b i l i t y of

expression. Gunn then p r e s e n t e d t o h i s s u b j e c t s , a l l boys aged 14-17, a

s e r i e s of n i n e t e e n s h o r t poems of v a r y i n g s t y l e s . The poems, which were

presented over a p e r i o d of t h r e e days, were unknown t o the students and

unidentified. The s u b j e c t s were asked t o r a t e each of the poems f o r each

of the n i n e q u a l i t i e s on a f i v e - p o i n t scale.

There seems t o be a c e r t a i n c o n f u s i o n of terms i n Gunn's l i s t of

" q u a l i t i e s , " s i n c e the f i r s t two, l i k i n g and comprehension, a r e a c t u a l l y

the two r e s p o n s e s , a f f e c t i v e and c o g n i t i v e , t h a t s t u d e n t s c o u l d make t o

p o e t r y , w h i l e the other seven a r e q u a l i t i e s p o s s i b l y p r e s e n t i n a poem.

l i b i d . , pp. 310-317.

2
D.G. Gunn, " F a c t o r s i n t h e A p p r e c i a t i o n of P o e t r y , " B r i t i s h J o u r n a l
of E d u c a t i o n a l Psychology, V o l . 21 (1951), pp. 96-104.
 29

N e v e r t h e l e s s , based on h i s f i n d i n g s , Gunn concluded t h a t t h e r e was a

g e n e r a l f a c t o r of a p p r e c i a t i o n i n which the h e a v i e s t l o a d i n g s were l i k i n g ,

emotional e f f e c t , and a p p e a l of the s u b j e c t . There was also a complicated

b i p o l a r f a c t o r i n which rhyme, word music, and rhythm were c o n t r a s t e d w i t h

e m o t i o n a l e f f e c t , appeal of the s u b j e c t , comprehension, and mental i m a g e r y . 1

D e s c r i p t i v e measures employing p r o s e . Perhaps the most thorough and

c o n t r o l l e d a n a l y s i s of student response to l i t e r a t u r e was c a r r i e d out by

S q u i r e i n h i s study of the responses made by a d o l e s c e n t s to f o u r s h o r t

stories. 2
H i s s u b j e c t s were 27 boys and 25 g i r l s , r a n g i n g i n age from

j u s t under f i f t e e n to j u s t over s i x t e e n . T h e i r mean r e a d i n g a b i l i t y was

almost e x a c t l y the n a t i o n a l average, and t h e i r socio-economic status was

weighted i n f a v o u r of the h i g h e r c a t e g o r i e s . Each student was interviewed

s e p a r a t e l y , and h i s o r a l comments on each of the f o u r s h o r t s t o r i e s were

r e c o r d e d on tape. In order to r e c o r d as a c c u r a t e l y as p o s s i b l e h i s

s u b j e c t s ' r e a c t i o n s d u r i n g the r e a d i n g p r o c e s s , S q u i r e d i v i d e d each s t o r y

i n t o s i x d i v i s i o n s and encouraged the s t u d e n t s to make any comments they

wished at the end of r e a d i n g each s e c t i o n . T h i s t e c h n i q u e had the advantage

of a l l o w i n g h i s s u b j e c t s to be more spontaneous than they would have been

if they^ had been compelled to w r i t e down t h e i r comments or. w i t h h o l d them

u n t i l they had f i n i s h e d r e a d i n g the s t o r y . S q u i r e used two a n a l y s t s to

check-code the student t r a n s c r i p t s , and, a f t e r p r a c t i c e , o b t a i n e d a co-

e f f i c i e n t of .83 between them.

1
Ibid.,-pp. 101-103.

J . R . S q u i r e , "The Responses of A d o l e s c e n t s w h i l e Reading Four Short

2

Stories;(Champaign, I l l i n o i s ; N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of Teachers of E n g l i s h , 1964).

 30

A f t e r a n a l y s i s of the s t u d e n t s ' t r a n s c r i p t s S q u i r e i d e n t i f i e d the

f o l l o w i n g seven main c a t e g o r i e s of response: (1) l i t e r a r y judgments,

(2) i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a l responses, (3) n a r r a t i o n a l r e a c t i o n s , (4) a s s o c i a t i o n a l

responses, (5) s e l f - i n v o l v e m e n t , (6) p r e s c r i p t i v e judgments, and (7) m i s c e l -

laneous. One of the most important of S q u i r e ' s f i n d i n g s was a high p o s i t i v e

c o r r e l a t i o n between the c a t e g o r i e s of l i t e r a r y judgments and self-involve-

ment. H i s c o n c l u s i o n was that:

...readers who become s t r o n g l y i n v o l v e d e m o t i o n a l l y i n a s t o r y tend,

e i t h e r w h i l e r e a d i n g or more f r e q u e n t l y a t the end of r e a d i n g a
s e l e c t i o n t o a n a l y z e the elements i n a s t o r y which g i v e r i s e to t h e i r
involvement. I n v o l v e d r e a d e r s are more l i k e l y to make statements which
might be coded as l i t e r a r y judgments than a r e r e a d e r s who a r e not
so i n v o l v e d . 1

S i n c e making a l i t e r a r y judgment, as a form of e v a l u a t i o n , demonstrates a

h i g h l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n , we have here f u r t h e r s u b s t a n t i a l evidence of

the importance of the a f f e c t i v e response as a component of a p p r e c i a t i o n .

I f S q u i r e ' s study of student response t o l i t e r a t u r e was amongst the

most c o n t r o l l e d , Purves' study was c e r t a i n l y on the l a r g e s t scale. 2

H i s m a t e r i a l c o n s i s t e d of about t h r e e hundred essays on l i t e r a r y topics

w r i t t e n by s t u d e n t s , aged 13-17, i n f o u r c o u n t r i e s : the U n i t e d S t a t e s ,

Great B r i t a i n , Belgium, and Germany. H i s study thus c o n t a i n s an interesting

i n t e r n a t i o n a l dimension. Purves wished to develop and r e f i n e the method

of c a t e g o r i z i n g response t o l i t e r a t u r e employed i n the S q u i r e study. Each

essay was s c o r e d by t h r e e d i f f e r e n t markers, and when two agreed on a

statement i t was coded. Two of the t h r e e markers agreed on almost 90% of

the statements, but a l l t h r e e agreed on o n l y 35-40%. 3

I b i d . , p. 22.

A.C. Purves, The Elements of W r i t i n g about a L i t e r a r y Work: a

2
Study
of Response t o L i t e r a t u r e / Champaign, I l l i n o i s ; , N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of Teachers
of E n g l i s h , 1968).
3
I b i d . , p. 47.
 31
Purves d i v i d e d response to l i t e r a t u r e i n t o the same f o u r b a s i c

c a t e g o r i e s t h a t were p r e s e n t e d i n Chapter I:. (1) engagement-involvement,

(2) p e r c e p t i o n , (3) i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , and (4) e v a l u a t i o n . W i t h i n these

f o u r elements are c o n t a i n e d , a c c o r d i n g to Purves, the elements of response,

that i s , " a l l the p o s s i b i l i t i e s t h a t l i e open to an essay w r i t e r each time

he c o n f r o n t s a l i t e r a r y work." 1

P u r v e s ' team found 120 s e p a r a t e elements which they d i v i d e d into

twenty-five sub-categories. They d i d n o t , however, attempt to group these

elements i n t o h i e r a r c h i e s or a c c o r d i n g to a s i n g l e p r i n c i p l e , s i n c e one

of the most important i m p l i c a t i o n s Purves f e l t t h a t h i s study c o n t a i n e d

f o r t e a c h e r s was t h a t one type of response was not n e c e s s a r i l y b e t t e r than

another, and t h a t the v a l u e of any response l a y i n the way i n which i t was

handled. F o r t h i s r e a s o n , Purves c l a i m e d t h a t a t e a c h e r s h o u l d not t r y to

f o r c e one type of response upon a s t u d e n t , but r a t h e r ask him to develop

and support h i s own primary response.

Conclusion

Although t h e r e has been l i t t l e attempt to measure a f f e c t i v e response

to l i t e r a t u r e i n p u b l i s h e d t e s t s , t h e r e have been a number of attempts

i n the r e s e a r c h l i t e r a t u r e . The m a j o r i t y of these s t u d i e s have a l l measured

the same b e h a v i o u r , e v a l u a t i o n , even though t h e i r methods of measuring i t

may have d i f f e r e d . Those s t u d i e s not concerned w i t h measuring evaluation

a n a l y z e d the types of response made by s t u d e n t s when c o n f r o n t e d w i t h a

l i t e r a r y work.

1
I b i d . , p: 2.

2
I b i d . , pp. 59-60.
 32

As Cooper has pointed out, t e s t s of a p p r e c i a t i o n l i k e the normative

measures d e s c r i b e d i n t h i s chapter have s u f f e r e d u n f a i r n e g l e c t in

schools. 1
Even though some of the t e s t s examined here are undeniably

dated i n the m a t e r i a l used, the p r i n c i p l e s u n d e r l y i n g them are valid,

and as a means of measuring growth i n a p p r e c i a t i o n , t e s t s of t h i s type using

more contemporary m a t e r i a l c o u l d prove t o be v a l u a b l e a i d s i n the teaching

of l i t e r a t u r e . Accordingly, one of the major purposes of t h i s study was

the development and t e s t i n g of a new measure of a p p r e c i a t i o n , u s i n g the

measures p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s c h a p t e r as models.

Such q u e s t i o n s as whether the measure should employ p o e t r y or p r o s e ,

what sources should be used f o r the s e l e c t i o n s , what age l e v e l the measure

s h o u l d be d e s i g n e d f o r and so f o r t h w i l l be d i s c u s s e d in detail in

Chapter I I I . The c o n t r o l l i n g p r i n c i p l e , however, w i l l be the same as that

employed by the m a j o r i t y of the s t u d i e s examined i n . t h i s chapter; the student's

power of e v a l u a t i o n i n the form of the a b i l i t y to d i s c r i m i n a t e between competing

s e l e c t i o n s of d i f f e r e n t l i t e r a r y m e r i t w i l l p r o v i d e the b a s i s f o r t h i s measure

of a p p r e c i a t i o n . Adherence to t h i s p r i n c i p l e determines t h a t i t i s the

s t u d e n t ' s p r i m a r y , a f f e c t i v e response to l i t e r a t u r e , and not h i s secondary,

c o g n i t i v e response, which i s g i v e n the g r e a t e r weight, t h u s , p l a c i n g the

emphasis f o r a v a l i d measure of a p p r e c i a t i o n e x a c t l y where i t s h o u l d be.

C.R.
X
Cooper, "Measuring a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e : a review
of attempts," Research i n the Teaching of E n g l i s h , V o l . 5 ( S p r i n g 1971),
p. 14.
 33

CHAPTER I I I

PROCEDURES

Introduction

Given (a) t h a t there i s a p l a c e f o r t e s t s of l i t e r a r y appreciation

i n the s c h o o l s , and (b) t h a t s u i t a b l e models f o r such t e s t s do e x i s t ,

e s p e c i a l l y i n the r e s e a r c h l i t e r a t u r e , i t seems incumbent upon those

concerned w i t h the t e a c h i n g o f l i t e r a t u r e t o see t h a t good modern measures

of a p p r e c i a t i o n a r e developed. As was mentioned i n the l a s t c h a p t e r , the

development of such a measure was one of the major purposes of t h i s study.

The measure t h a t was developed f o l l o w e d the p r i n c i p l e u n d e r l y i n g

all the other normative measures of a p p r e c i a t i o n i n t h a t i t measured the

a b i l i t y t o d i s c r i m i n a t e on the b a s i s of l i t e r a r y m e r i t between competing

selections. Important as t h i s s k i l l i s as an aspect of a p p r e c i a t i o n ,

however, i t i s a r e l a t i v e l y p a s s i v e b e h a v i o u r , and no d e t a i l e d study has

y e t been made of the r e l a t i o n s h i p between l i t e r a r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and the

more a c t i v e b e h a v i o u r of c r e a t i v e performance i n l i t e r a t u r e . Teachers

have g e n e r a l l y assumed the e x i s t e n c e of a p o s i t i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p between

the two b e h a v i o u r s w i t h o u t the e v i d e n c e of a c o n t r o l l e d study on which

t o base such a view* Accordingly, i t was decided i n t h i s study t o attempt

to provide the evidence f o r e i t h e r confirming or r e j e c t i n g t h i s assumption.

I t was a l s o d e c i d e d , p a r t l y as a check on the v a l i d i t y o f the measures

employed, t o compare b o t h the s t u d e n t s ' l i t e r a r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and t h e i r

 34

c r e a t i v e performance i n l i t e r a t u r e w i t h t h e i r t e a c h e r s ' assessment of their

l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n and t h e i r s i l e n t reading ability.

Development of the Measures

B e f o r e these r e l a t i o n s h i p s c o u l d be examined, however, s u i t a b l e means

of measuring (a) l i t e r a r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , (b) c r e a t i v e performance i n

l i t e r a t u r e , and (c) t e a c h e r s ' assessment of a p p r e c i a t i o n had to be developed

s i n c e no s a t i s f a c t o r y measures were i n e x i s t e n c e . The measures developed

s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r t h i s study a r e d e s c r i b e d i n d e t a i l l a t e r i n t h i s chapter,

but the p r i n c i p l e s u n d e r l y i n g them w i l l be p r e s e n t e d now.

One of the f i r s t q u e s t i o n s to be answered w i t h r e s p e c t to the

development of the measures was: what age l e v e l s h o u l d they be aimed at?

S i n c e the o n l y study which t r i e d out a t e s t of l i t e r a r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a t the

elementary l e v e l concluded t h a t the t e s t was worthless at that l e v e l , i t

was d e c i d e d t h a t the secondary l e v e l was b e t t e r s u i t e d as the age range

at which to aim the measures. 1

S i n c e the e f f e c t of i n c r e a s e d age on

performance i n the measures was a l s o to be examined i n the study, i t was

decided to make the items i n the t e s t s a p p e a l i n g to s e v e r a l grades a t the

secondary level.

The next q u e s t i o n to be answered was: s h o u l d the measures employ

p o e t r y or prose? As has a l r e a d y been mentioned, one of the main advant-

ages of p o e t r y over p r o s e , and p r o b a b l y the main reason f o r i t s g r e a t e r

p o p u l a r i t y i n the r e s e a r c h s t u d i e s , i s t h a t i t s more compact n a t u r e allows

a g r e a t e r number of v a l i d items to be p r e s e n t e d i n a s h o r t space of time.

A. 1
Abbott and M.R. Trabue, "A measure of a b i l i t y to judge p o e t r y , "
Teachers C o l l e g e Record, V o l . 22 (1921), p. 122.
 35

I t was t h e r e f o r e d e c i d e d t o use p o e t r y as the medium f o r the measures

of d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and c r e a t i v e performance i n l i t e r a t u r e .

Models f o r the p o e t r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n t e s t were p l e n t i f u l i n the

research l i t e r a t u r e . The two, however, t h a t seemed t o o f f e r the b e s t

o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r improvement were by Abbott and Trabue, and R i g g . 1

Both

tests used the p r i n c i p l e of p a i r i n g a poem o r , p o e t i c e x t r a c t w i t h a s i m i l a r

version (or versions) deliberately rendered i n f e r i o r . Abbott and Trabue's

t e s t c o n s i s t e d of t h i r t e e n items, i n each of which a complete s h o r t poem

was p r e s e n t e d t o g e t h e r w i t h three i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n s . Rigg's test consisted

of f o r t y items, i n each of which a p o e t i c e x t r a c t of j u s t a few l i n e s was

p a i r e d w i t h an i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n of the same l i n e s . The advantage of the

Abbott and Trabue t e s t was t h a t i t employed complete poems, w h i l e t h e

advantage of the Rigg t e s t was t h a t i t had j u s t two v e r s i o n s t o compare

i n each i t e m . I t was t h e r e f o r e d e c i d e d t h a t the p r i n c i p l e f o r each i t e m

of the p o e t r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n t e s t t o be developed f o r t h i s study would be

the comparison of a s h o r t poem w i t h an i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n of the same poem.

An. One' disadvantage of both the Abbott and Trabue and the Rigg

t e s t was the " o l d - f a s h i o n e d " n a t u r e of much of the p o e t r y i n them,

p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r s t u d e n t s i n h i g h s c h o o l today. I t was t h e r e f o r e d e c i d e d

t h a t the poems s e l e c t e d f o r use i n the t e s t s h o u l d : (1) be taken from

a n t h o l o g i e s of p o e t r y f o r secondary s c h o o l s t u d e n t s c u r r e n t l y i n use,

(2) be predominantly modern ( i . e . w r i t t e n t h i s c e n t u r y ) , and (3) n o t

employ the k i n d o f language t h a t would prove a b a r r i e r t o understanding

f o r some s t u d e n t s . The an.thologi.esatused were designed f o r s t u d e n t s a t

^Abbott and Trabue, pp.101-126; M.G. R i g g , The R i g g P o e t r y Judgment

T e s t ( I o w a - C i t y : ^Bureau-'of-Educational Research "and-Services, S t a t e U n i v e r s
of Iowa, 1942)"?
 36

both the junior and senior high school l e v e l , and were: The Second Century

Anthologies of Verse: Book I and Reflections on a G i f t of Watermelon P i c k l e . . .

(junior secondary texts), and Poetry: An Anthology f o r High Schools and

Poetry of Our Time (senior secondary texts). 1

Apart from considerations of length and general l i t e r a r y merit, the

main c r i t e r i o n for selection of any poem used i n the test was i t s appeal

to students at either the junior or senior secondary level. Poems con-

sidered suitable for use i n the test were f i r s t presented to.students

not involved i n the study f o r t h e i r opinions, and only those that seemed

to have a certain appeal at either the junior or senior l e v e l were used i n

the f i n a l . s e l e c t i o n . Twelve poems were f i n a l l y chosen, and these were selec-

ted on the basis that they.presented a f a i r l y wide range i n terms of

maturity of theme, subject-matter, mood and poetic s t y l e . Only one of

the poems, Masefield's "Sea Fever," could perhaps have been considered a

well-known school anthology piece, and i n the actual administration of the

test there was i n fact no i n d i c a t i o n that any of the poems was f a m i l i a r to

any student, so p r i o r knowledge of a p a r t i c u l a r poem can presumably be ruled

out as a reason for any student preferring i t to the i n f e r i o r version.

-R. Charlesworth, ed., The Second Century Anthologies of Verse: Book I

(Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1969); S. Dunning and others, ed.,
Reflections on a G i f t of Watermelon P i c k l e . . . arid other modern verse
(Toronto: Gage Educational Publishing Ltd. f o r Scott, Foresman and Co.,
1966); P. Dover, ed., Poetry: An Anthology for High Schools (Toronto:
Holt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada Ltd., 1965); L. Dudek, ed., Poetry
of Our Time (Toronto: The Macmillan Company of Canada Ltd., 1966).
 37.-.

Furthermore, i n order t o remove r e a d i n g a b i l i t y as much as p o s s i b l e

as a f a c t o r i n the t e s t , i t was decided: ( 1 ) t o s e l e c t poems t h a t d i d

not p r e s e n t s i g n i f i c a n t problems of v o c a b u l a r y , and to p r o v i d e m a r g i n a l

g l o s s e s f o r such d i f f i c u l t words as d i d o c c u r , and ( 2 ) t o have both

v e r s i o n s of each poem read t o the students on tape w h i l e they read the

poems s i l e n t l y themselves.

Models f o r the t e s t s of c r e a t i v e e x p r e s s i o n i n p o e t r y were not as

r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e as they had been f o r the p o e t r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n test.

Torrance's s t u d i e s i n c r e a t i v e t h i n k i n g , w h i l e b e i n g p r o b a b l y the most

advanced i n t h i s a r e a , are more concerned w i t h the elementary than second-

ary l e v e l , and focus more on performance i n prose as opposed to p o e t i c

expression. 1
In the absence, then, of s u i t a b l e models i t was decided

t o develop s e p a r a t e t e s t s f o r t h r e e of the f r e q u e n t l y c i t e d sub-skills

of p o e t r y : rhyme, rhythm, and imagery. A l l t h r e e of these qualities

appeared i n Gunn's study as f a c t o r s i n the a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y , and

the l a s t two, rhythm and imagery, were among the f i v e elements c o n s i d e r e d

by Walter as most e s s e n t i a l i n a good poem. 2

The other t h r e e elements

mentioned by Walter were u n i t y , c h o i c e of words, and a f f e c t i v e quality.

S i n c e the t e s t s were i n t e n d e d t o measure c r e a t i v e performance i t was

d e c i d e d t h a t a m u l t i p l e c h o i c e format would be a u t o m a t i c a l l y u n s u i t a b l e ,

^ . E . T o r r a n c e , " C r e a t i v e T h i n k i n g Through the Language A r t s , "

Readings i n Human L e a r n i n g , ed. L.D. and A. Crow (New York: David McKay Co.,
1964), pp. 436-442.

D.G.
2
Gunn, " F a c t o r s i n the A p p r e c i a t i o n of P o e t r y , " B r i t i s h J o u r n a l
of E d u c a t i o n a l Psychology, V o l . 2 1 ( 1 9 5 1 ) , pp. 9 6 - 1 0 4 ; N.W. Walter,
L e t Them W r i t e P o e t r y (New York: H o l t , R i n e h a r t and Winston, 1 9 6 2 ) , p. 1 4 1 . .

i
 38

as i t would be too r e s t r i c t i v e of student response. The items i n a l l

t h r e e t e s t s were, t h e r e f o r e , made open-ended.

The assessment of each s t u d e n t ' s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n was t o be made

by means of a q u e s t i o n n a i r e g i v e n to h i s E n g l i s h t e a c h e r . A l l the items

on the q u e s t i o n n a i r e r e f e r r e d t o b e h a v i o u r s r e l a t e d to appreciation that

c o u l d be observed by the t e a c h e r d u r i n g r e g u l a r c l a s s r o o m activity.

Research Hypotheses

The main q u e s t i o n s which t h i s study was designed t o answer a r e

the following:

1. To what e x t e n t i s d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y r e l a t e d t o c r e a t i v e perform-

ance i n p o e t r y ?

2. Do d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y i n c r e a s e

w i t h age a t the secondary level?

3. A r e g i r l s b e t t e r than boys i n d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e

performance i n p o e t r y ?

4. To what e x t e n t a r e d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance

i n poetry r e l a t e d to s i l e n t reading ability?

5. What i s the r e l a t i o n s h i p between a t e a c h e r ' s assessment of a s t u d e n t ' s

l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n o f l i t e r a t u r e and (a) the s t u d e n t ' s discrimination

i n p o e t r y , and (b) the s t u d e n t ' s c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y ?

The g e n e r a l hypotheses f o r the study were:

1. There i s a p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y and

c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y .

2. There i s a p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y and

(a) d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y , and (b) c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y

3. Each of the above s k i l l s i n c r e a s e s w i t h age a t the secondary level

4. G i r l s perform b e t t e r than boys i n each of the above s k i l l s

 39.

The r e s e a r c h evidence f o r a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between

d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n aspects of poetry

i s not s t r o n g . Loban r e p o r t e d a s m a l l study which found t h a t students'

responses on a p l o t completion test ( m u l t i p l e c h o i c e ) had a high correla-

t i o n with the k i n d of s h o r t s t o r i e s w r i t t e n by the s t u d e n t s themselves,

suggesting t h a t t h e r e was a p o s i t i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p between d i s c r i m i n a t i o n

and creative expresssion. 1

The study was not r e p o r t e d i n d e t a i l , however,

and i t s f i n d i n g s are not n e c e s s a r i l y a p p l i c a b l e to d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and

creative expression i n poetry. Nevertheless, f o r the purpose of this

p r i m a r i l y e x p l o r a t o r y study one h y p o t h e s i s was that there i s a significant

p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e perform-

ance i n v a r i o u s a s p e c t s of poetry.

Two hypotheses f o r which s t r o n g e r evidence does e x i s t , however, a r e :

(1) t h a t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n l i t e r a t u r e i n c r e a s e s w i t h age, and (2) t h a t

females show g r e a t e r d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n l i t e r a t u r e than males. A l l of the

r e s e a r c h s t u d i e s which i n c l u d e d s u b j e c t s of d i f f e r e n t ages found t h a t

performance on the v a r i o u s measures of d i s c r i m i n a t i o n improved w i t h age. 2

The s t u d i e s were not, however, unanimous i n t h e i r c o n c l u s i o n s . Harpin,

f o r example, r e p o r t e d t h a t "success on [his prose appreciation] t e s t i s

l i k e l y t o i n c r e a s e w i t h age and experience but the tendency i s not a

c o n s i s t e n t one;" 3
E p p e l , on the o t h e r hand, u s i n g s u b j e c t s v e r y similar

1
W. Loban, " E v a l u a t i n g Growth i n the Study of L i t e r a t u r e , " E n g l i s h
J o u r n a l , V o l . 37 (June 1948) p. 278.

2
A. Abbott and M.R. Trabue, "A Measure of A b i l i t y to Judge P o e t r y , "
Teacher's C o l l e g e Record, V o l . 22 (1921) p. 121; J.N. B r i t t o n , "Evidence
of Improvement i n P o e t i c Judgment," B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of P s y c h o l o g y , V o l . 45
(1954), p. 200; E.M. E p p e l , "A new t e s t of p o e t r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , " B r i t i s h
J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y, V o l . 20 (1950)p. 115; W.S. H a r p i n , "The
A p p r e c i a t i o n of P r o s e , " E d u c a t i o n a l Review, V o l . 19 (1966), p. 16; E.D.
W i l l i a m s and o t h e r s , " T e s t s of l i t e r a r y a p p r e c i a t i o n , ' " ' B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of
E d u c a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y , V o l . 8 (1938) p. 272.
3
Harpin, p. 16.
 .. • 40 -

i n age range to Harpin's, concluded that " p o e t i c d i s c r i m i n a t i o n develops

c o n s i s t e n t l y throughout and beyond adolescence." 1

Despite t h i s s l i g h t

disagreement, the c l e a r m a j o r i t y of the studies, and c e r t a i n l y a l l of

those employing poetry, found that improvement i n d i s c r i m i n a t i o n w i t h

increased age was d e f i n i t e l y to be expected. Another hypothesis f o r t h i s

study was, therefore, that both d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n poetry and c r e a t i v e

performance i n poetry increase w i t h age.

On the question of d i f f e r e n c e i n performance between the sexes the

studies were not unanimous. Of the research studies which commented

on t h i s d i f f e r e n c e , Eppel's and Harpin's both found that females were

s i g n i f i c a n t l y superior i n d i s c r i m i n a t i o n to males. 2
Richards' study was

less c o n t r o l l e d , but he too f e l t that "women were more discerning than

men, and c e r t a i n l y more f a m i l i a r w i t h p o e t r y . " 3 ;

B r i t t o n , on the other

hand, found no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e i n l i t e r a r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n between

the sexes i n his study. 4

.Similar_yT;i:Squire:-f-oundelitt3ie^difference -between

the sexes i n t h e i r types of response to the short s t o r i e s used i n his s t u d y . 5

Although the studies are apparently divided on t h i s issue, s u f f i c i e n t evidence

i s a v a i l a b l e to support the hypothesis that g i r l s perform s i g n i f i c a n t l y

/Eppel, p. 115. 2
E p p e l , p. 115; Harpin, p. 16.

3
I.A. Richards, P r a c t i c a l Criticism..(New York:, Harcourt, Brace and
World, 1929,), p . 312.

^ B r i t t o n , p. 200.

5
J.R. Squire, The Responses of Adolescents w h i l e Reading Four Short
S t o r i e s C h a m p a i g n , 111.:, N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of Teachers of E n g l i s h , 1964),
p. 21.
 41

b e t t e r than boys i n d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y . An e x t e n s i o n of this

h y p o t h e s i s f o r t h i s study was t h a t a s i m i l a r d i f f e r e n c e would be found

i n c r e a t i v e performance i n poetry.

The main support f o r the argument t h a t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y i s an

important f a c t o r i n a p p r e c i a t i o n comes from a study by Burton i n which

he found a h i g h c o r r e l a t i o n between h i s measures of a p p r e c i a t i o n and

s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y . 1
Burton's f i n d i n g i s somewhat supported by

H a r p i n ' s f i n d i n g of a s i g n i f i c a n t c o r r e l a t i o n between performance on h i s

prose a p p r e c i a t i o n t e s t and the amount of time c l a i m e d to be spent i n

novel-reading. 2
Although ned'ther of these s t u d i e s used measures of appre-

c i a t i o n i n v o l v i n g p o e t r y , the h y p o t h e s i s f o r t h i s study was t h a t both

d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y have a s i g n i -

f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n with s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y . As mentioned

e a r l i e r , however, e x t r a p r e c a u t i o n s were taken i n t h i s study to make s i l e n t

reading a b i l i t y l e s s of a f a c t o r i n the measures used. These p r e c a u t i o n s

were most e l a b o r a t e i n the p o e t r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n t e s t , where the l e v e l o f

language used was d e f i n i t e l y h i g h e r than i n the t e s t s of c r e a t i v e p e r -

formance i n p o e t r y .

S p e c i f i c a l l y , the hypotheses f o r the study were as f o l l o w s :

H^: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between the ability

to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y and the a b i l i t y to perform creatively

i n rhyme, rhythm and imagery (p > .5)

^•D.L. Burton, "The R e l a t i o n s h i p of L i t e r a r y A p p r e c i a t i o n t o C e r t a i n

Measurable F a c t o r s , " J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n a l Psychology, V o l . 43 (1952),
p. 438.

2
H a r p i n , p. 16.
 42

H^,: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between each of

the above s k i l l s and s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y (p > .5)

H^: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a s t u d e n t ' s

performance i n each of the above s k i l l s and h i s (or her) t e a c h e r ' s

assessment of h i s (or her)'.'level of a p p r e c i a t i o n (p > .5)

H^: Performance i n each of the above s k i l l s improves significantly

w i t h age at the secondary l e v e l (a = .01)

H,.: G i r l s perform s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than boys i n each of the above

skills (a = .01)

P o p u l a t i o n and Samples

The s u b j e c t s s e l e c t e d f o r the r e s e a r c h were grade e i g h t and grade ten

students i n a l a r g e m e t r o p o l i t a n secondary s c h o o l i n an average socio-

economic s e c t i o n of the c i t y . F i v e E n g l i s h c l a s s e s were i n v o l v e d , three

grade e i g h t and two grade t e n . A l l f i v e c l a s s e s were unstreamed, and

the s t u d e n t s had been u n s y s t e m a t i c a l l y a s s i g n e d t o t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e classes.

The t o t a l number of s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d i n the study was 112. Since,

however, no attempt was made t o a l l o w s t u d e n t s to take a t e s t they had

missed on any day, the number of s t u d e n t s f o r whom complete d a t a i s a v a i l -

a b l e i s only 95. The d i s t r i b u t i o n of the s t u d e n t s by grade and sex f o r

both p a r t i a l d a t a and complete d a t a i s g i v e n i n t a b l e 1. In b o t h cases,,

the grade e i g h t s outnumber the grade t e n s , and g i r l s outnumber boys. The

l e a s t r e p r e s e n t e d group, t h e r e f o r e , were the grade ten boys. The main

reason f o r the low number of grade ten s t u d e n t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y boys, was

a r a t h e r h i g h drop-out r a t e which meant t h a t the a c t u a l number of

s t u d e n t s i n c l a s s f o r the t e s t s was not as l a r g e as had been i n d i c a t e d by

the c l a s s lists.
 43

TABLE 1

STUDENTS INVOLVED IN THE STUDY

Complete Data P a r t i a l Data

n= 95 n=112

GRADE GRADE

8 10 8 10

M 26 12 M 30 18
S
E
X
34 23 38 26

The r e s u l t s of the study should c e r t a i n l y be capable of g e n e r a l i z a t i o n

to the t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n s of the two grades i n v o l v e d i n the s c h o o l .

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , s i n c e the s c h o o l board does n o t keep s t a n d a r d i z e d d a t a f o r

its secondary s c h o o l students i n the a r e a of r e a d i n g or r e l a t e d skills,

g e n e r a l i z a t i o n t o the t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n s of the two grades i n the c i t y

i s not p o s s i b l e . The s c h o o l board does, however, a d m i n i s t e r annually

a standardized reading test to a l l i t s grade s i x s t u d e n t s , and a random

sample of one hundred grade t e n students i n the s c h o o l i n v o l v e d i n the

study r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e i r mean grade s i x r e a d i n g s c o r e had been v e r y c l o s e

t o the c i t y norms. 1
I t i s , therefore, l i k e l y t h a t the performance o f the

students i n v o l v e d i n t h i s study i s t y p i c a l of the performance of many

students i n the s c h o o l district.

Measures Employed

In a l l , s i x measures of student achievement were used. These measures

were: f o u r t e s t s developed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r the study, one s i m i l a r l y

i n f o r m a t i o n s u p p l i e d by the r e s e a r c h department of the s c h o o l board.

 44

developed questionnaire given to the English teachers of the students

involved, and one standardized s i l e n t reading t e s t . The four tests were:

the Poem Comparison Test, the Rhyme Test, the Rhythm Test and the

Imagery Test. The standardized reading t e s t was the G a t e s - M c G i n i t i e

Reading Test, Survey E,' Form 2 M.

The t e s t i n g took place i n the l a s t two weeks of A p r i l , 1975. In the

f i r s t week the Rhyme Test, the Poem Comparison Test, the Rhythm Test and

the Imagery Test were given i n that order, one test per day from Monday

to Thursday. The reading t e s t was given on the f o l l o w i n g Monday and

Tuesday. Because of time c o n s i d e r a t i o n s , the f i r s t two sections of the

test, (1) Speed and Accuracy and (2) Vocabulary, were given on the f i r s t

day, and the t h i r d s e c t i o n , Comprehension, was given on the second. The

Teacher Questionnaire was given to the teachers concerned a f t e r the

students had been dismissed f o r the year.

The four tests and the questionnaire developed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r

the study w i l l now be described i n greater d e t a i l .

Rhyme Test

The purpose of the t e s t was to see how many words each student could

think of and w r i t e down to rhyme w i t h a simple monosyllabic word that

he had j u s t heard. The exact form of the t e s t is given i n Appendix B.

In a l l , f i f t e e n rhyming words were used i n the test. The items were

selected on the basis that they represented between them a v a r i e t y of

vowel and consonant combinations, and that each one could be rhymed w i t h

a large number of other words.

The f i f t e e n words used i n the t e s t were:

(1) stone (2) grow (3) rude (4) lump (5) green (6) old (7) cheer (8) eight
 45

(9) face (10) more (11) dew (12) mud (13) s p i r e (14) clock (15) r i c h .

A f t e r hearing each word c l e a r l y enunciated and repeated, the students

were allowed s i x t y seconds to w r i t e down as many words as they could

that, i n t h e i r opinion, rhymed w i t h i t . They were not shown the w r i t t e n

form of the word i n case they might be tempted to r e s t r i c t t h e i r responses

to words w i t h s i m i l a r s p e l l i n g . There was a short break of about a quarter

of a minute between each word, and a s l i g h t l y longer break a f t e r the

eighth word. The students were t o l d not to worry about s p e l l i n g since

the purpose was f o r them to get down as many words as they could i n the tim

allowed. They were also t o l d not to add any words that they might think

of a f t e r the a l l o t t e d time. Before the t e s t , each class was given a

b r i e f preparatory session to ensure that a l l the students understood the

procedure.

Poem Comparison Test

The purpose of t h i s t e s t was to measure the students' a b i l i t y to

d i s c r i m i n a t e on the b a s i s of value between two versions of the same poem.

The exact form of the t e s t and the key are given i n Appendix B. The test

consisted of twelve items. In each case, the two versions were a short

poem by a recognized poet and another v e r s i o n of that poem, d e l i b e r a t e l y

made i n f e r i o r i n some way by the researcher. The i n f e r i o r i t y of the

second v e r s i o n was caused by e i t h e r a weakening of the o r i g i n a l poem's

d i c t i o n , rhythm, imagery or,theme, or by a combination of these f a u l t s .

The twelve poems were s e l e c t e d to represent a wide range of s t y l e s , moods

and themes. A l l the poems were w r i t t e n t h i s century so that the problem

of a student being u n f a m i l i a r w i t h an archaic s t y l e or d i c t i o n d i d not

a r i s e .
 46

Care was a l s o taken t o s e l e c t poems t h a t d i d n o t pose undue

problems of v o c a b u l a r y . In the few cases where an unusual or difficult

word d i d occur a b r i e f m a r g i n a l e x p l a n a t i o n was p r o v i d e d , and these

e x p l a n a t i o n s appeared e q u a l l y f o r words i n both the o r i g i n a l and inferior

v e r s i o n s so t h a t they would not p r o v i d e s t u d e n t s w i t h an u n i n t e n t i o n a l

c l u e r e g a r d i n g the s u p e r i o r i t y of e i t h e r version.

Here i s the f i r s t item on the t e s t as an example:

Lost

V e r s i o n A: L o n e l y and a f r a i d
A l l n i g h t l o n g on the l a k e
Where the f o g and the m i s t l i e heavy,
The w h i s t l e of a boat
Keeps on c a l l i n g through the dark
Like a l i t t l e child
That has l o s t i t s mother,
And, not knowing what to do
C r i e s out f o r h e l p .

Good Fair Poor

V e r s i o n B: D e s o l a t e and a l o n e
A l l n i g h t long on the l a k e
Where f o g t r a i l s and m i s t creeps
The w h i s t l e of a boat
C a l l s and c r i e s u n e n d i n g l y ,
L i k e some l o s t c h i l d
In t e a r s and trouble,'
Hunting the harbour's b r e a s t
And the harbour's eyes.

Good Fair Poor

In the t e s t , the two v e r s i o n s of the poem appeared on the same page.

The order of t h e i r p r e s e n t a t i o n was randomly d i s t r i b u t e d among the twelve

poems, w i t h the o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n p r e s e n t e d f i r s t as many times as the

i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n . ' I n s t e a d of b e i n g t o l d t h a t one v e r s i o n was the original

and the o t h e r an i n f e r i o r i m i t a t i o n , the students were t o l d i n the

 47

i n t r o d u c t i o n to the t e s t t h a t both v e r s i o n s were s i m p l y d i f f e r e n t v e r s i o n s

of the same poem. They were a l s o not asked d i r e c t l y t o express a p r e f e r e n c e

f o r one or the other v e r s i o n , but i n s t e a d asked to r a t e each v e r s i o n

s e p a r a t e l y on a t h r e e - p o i n t s c a l e : good, f a i r or poor.

In order to e l i m i n a t e s t i l l f u r t h e r s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y as a

f a c t o r i n the s t u d e n t s ' performance, b o t h v e r s i o n s of the poem were read

to them on tape as they read along s i l e n t l y themselves. A f t e r both v e r s i o n s

of the poem had been read t o them, the students were asked to re-read

them and then mark t h e i r assessment of each v e r s i o n i n the a p p r o p r i a t e

box. The poems were read by two accomplished a d u l t r e a d e r s , one male and

one female. Each reader read both v e r s i o n s of the same poem, and their

r e a d i n g s were a l t e r n a t e d throughout the twelve poems.

Rhythm T e s t

The purpose of t h i s t e s t was to measure the s t u d e n t s ' a b i l i t y to

r e c o g n i z e a rhythmic p a t t e r n i n v e r s e and recreate i t . The exact form of

the t e s t i s g i v e n i n Appendix B. The t e s t c o n s i s t e d of f i f t e e n p o e t i c

e x t r a c t s , from two to f i v e l i n e s i n l e n g t h , a l l w i t h a d e f i n i t e rhythm.

In each item e i t h e r a whole l i n e or the l a s t p o r t i o n of a l i n e had been

o m i t t e d , and the s t u d e n t s were asked t o supply or complete the l i n e i n

such a way t h a t the rhythm of the p i e c e was,not spoiled.

Here i s the f i r s t item on the t e s t as an example:

By day the b a t i s c o u s i n to the mouse.

He l i k e s

In the i n t r o d u c t i o n to the t e s t the students were g i v e n an example

of the k i n d of item they would be p r e s e n t e d w i t h and shown v a r i o u s p o s s i b l e

responses. I t was a l s o s t r e s s e d to them t h a t g e t t i n g the rhythm of the

 . 48

l i n e r i g h t should be t h e i r main concern, and t h a t whether the l i n e rhymed

or not and even whether i t made complete sense or not s h o u l d be of second-

ary importance.

A f t e r the i n t r o d u c t i o n to the t e s t , the s t u d e n t s were allowed to

answer the items at t h e i r own speed. Ample time was allowed f o r c o m p l e t i o n

of the t e s t , and the few s t u d e n t s who d i d not answer a l l the items con-

f e s s e d t h a t t h e i r problem was l a c k of i n s p i r a t i o n r a t h e r than l a c k of time.

Imagery T e s t

The purpose of t h i s t e s t was to measure the s t u d e n t s ' a b i l i t y to

c r e a t e images. The t e s t was d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e s e c t i o n s , each one

designed t o t e s t a s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t aspect of t h i s s k i l l . The exact

form of the t e s t i s g i v e n i n Appendix B.

The first s e c t i o n was designed t o measure the s t u d e n t s ' a b i l i t y to

make an i m a g i n a t i v e comparison between two u n l i k e o b j e c t s and defend the

comparison w i t h a r e a s o n . There were f i v e items i n the s e c t i o n . In

each item the s t u d e n t s had to p r o v i d e a comparison f o r a g i v e n o b j e c t and

e x p l a i n the n a t u r e of the s i m i l a r i t y . Here i s the f i r s t i t e m as an

example:

A sailboat i s like

because

After a brief i n t r o d u c t i o n t o the s e c t i o n , the s t u d e n t s worked a t

t h e i r own speed. The second s e c t i o n of the t e s t was not s t a r t e d until

everyone had had as much time as he needed to f i n i s h .

The second s e c t i o n was designed to measure the s t u d e n t s ' ability

to p r o v i d e a number of comparisons f o r a g i v e n o b j e c t . F i v e o b j e c t s were

used i n the s e c t i o n . These o b j e c t s were: an i c e b e r g , drumbeats, falling

 49

l e a v e s , a s n a i l - s h e l l and a h i g h b r i d g e . I t was expected t h a t most of these

items would s t i m u l a t e p r i m a r i l y v i s u a l comparisons, but the second item,

"drumbeats," w a s , i n c l u d e d t o p r o v i d e an a u d i t o r y dimension t o the measure.

After a brief i n t r o d u c t i o n t o the s e c t i o n , the s t u d e n t s were asked

to list as many d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s t h a t each o b j e c t reminded them of as

they c o u l d . They were a l l o w e d t o work at t h e i r own speed, and weregiven

as much time as they f e l t they needed. A f t e r t e n minutes a l l t h e . s t u d e n t s

were e i t h e r f i n i s h e d or f e l t t h a t more time would be of no h e l p t o them.

A number of s t u d e n t s l e f t one or more items blank.

The t h i r d s e c t i o n was designed t o measure the s t u d e n t s ' ability

to complete a d e s c r i p t i v e sentence w i t h an i m a g i n a t i v e comparison i n the

form of e i t h e r a metaphor or a s i m i l e . After a brief introduction point-

ing out the e s s e n t i a l d i f f e r e n c e between a metaphor and a s i m i l e the

students were g i v e n some p r a c t i c e on a sample item. They were t o l d that

it d i d not matter whether they used a metaphor or a s i m i l e , but t h a t they

should t r y to make each comparison as i n t e r e s t i n g or as s t r i k i n g as•they

could. As i n the p r e v i o u s two s e c t i o n s the s t u d e n t s were allowed t o work

at t h e i r own speed, and were g i v e n as much time as they needed to f i n i s h

all f i v e items. N e a r l y a l l the students completed this section. Very

few of them, however, attempted t o use metaphors i n completing their

sentences. Here i s the f i r s t i t e m as an example:

The stormy sea was

Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e

T h i s q u e s t i o n n a i r e was designed to p r o v i d e a s u b j e c t i v e assessment

on the p a r t of each s t u d e n t ' s E n g l i s h t e a c h e r of h i s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n

of l i t e r a t u r e , as d i s p l a y e d i n h i s r e g u l a r c l a s s w o r k . The exact form

 50

of the q u e s t i o n n a i r e i s g i v e n i n Appendix B. The t e a c h e r s were not

g i v e n the q u e s t i o n n a i r e u n t i l a f t e r the students had been d i s m i s s e d f o r the

y e a r , and they had no advance knowledge t h a t they would be g i v e n such

a questionnaire.

The t e a c h e r was asked t o r a t e each s t u d e n t , u s i n g a f o u r - p o i n t

s c a l e , on e i g h t d i f f e r e n t b e h a v i o u r s which c o u l d h e l p to i n d i c a t e h i s

a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e . Some of the items r e f e r r e d specifically

to the s t u d e n t ' s o r a l work, some t o h i s w r i t t e n work, and some c o u l d apply

to both w r i t t e n and o r a l work. As an example of the items and the

r a t i n g s c a l e used, here i s the s i x t h item:

How w e l l does he/she read p r o s e , p o e t r y or drama o r a l l y ?

very w e l l quite well not v e r y w e l l very poorly

Response of the Students t o the T e s t s

In g e n e r a l , the response of the s t u d e n t s t o the t e s t s was one of

interest and c o o p e r a t i o n . They were t o l d t h a t they had been s e l e c t e d

as p a r t of a study of s t u d e n t s ' a t t i t u d e s towards l i t e r a t u r e , and they

were assured t h a t t h e i r performance on the t e s t s would have no effect

on t h e i r t e a c h e r ' s assessment of t h e i r achievement i n E n g l i s h . The fact

t h a t each s t u d e n t was g i v e n a randomly a s s i g n e d number w i t h which to

i d e n t i f y h i m s e l f on h i s t e s t papers h e l p e d t o r e a s s u r e them t h a t the

r e s u l t s of the t e s t s would be b o t h anonymous and confidential.

The s t u d e n t s found the Rhythm and Imagery T e s t s d e f i n i t e l y the

most d i f f i c u l t of the f o u r t e s t s developed f o r the study. This situation

was made apparent both by comments made by the students a f t e r the completion

of the t e s t s , and by the f a c t t h a t these were the o n l y t e s t s t h a t some

students f a i l e d to complete. The Rhyme and the Poem Comparison T e s t s

 51

apparently o f f e r e d no p a r t i c u l a r d i f f i c u l t y . When asked a f t e r the comple-

t i o n of the Poem Comparison Test whether they had found the taped readings

of the poems h e l p f u l , the students' unanimous response was,that they

had.

One rather s u r p r i s i n g feature of the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n of the Poem

Comparison Test was the speed w i t h which many of the students, e s p e c i a l -

ly the grade e i g h t s , made up t h e i r minds on the versions of the poems.

Even though they had been encouraged to re-read the two versions a f t e r

hearing them read to them on tape before making t h e i r decisions about

them, few of the younger students seemed to do so except i n the most

cursory fashion. In the l i g h t of both Squire's and Purves' comments

on the importance of involvement or engagement i n the l i t e r a r y work as

a p r e c o n d i t i o n of a p p r e c i a t i o n , t h i s behaviour on the part of many of

the students would seem to i n d i c a t e a r e l a t i v e l y low l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n

of the passages i n the t e s t . 1

Marking of the Measures

The f i v e measures developed f o r the study presented varying amounts

of d i f f i c u l t y i n , t h e i r scoring, depending mainly on the degree of

s u b j e c t i v i t y i n v o l v e d . The Poem Comparison Test and the Teacher Question-

n a i r e , because of t h e i r o b j e c t i v e format, presented no problems. The

Rhyme Test presented a few problems, but was s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d enough to

•^J.R. Squire, The Responses of Adolescents w h i l e Reading Four Short

Stories (Champaign,
s Illinois:, N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of Teachers of E n g l i s h , 1964) ,
p. 22; A.C. Purves, " E v a l u a t i o n of Learning i n L i t e r a t u r e , " Handbook on
Formative and Summative E v a l u a t i o n of Student Learning, ed. B.S. Bloom and
o t h e r s , (New York:, McGraw-Hill Inc., 1971),, p. 733.
 52

be s c o r e d by one person. The Rhythm T e s t and the f i r s t and third sections

of the Imagery T e s t , however, were c o n s i d e r e d too s u b j e c t i v e to be scored

by one marker. Consequently, two markers, both E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s un-

f a m i l i a r w i t h the s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d i n the study, were used i n these tests.

The d e s c r i p t i o n of the marking of the measures w i l l f o l l o w the same

order as t h a t used i n the d e s c r i p t i o n of the measures.

Rhyme T e s t

T h i s t e s t was scored on the b a s i s of one p o i n t f o r every acceptable

rhyming word p r o v i d e d by the s t u d e n t . A l l the s t u d e n t s ' papers were

marked o n l y by the r e s e a r c h e r . R e l a t i v e l y few of the s t u d e n t s ' responses

had t o be r e j e c t e d . The main reasons f o r r e j e c t i o n , i n approximate order

of frequency, were: use of spontaneous coinages such as "mump" to

rhyme w i t h "lump," r e p e t i t i o n of a word a l r e a d y used, use of a non-rhyming

word, and illegibility. The m i s s p e l l i n g of a word, as was indicated to

the s t u d e n t s i n the i n s t r u c t i o n s , was not a cause f o r r e j e c t i o n , although

a repeated homonym was counted as o n l y one word u n l e s s t h e r e was a clear

d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n between the v a r i o u s s p e l l i n g s . A marked tendency towards

p h o n e t i c s p e l l i n g s was, i n f a c t , n o t i c e a b l e among the s t u d e n t s , perhaps

a t t r i b u t a b l e to the n a t u r e of the t e s t . So f a r as the language l e v e l of

the words used by the s t u d e n t s was concerned, the marker was lenient,

a c c e p t i n g any non-standard word t h a t he was famil-iar w i t h . A similar

l a t i t u d e was.granted w i t h r e s p e c t to v a r i a n t p r o n u n c i a t i o n s , a l t h o u g h the

marker f i n a l l y d e c i d e d t h a t " m i r r o r " was not an a c c e p t a b l e rhyme f o r

"cheer." Because of the g e n e r a l s p i r i t of t o l e r a n c e w i t h which the test

was marked, the p r o p o r t i o n of r e j e c t e d responses was f o r most of the

students v e r y low.
 53

Poem C o m p a r i s o n Test

T h i s t e s t was m a r k e d o u t o f a t o t a l o f t w e n t y - f o u r , w i t h each

of t h e t w e l v e i t e m s b e i n g marked on a t h r e e - p o i n t s c a l e . I f the student

indicated t h a t he t h o u g h t t h e o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n o f t h e poem was b e t t e r than

t h e i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n h e r e c e i v e d two m a r k s . The d e g r e e o f p r e f e r e n c e shown

was n o t t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n t . He c o u l d , t h e r e f o r e , r a t e t h e o r i g i n a l

v e r s i o n as "good" and t h e i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n as " f a i r " or "poor." He

c o u l d a l s o r a t e t h e o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n as " f a i r " and t h e i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n

as " p o o r . " A l l three of these responses were accorded equal value.

Similarly, i f t h e s t u d e n t r a t e d t h e t w o v e r s i o n s o f t h e poem a s b e i n g

e q u a l i n v a l u e h e r e c e i v e d one m a r k , r e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r h e r a t e d them

both as "good," " f a i r " or "poor." Finally, i f t h e s t u d e n t gave t h e

i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n a h i g h e r r a t i n g o f any s o r t than t h e o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n

he r e c e i v e d no m a r k .

Rhythm T e s t

In order t o obtain greater r e l i a b i l i t y i n the s c o r i n g of t h i s test,

two outside markers, both E n g l i s h teachers unfamiliar w i t h the students

i n v o l v e d i n t h e s t u d y , were employed. Because the s t u d e n t s ' o n l y

identification o n t h e t e s t p a p e r was a r a n d o m l y a s s i g n e d n u m b e r , t h e

markers were unaware o f any s t u d e n t ' s grade o r s e x . A l t h o u g h the markers

worked s e p a r a t e l y , t h e a c t u a l marking was p r e c e d e d by d i s c u s s i o n w i t h t h e

two m a r k e r s t o g e t h e r a b o u t t h e g e n e r a l c r i t e r i a t o be a p p l i e d i n t h e

marking. A few sample papers w e r e a l s o e x a m i n e d a n d a g r e e m e n t was reached

on s t a n d a r d s . The f i n a l s c o r e f o r e a c h s t u d e n t was a " p o o l e d " score,

reached by adding t h e two m a r k e r s ' s c o r e s t o g e t h e r and d i v i d i n g by two.

 54

The t e s t was marked out of a t o t a l of t h i r t y , w i t h each of the

f i f t e e n items b e i n g marked on a t h r e e - p o i n t scale. For each item the

marker had to d e c i d e how w e l l the rhythm of the l i n e completed or supplied

by the student f i t t e d the p a t t e r n e s t a b l i s h e d by the other lines. He then

awarded the student two, one or no p o i n t s , depending on whether he thought

the s t u d e n t ' s l i n e f i t t e d the p a t t e r n w e l l , s a t i s f a c t o r i l y or poorly.

No d i s t i n c t i o n was made between a poor response and no response a t a l l ;

b o t h r e c e i v e d no p o i n t s . The markers were i n s t r u c t e d to d i s r e g a r d such

m a t t e r s as s p e l l i n g , the meaning of the l i n e or the presence or absence

of rhyme. They were a l s o not informed of the line originally supplied

by the poet i n case t h i s knowledge would make them too r i g i d i n their

expectations. Furthermore, i t was pointed out to them t h a t the rhythm

of some of the l i n e s was s u f f i c i e n t l y s o p h i s t i c a t e d t h a t more than one

response would be acceptable. Items seven, e i g h t , ten and eleven, in

particular, f e l l into this category.

Imagery Test

As mentioned p r e v i o u s l y , t h i s t e s t was d i v i d e d i n t o three sections,

andthe two markers who marked the Rhythm T e s t a l s o marked the f i r s t and

t h i r d s e c t i o n s of t h i s t e s t . The general remarks made about the procedures

followed by the markers i n the Rhythm T e s t a l s o apply to those two sections

of t h i s t e s t . The same t h r e e - p o i n t r a t i n g s c a l e was used, and the method of

determining the s t u d e n t ' s f i n a l s c o r e f o r each s e c t i o n was the same. The

second s e c t i o n was marked o n l y by the r e s e a r c h e r because l e s s s u b j e c t i v e

judgment was involved.

The first s e c t i o n was marked out of a t o t a l of t e n . For each of the

f i v e items the marker had to d e c i d e how e f f e c t i v e he found each comparison

 55

and i t s s u p p o r t i n g reason taken t o g e t h e r . Depending on whether he thought

the s t u d e n t ' s response t o an item was good, s a t i s f a c t o r y or poor, the

marker awarded a s c o r e of two, one or z e r o . The r e l a t i v e l y low c o r r e l a t i o n s

between the two markers' scores, and t h e low r e l i a b i l i t y c o - e f f i c i e n t s ob-

t a i n e d f o r each marker, as shown i n Chapter IV, suggest t h a t t h i s section

was the l e a s t r e l i a b l e of a l l the t e s t s .

In the second s e c t i o n no attempt was made t o judge the q u a l i t y of

the s t u d e n t ' s r e s p o n s e s , the purpose b e i n g simply t o r e c o r d the number

of a c c e p t a b l e responses made. An a c c e p t a b l e response was one t h a t

d i s p l a y e d some s i m i l a r i t y t o t h e o b j e c t g i v e n i n the item. F o r example,

"an i c e cube i n a d r i n k " was regarded as an a c c e p t a b l e response t o the

first item "an i c e b e r g . " Responses which i n the r e s e a r c h e r ' s o p i n i o n

bore no s i m i l a r i t y t o the item o b j e c t were r e j e c t e d . The commonest type

of response t o be r e j e c t e d was a p u r e l y a s s o c i a t i o n a l one. It i s

p o s s i b l e t h a t t h e wording of t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s , which asked the student

to w r i t e down as many t h i n g s t h a t the o b j e c t "reminded him o f " as he

c o u l d , was r e s p o n s i b l e f o r l e a d i n g some s t u d e n t s a s t r a y . I t was, however,

s t r e s s e d t o a l l the s t u d e n t s t h a t "remind you o f " i n t h i s c o n t e x t meant

"have s i m i l a r i t y t o . " I t i s , t h e r e f o r e , more l i k e l y t h a t the a s s o c i a t i o n a l

responses g i v e n by some s t u d e n t s were n o t the r e s u l t of a m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g

of the i n s t r u c t i o n s so much as the r e s u l t of a d e s i r e t o get a t l e a s t

something down on paper. The s t u d e n t ' s t o t a l s c o r e . f o r t h i s section

was simply the number of a c c e p t a b l e . r e s p o n s e s made. Here a r e some examples

of accepted and r e j e c t e d responses f o r the f o u r t h item, a s n a i l - s h e l l :

accepted: an ice-cream cone, a house, a d a n i s h p a s t r y , a w i z a r d ' s

hat

rejected: an o p t i c a l i l l u s i o n , the ocean, sea-shells, a slug

 56

The t h i r d s e c t i o n , l i k e the f i r s t , was marked out of a t o t a l of t e n .

F o r each of the f i v e items the marker had to d e c i d e whether the student's

completion of each sentence was good, s a t i s f a c t o r y or poor. Depending

on whether he thought the s t u d e n t ' s response to an i t e m was good,

s a t i s f a c t o r y or poor, the marker awarded a s c o r e of two, one or z e r o .

Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e

The q u e s t i o n n a i r e was marked out of a t o t a l of twenty-four, with

each of the e i g h t items r a t e d on a f o u r - p o i n t s c a l e . The four possible

responses the teacher c o u l d make to each q u e s t i o n were g i v e n the numerical

v a l u e s of t h r e e , two, one and zero. The s c o r e of t h r e e was.accorded

the b e s t response and the s c o r e of zero was accorded the w o r s t .

Some of the f i v e t e a c h e r s i n v o l v e d commented t h a t they had diffi-

c u l t y completing the q u e s t i o n n a i r e a c c u r a t e l y because s e v e r a l of the

q u e s t i o n s r e f e r r e d to b e h a v i o u r s t h a t they d i d not p a r t i c u l a r l y stress

i n t h e i r classrooms. They c i t e d e s p e c i a l l y the q u e s t i o n s r e l a t i n g to

o r a l work. T h i s d i f f i c u l t y , e x p e r i e n c e d by some, i f not a l l , of the

t e a c h e r s , c a s t s a c e r t a i n doubt on the v a l i d i t y of the r e s u l t s obtained

by the q u e s t i o n n a i r e .

Conclusion

The measures developed f o r t h i s study and the procedures followed

i n t h e i r a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and marking, though not without some weaknesses,

s h o u l d c e r t a i n l y be adequate f o r t e s t i n g the hypotheses p r e s e n t e d i n this

chapter. By the means d e s c r i b e d above data can be c o l l e c t e d which can

i n d i c a t e whether f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h i n t h i s a r e a i s warranted, and, i f so,

which d i r e c t i o n i t should take. S i n c e the a r e a w i t h which t h i s study i s

concerned, the measurement of a p p r e c i a t i o n and i t s r e l a t i o n s h i p with

c r e a t i v e performance i n l i t e r a t u r e , i s not one i n which e x t e n s i v e research

has a l r e a d y taken p l a c e , any i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t the data can p r o v i d e should

be of c o n s i d e r a b l e i n t e r e s t and v a l u e to educators.
 CHAPTER IV.

ANALYSIS OF DATA

Introduction

The g e n e r a l purpose of the study was t o examine the c o r r e l a t i o n s be-

tween: (1) s t u d e n t s ' a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y , (2) t h e i r c r e a t i v e performance

i n three a s p e c t s o f p o e t r y , (3) t h e i r s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y , and (4) t h e i r

t e a c h e r s ' assessment of t h e i r l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n , as d i s p l a y e d i n t h e i r

classwork. The e f f e c t of two independent v a r i a b l e s , age and sex, on

performance i n each of the above s k i l l s was a l s o examined.

S p e c i f i c a l l y , the r e s e a r c h hypotheses f o r the study were:

H^: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e correlation between the a b i l i t y t o

d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y and the a b i l i t y t o perform c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme,

rhythm and imagery (p>.5)

H2: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e correlation between each of the above

s k i l l s and s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y (p>.5)

H^: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e correlation between a s t u d e n t ' s

performance i n each of the above s k i l l s and h i s t e a c h e r ' s assessment

of h i s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n (p>.5)

H^: Performance i n each of the above s k i l l s improves s i g n i f i c a n t l y w i t h

age a t the secondary l e v e l (a=.01)

H,.: G i r l s p e r f o r m s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than boys i n each of the above

skills (ct=.01)

58
 59

The d a t a t o t e s t the above hypotheses were c o l l e c t e d by the f o l l o w i n g

measures: f o u r t e s t s and a q u e s t i o n n a i r e developed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r the

study, and a s t a n d a r d i z e d s i l e n t r e a d i n g t e s t . S i l e n t reading ability

was measured by the G a t e s - M c G i n i t i e Reading T e s t (Survey E, Form 2 M).

The a b i l i t y t o d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y was measured by the Poem Comparison

Test. The a b i l i t y t o perform c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme, rhythm and imagery

was measured by: (1) the Rhyme T e s t , (2) the Rhythm T e s t , and (3) the

Imagery T e s t . The t e a c h e r ' s assessment of the s t u d e n t ' s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n

was measured by the Teacher Questionnaire. S i n c e a l l the measures, except

the s t a n d a r d i z e d r e a d i n g t e s t , were developed as p a r t of the p r e s e n t study,

an item a n a l y s i s was performed f o r each.

The s u b j e c t s used i n the study were grade e i g h t and grade t e n s t u d e n t s

i n a l a r g e m e t r o p o l i t a n h i g h s c h o o l . Because no attempt was made t o a l l o w

s t u d e n t s t o take a t e s t they had missed on any day, p a r t i a l d a t a a r e

a v a i l a b l e f o r 112 s t u d e n t s , b u t complete d a t a a r e a v a i l a b l e f o r o n l y 95.

The sample s i z e s f o r both cases a r e summarized i n T a b l e 1 i n Chapter I I I .

Item A n a l y s i s

Item a n a l y s i s was performed on each of the f o u r t e s t s and the q u e s t i o n -

n a i r e developed specifically f o r the study. The r e s u l t s of these a n a l y s e s

are p r e s e n t e d below i n the f o l l o w i n g o r d e r : Rhyme T e s t , Poem Comparison

T e s t , Rhythm T e s t , Imagery T e s t , and Teacher Questionnaire.

Rhyme T e s t

For the 105 students who took t h i s t e s t c o r r e l a t i o n s were o b t a i n e d

between each item and the o t h e r f o u r t e e n items, and between each i t e m and

the t o t a l s c o r e . The r e s u l t s of t h i s a n a l y s i s a r e summarized i n T a b l e 2.

 TABLE 2

RHYME TEST: CORRELATION MATRIX*

n=105

ITEM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 TOTA

1 73 67 73 70 73 75 76 62 73 67 59 68 68 73 86

2 68 72 69 65 71 72 67 68 74 53 70 70 72 86

3 65 62 65 67 69 56 68 66 51 77 77 62 80

4 65 73 79 77 69 74 66 59 73 73 71 87

5 65 63 64 55 64 64 54 65 65 66 78

6 75 75 59 72 56 54 66 66 68 82

7 76 62 82 71 56 79 79 70 88

8 64 78 69 67 79 79 79 90

9 63 59 47 59 59 62 75

10 70 60 74 74 76 88

11 56 80 80 69 84

12 58 58 56 70

13
•
69 69 87

14 69 86

15 83

COTAL -
(U-1
,±5 15 . \
Mean i n t e r - i t e m c o r r e l a t i o n =
\ 1 .1=1+1
I « J .69
z

15 15
I I
L=I j=_+r
Mean i t e m / t e s t correlation-.84

*decimal point omitted

 61

The mean c o r r e l a t i o n between each i t e m and the t o t a l s c o r e was .84. As

a measure of i n t e r n a l c o n s i s t e n c y the mean i n t e r - i t e m c o r r e l a t i o n was

computed u s i n g F i s h e r ' s z. T h i s c o r r e l a t i o n was .69. Examination of the

item/test correlations reveals that a l l the items behaved i n the p r o p e r

d i r e c t i o n : that i s , they a l l had a p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n w i t h the t o t a l

score. Thus, no items were e l i m i n a t e d .

Poem Comparison T e s t

Item a n a l y s i s was performed on the s c o r e s of the 95 students f o r

whom complete d a t a were a v a i l a b l e . The r e s u l t s of t h i s a n a l y s i s are sum-

marized i n T a b l e 3.

TABLE 3
POEM COMPARISON TEST: ITEM ANALYSIS

Mean S.D. I.T.C. a

Total 12.29 3.64 —

1 1.31 0.68 0.31

2 1.18 0.77 0.02
3 0.77 0.83 0.20
4 1.30 0.77 0.16
5 1.02 0.74 0.21
6 0.51 0.77 0.18
7 0.94 0.80 0.31
8 1.58 0.61 0.15
9 0.88 0.77 0.21
10 1.08 0.82 - 0.05
11 0.64 0.84 0.16
12 1.10 0.80 0.36

= item/test correlation
 62

Examination of the i t em//test c o r r e l a t i o n s r e v e a l s t h a t a l l the items,

except the t e n t h , behaved i n the p r o p e r d i r e c t i o n . A l l of the items

were r e t a i n e d ; i t e m t e n was r e t a i n e d s i n c e i t was an i t e m i n which the

o r i g i n a l v e r s i o n made e f f e c t i v e use of enjambement.

The Hoyt E s t i m a t e of R e l i a b i l i t y f o r t h i s t e s t was .48, and the

Standard E r r o r of Measurement was 2.51.

Rhythm T e s t

T h i s t e s t was s c o r e d by two markers. As a measure of i n t e r - r a t e r

reliability, the c o r r e l a t i o n between the s c o r e s of the two markers was

computed f o r a l l the 108 students who took the t e s t . This correlation was

.89.

Item a n a l y s i s was then performed on the two s e t s of s c o r e s of the

95 s t u d e n t s f o r whom complete data were a v a i l a b l e . The r e s u l t s of this

a n a l y s i s are summarized i n T a b l e 4. Examination of the i t e m / t e s t c o r r e -

l a t i o n s r e v e a l s t h a t a l l the items behaved i n the proper d i r e c t i o n f o r both

markers. A g a i n , no items were e l i m i n a t e d .

The Hoyt E s t i m a t e of R e l i a b i l i t y was .76 f o r Marker 1, and .78 f o r

Marker 2. The Standard E r r o r of Measurement was 2.78 f o r Marker 1, and

2.72 f o r Marker 2.

F o l l o w i n g t h i s a n a l y s i s the two s c o r e s f o r each s t u d e n t were p o o l e d

by adding them t o g e t h e r and d i v i d i n g by two. This pooled score f o r

each student was used i n a l l subsequent analyses.

 TABLE 4

RHYTHM TEST: ITEM ANALYSIS

Marker 1 Marker 2

Mean S.D. I.T .C.

r
Mean S.D. I.T.C.

T o t a l 14.06 5.90 - 11.92 5.95

0.44 0.63 0.31 0.44 0.63 0.31

1

1.66 0.65 0.17 1.27 0.88 0.30

2

1.46 0.80 0.30 1.16 0.87 0.41

3

1.34 0.87 0.48 1.19 0.88 0.35

4

1.28 0.86 0.45 lv07 0.83 0.42

5

0.84 0.33 0.54 0.76 0.28

0.78
I 6

0.90 0.30 0.93 0.93 0.38

1.08
T 7

0.76 0.14 0.36 0.65 0.16

0.46
E 8

0.63 0.32 0.43 0.66 0.40

0.28
M 9

0.92 0.43 0.92 0.87 0.45

10 1.06

0.93 0.51 0.82 0.85 0.50

11 0.93

0.53 0.68 0.84 0.59

12 0.74 0.89

0.95 0.49 0.66 0.86 0.28

13 0.81

0.72 0.27 0.65 0.73 0.27

14 0.59

0.37 0.78 0.80 0.57

15 1.14 0.86
 64

Imagery T e s t

T h i s t e s t was divided i n t o three s e c t i o n s . The f i r s t and t h i r d sections

were s c o r e d by the same two markers as were used i n the Rhythm T e s t . The inter-

rater r e l i a b i l i t i e s f o r these two s e c t i o n s were, r e s p e c t i v e l y , .65 f o r

S e c t i o n I and .80 f o r S e c t i o n I I I .

Item a n a l y s i s was then performed on the s c o r e s o b t a i n e d i n a l l t h r e e

s e c t i o n s of the t e s t by the 95 s t u d e n t s f o r whom complete d a t a were

available. The r e s u l t s of t h i s a n a l y s i s a r e summarized i n T a b l e 5.

In S e c t i o n I , examination of the i t e m / t e s t c o r r e l a t i o n s reveals

that a l l the items behaved i n the p r o p e r d i r e c t i o n f o r both markers. Thus,

no items were e l i m i n a t e d . The Hoyt E s t i m a t e of R e l i a b i l i t y was .52 f o r

Marker 1, and .25 f o r Marker 2. The Standard E r r o r of Measurement was 1.10

for Marker 1, and 1.53 f o r Marker 2. The s m a l l number of items i n t h i s

s e c t i o n i s a p l a u s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n f o r the d i s c r e p a n c y between the

observed r e l i a b i l i t i e s f o r the two markers.

In S e c t i o n I I , examination of the i t e m / t e s t c o r r e l a t i o n s r e v e a l s that

a l l the items behaved i n the proper d i r e c t i o n . Thus, a l l the items were

retained. The Hoyt E s t i m a t e of R e l i a b i l i t y f o r t h i s s e c t i o n was .73,

and the Standard E r r o r of Measurement was 1.76.

In S e c t i o n I I I , examination of the i t e m / t e s t c o r r e l a t i o n s reveals

t h a t a l l the items behaved i n the proper d i r e c t i o n f o r both markers. Thus,

no items were e l i m i n a t e d . The Hoyt E s t i m a t e of R e l i a b i l i t y was .73 f o r

Marker 1, and .58 f o r Marker 2. The Standard E r r o r of Measurement was

1.13 f o r Marker 1, and 1.53 f o r Marker 2.

F o l l o w i n g t h i s a n a l y s i s the two s c o r e s f o r each student i n the first

and t h i r d s e c t i o n s were p o o l e d by adding them t o g e t h e r and d i v i d i n g by two.

 65

TABLE 5
IMAGERY TEST: ITEM ANALYSIS

SECTION I

Marker 1 Marker 2

Mean S.D. I.T.C. Mean S.D. I.T'.C.

Total 6.73 1.77 - 4.62 1.97

1 1.48 0.54 0.18 1.02 0.73 0.13

1 2 1.55 0.58 0.36 1.02 0.85 0.20

T-3 1.16 0.65 0.38 0.77 0.82 0.07

E 4 1.22 0.57 0.18 0.53 0.80 0.13

M 5
A 1.31 0.67 0.33 1.28 0.75 0.04

SECTION I I

Mean S.D. I.T.C.

Total 7.22 3.76 -

1 2.06 1.07 0.50

I 2 1.54 1.30 0.54

T 3 1.47 1.20 0.58

E 4 1.33 0.97 0.53

M 5 0.82 0.84 0.31

SECTION I I I

Marker 1 Marker 2

Mean S.D. I.T.C. Mean S.D. • I.T.C.

Total 6.64 2.45 - 5.19 2.65 -

1 1.39 0.62 0.41 0.81 0.84 0.24
1
2 1.45 0.73 0.58 1.38 0.89 0.42
T
3 1.10 0.60 0.39 0.82 0.85 0.32
E
4 1.37 0.76 0.56 1.14 0.88 0.34
M 0.54 1.04 0.87 0.39
5
1.34 0.79
 66

These two p o o l e d s c o r e s were then added t o the s c o r e f o r the second

s e c t i o n t o form a composite s c o r e f o r the whole t e s t . In a l l subsequent

a n a l y s e s , the p o o l e d s e c t i o n s c o r e s and the t o t a l t e s t s c o r e thus

o b t a i n e d were the ones used.

Teacher Q u e s t i o n n a i r e

Item a n a l y s i s was performed on the s c o r e s o b t a i n e d by the 95 s t u d e n t s

f o r whom complete d a t a were a v a i l a b l e . The r e s u l t s of t h i s analysis

are summarized i n T a b l e 6 . Examination of the i t e m / t e s t c o r r e l a t i o n s r e -

v e a l s t h a t a l l the items behaved i n the p r o p e r d i r e c t i o n . Consequently,

no items were e l i m i n a t e d .

TABLE 6

TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE: ITEM ANALYSIS

Mean S.D. I.T.C.

Total 10.52 5.92

1 1.67 0.87 0.71

2 1.17 0.82 0.85

3 1.35 0.95 0.84

I
4 1.17 0.90 0.84
T
5 1.24 0.82 0.83
E
6 1.48 0.84 0.72
M
7 1.21 0.82 0.83

8 1.22 0.85 0.90

 67

The Hoyt E s t i m a t e of R e l i a b i l i t y f o r t h i s measure was .95, and the

Standard E r r o r o f Measurement was 1.24.

Correlation Analysis

Two s e t s of c o r r e l a t i o n a n a l y s i s were performed. The f i r s t a n a l y s i s

employed the s c o r e s o f a l l the 112 students f o r whom p a r t i a l d a t a were

a v a i l a b l e , and i n c l u d e d a l l s c o r e s and s u b - s c o r e s . The second a n a l y s i s

employed t h e s c o r e s o f o n l y the 95 s t u d e n t s f o r whom complete data,were

a v a i l a b l e , and i n c l u d e d only the t o t a l s c o r e s f o r the f o u r t e s t s developed

for the study, t h e t o t a l r e a d i n g t e s t s c o r e and the teacher r a t i n g . The

r e s u l t s of the f i r s t a n a l y s i s a r e summarized i n Tables 11 and 12 i n

Appendix C. The r e s u l t s of t h e second a n a l y s i s a r e summarized i n T a b l e 7.

TABLE 7
CORRELATION MATRIX: TOTAL SCORES (COMPLETE DATA)*

n=95

Rhyme Poem Rhythm Imagery Reading Teacher

Test Comp.Test Test Test Test Rating

Rhyme T e s t .30 .66 .58 .68 .51

Poem Comp.Test .29 .34 .26 .15
Rhythm T e s t .54 .48 .32
Imagery T e s t .57 .45
Reading T e s t .60
Teacher R a t i n g

C o r r e l a t i o n s g r e a t e r than .5 a r e s i g n i f i c a n t
 68

Based on T a b l e 7 (Complete D a t a ) , the f o u r measures t h a t c o r r e l a t e

most h i g h l y w i t h one another a r e : Rhyme T e s t , Rhythm T e s t , Imagery T e s t

and Reading T e s t . The c o r r e l a t i o n s among these t e s t s range between

.48 (Rhythm T e s t , Reading T e s t ) and .68 (Rhyme T e s t , Reading T e s t ) .

The c o r r e l a t i o n s o f the Teacher R a t i n g w i t h these measures range between

a h i g h of .60 w i t h the Reading T e s t , and a low of .32 w i t h the Rhythm Test.

The measure t h a t c o r r e l a t e s l e a s t w i t h the o t h e r f i v e i s the Poem

Comparison T e s t . I t s highest c o r r e l a t i o n , .34 w i t h the Imagery T e s t , i s

only s l i g h t l y g r e a t e r than the lowest c o r r e l a t i o n achieved among the other

f i v e v a r i a b l e s (.32 Rhythm T e s t , Teacher R a t i n g ) . I t s lowest correlation

is .15 w i t h the Teacher R a t i n g .

A p r i n c i p a l components a n a l y s i s , performed on the s e t of s i x v a r i a b l e s

(n=95), y i e l d e d two f a c t o r s . The f a c t o r p a t t e r n c o e f f i c i e n t s corresponding

to a varimax r o t a t i o n are p r e s e n t e d i n Table 8. P r i n c i p a l l o a d i n g s on f a c t o r

TABLE 8

FACTOR ANALYSIS: TOTAL SCORES (COMPLETE DATA)*

n=95

Factor I Factor II

Rhyme T e s t .82

Poem Comp. T e s t .68

Rhythm Test .65 .46

Imagery T e s t .72

Reading T e s t .95

Teacher R a t i n g .69

* 0 n l y f a c t o r p a t t e r n c o e f f i c i e n t s g r e a t e r than .400
i n a b s o l u t e v a l u e are shown.
 69

one a r e , i n order of importance, from t h e Reading T e s t , Rhyme T e s t ,

Imagery T e s t , Teacher R a t i n g , and Rhythm T e s t . F a c t o r two, a d o u b l e t ,

r e c e i v e d i t s h i g h e s t l o a d i n g s from the Poem Comparison T e s t and the

Rhythm T e s t .

A n a l y s i s of V a r i a n c e

A 2x2 (grade x sex) u n i v a r i a t e a n a l y s i s of v a r i a n c e was performed

for each of the f o l l o w i n g f i v e dependent v a r i a b l e s : Rhyme T e s t , Poem

Comparison T e s t , Rhythm T e s t , Imagery T e s t , and Reading T e s t . The Type I

e r r o r r a t e was s e t a t .01. 1
The r e s u l t s of these analyses a r e summarized

i n Tables 9 and 10, and F i g u r e s 1,2, and 3.

TABLE 9

CELL MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS

Cell Rhyme Poem Comp. Rhythm Imagery Reading

Grade 8 76.42 11.34 10.23 16.48 74.34

boys(n=26) 28.28 2.77 4.47 4.28 21.95

Grade 8 97.44 11.56 13.81 18.97 78.94

girls(n=34) 22.12 3.49 5.66 5.50 17.34

Grade 10 78.83 12.08 12.33 19.58 76.58

boys(n=12) 24.30 3.42 5.03 5.94 23.99

Grade 10 104.09 14.52 15.17 20.72 79.13

girls(n=23) 32.27 4.05 6.59 7.33 23.61

Note: Mean on f i r s t l i n e
Standard d e v i a t i o n on second line

M u l t i v a r i a t e a n a l y s i s of v a r i a n c e was f i r s t performed w i t h the Type I

e r r o r r a t e s e t a t .05. A t t h i s l e v e l , a s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e was o b t a i n e d
f o r sex (P<.0005) b u t n o t f o r grade (P<.0610) n o r f o r the i n t e r a c t i o n between
sex and grade (P<.5502). S i n c e , however, the l e v e l of p r o b a b i l i t y f o r the
d i f f e r e n c e f o r grade was v e r y c l o s e t o s i g n i f i c a n c e , i t was decided t o p e r -
form u n i v a r i a t e a n a l y s i s of v a r i a n c e . To compensate f o r the expected i n c r e a s e
i n the Type I e r r o r r a t e , the Type I e r r o r r a t e f o r these a n a l y s e s was s e t
at .01 r a t h e r than .05.
 70

TABLE 10

ANALYSES OF VARIANCE

a) Rhyme T e s t
b) Poem Comparison T e s t
c) Rhythm T e s t
d) Imagery Test
e) Reading T e s t

Source d.f. m.s. F

a) Sex (S) 1 11996.89 16.66*

Grade (G) 1 561.48 a
SxG 1-- 92.15
Within 91

b) S 1 31.50 2.64
G 1 99.46 8.34*
SxG 1 25.44 2.13
Within 91

c) S 1 273.72 8.92*
G 1 59.07 1.93
SxG 1 2.79
Within 91

d) S 1 111.85 3.16
G 1 111.45 3.35
SxG 1 9.44
Within 91

e) S 1 358.43
G 1 20.04
SxG 1 21.54
Within 91

* p < .01
a
F < 1.0
 71

At t h i s l e v e l , s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s were o b t a i n e d f o r sex on

the Rhyme T e s t and the Rhythm T e s t . Examination of the means r e v e a l s

t h a t g i r l s performed b e t t e r than boys. A significant d i f f e r e n c e was

obtained f o r grade only on the Poem Comparison T e s t . Examination of

the means r e v e a l s t h a t the grade tens performed b e t t e r than the grade

eights. The absence of s i g n i f i c a n t i n t e r a c t i o n s i n d i c a t e s t h a t the

observed sex e f f e c t f o r the Rhyme T e s t and the Rhythm T e s t i s c o n s i s t e n t

a c r o s s grade (see F i g u r e s 1- and 2 ) ; s i m i l a r l y , the observed grade effect

f o r the Poem Comparison T e s t i s c o n s i s t e n t a c r o s s sex (see F i g u r e 3 ) .

FIGURE 1

RHYME TEST: PLOT OF MEAN SCORES

110 -

70 4

BOYS GIRLS

SEX
 72

FIGURE 2

RHYTHM TEST: PLOT OF MEAN SCORES

16 -
10
s 15 -

c 14 -

0 13 -

R 12 -

E 11 -

10 -

9 -

BOYS GIRLS
SEX

FIGURE 3

POEM COMPARISON TEST: PLOT OF MEAN SCORES

16 -

S 15 •

C 14

0 13 4

R 12

E 11 -

10 -

9 -

10
GRADE
 73

Thus, the s c o r e s of b o t h the grade e i g h t and grade t e n g i r l s were s i g n i -

f i c a n t l y h i g h e r than the s c o r e s of b o t h the grade e i g h t and grade t e n

boys on the Rhyme T e s t and the Rhythm T e s t , and the s c o r e s of b o t h the

grade t e n boys and g i r l s were s i g n i f i c a n t l y h i g h e r than the s c o r e s of b o t h

the grade e i g h t boys and g i r l s on the Poem Comparison T e s t . No s i g n i f i c a n t

differences were found f o r e i t h e r grade or sex on the Imagery T e s t or the

Reading T e s t .

Conclusion

The a n a l y s e s of the d a t a , r e p o r t e d above, suggest the f o l l o w i n g

conclusions.

1. There i s not a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between the a b i l i t y

to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y and the a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme,

rhythm and imagery (p<.5)

2. There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between s i l e n t r e a d i n g

ability and the a b i l i t y t o perform c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme, rhythm and

imagery (p>.5)

3. There i s n o t a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between s i l e n t

reading a b i l i t y and the a b i l i t y to discriminate i n poetry (p<.5)

4. There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a t e a c h e r ' s

assessment of a s t u d e n t ' s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n and (a) a s t u d e n t ' s

s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y , and (b) h i s a b i l i t y to perform c r e a t i v e l y i n

rhyme and imagery (p>.5)

5. There i s n o t a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a t e a c h e r ' s

assessment of a s t u d e n t ' s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n and (a) a s t u d e n t ' s

ability t o d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y , and (b) h i s a b i l i t y t o perform

c r e a t i v e l y i n rhythm (p<.5)
 74

6. The a b i l i t y t o d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y improves s i g n i f i c a n t l y with

age (a=.01)

7. Silent r e a d i n g a b i l i t y and the a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme,

rhythm and imagery do not improve s i g n i f i c a n t l y w i t h age ( a = . 0 1 ) .

8. G i r l s p e r f o r m s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than boys i n c r e a t i v e a b i l i t y i n

rhyme and rhythm (a=.01)

9. G i r l s do not p e r f o r m s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than boys i n (a) s i l e n t

r e a d i n g a b i l i t y , (b) a b i l i t y t o d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y , and (c)

c r e a t i v e a b i l i t y i n imagery (a=.01)
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Summary

In s p i t e of the widespread concern expressed by E'ngMsfti t e a c h e r s

r e g a r d i n g the need t o improve t h e i r s t u d e n t s ' a p p r e c i a t i o n of what they

read, t h e r e have been remarkably few c o n t r o l l e d attempts t o assess

student growth i n t h i s a r e a . One of the main reasons for this situation

has been the l a c k of a c c e p t a b l e techniques f o r measuring t h i s admittedly

complex b e h a v i o u r . The p r e s e n t r e s e a r c h was designed to develop and t e s t

a new o b j e c t i v e measure of one important aspect of a p p r e c i a t i o n , the

ability t o d i s c r i m i n a t e on the b a s i s o f v a l u e i n p o e t r y . The study a l s o

examined the c o r r e l a t i o n s between t h i s measure of a p p r e c i a t i o n , t h r e e

measures of c r e a t i v e performance i n d i f f e r e n t a s p e c t s of p o e t r y , a

s u b j e c t i v e measure of the s t u d e n t s ' l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n , and a

standardized reading t e s t . I n a d d i t i o n , the e f f e c t of two independent

v a r i a b l e s , age and sex, on each of the above measures was examined.

The o n l y measure not developed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r the study was the

measure of s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y . T h i s measure was the G a t e s - M c G i n i t i e

Reading T e s t , Survey E, Form 2 M. The a b i l i t y to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n poetry

was measured by the Poem Comparison T e s t . C r e a t i v e performance i n the

three a s p e c t s of p o e t r y , namely rhyme, rhythm, and imagery, was measured

75
 76

by the Rhyme T e s t , Rhythm T e s t and Imagery T e s t r e s p e c t i v e l y . The

assessment of the s t u d e n t s ' l e v e l of l i t e r a r y a p p r e c i a t i o n , made by

the E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s of the s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d , was measured by the

Teacher Questionnaire. A l l of the measures developed specifically

f o r the study a r e d e s c r i b e d i n d e t a i l i n Chapter I I I .

The j u n i o r secondary l e v e l was s e l e c t e d as a s u i t a b l e l e v e l a t

which t o conduct the r e s e a r c h , and the s u b j e c t s were grade e i g h t and

grade t e n s t u d e n t s i n a l a r g e m e t r o p o l i t a n secondary school. The t o t a l

number of s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d was 112', b u t because no attempt was made t o

l e t a student take a t a l a t e r date a t e s t missed on any day, the number

f o r whom complete d a t a i s a v a i l a b l e i s 95. The sample s i z e s f o r both

cases a r e summarized i n t a b l e 1 i n Chapter III. The t e s t s were admin-

i s t e r e d over a p e r i o d of seven s c h o o l days i n A p r i l 1975. The q u e s t i o n -

n a i r e was g i v e n , w i t h o u t p r i o r warning, t o the E n g l i s h t e a c h e r s of the

s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d i n the study a t the end of the s c h o o l y e a r .

The c o n t r o l l i n g q u e s t i o n s f o r the study were as f o l l o w s :

1. What r e l a t i o n s h i p , i f any, e x i s t s between a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and

c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y ?

2. What r e l a t i o n s h i p , i f any, e x i s t s between a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and

s i l e n t reading ability?

3. What r e l a t i o n s h i p , i f any, e x i s t s between s t u d e n t s ' a p p r e c i a t i o n

of p o e t r y and t h e i r t e a c h e r s ' assessment of t h e i r l e v e l of

appreciation?

4. Do a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y i n c r e a s e

from grade e i g h t t o grade ten?

5. A r e g i r l s b e t t e r than boys i n a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e

performance i n p o e t r y ?
The g e n e r a l hypotheses f o r the study were:

1. There would be p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a l l the measures

employed

2. Grade t e n s t u d e n t s would p e r f o r m b e t t e r than grade e i g h t s t u d e n t s

on a l l the measures employed

3. G i r l s would p e r f o r m b e t t e r than boys on a l l the measures employed

Specifically, the r e s e a r c h hypotheses f o r the study were:

H^: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between discrimination

i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n rhyme, rhythm, and imagery

(p> .5)

H^: There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between each of the

above skills and s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y , ( p > 1

.5)

H^: , There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between a student's

performance i n each of the above s k i l l s and h i s t e a c h e r ' s assess-

ment of h i s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n (p> .5)

H^: Grade ten students perform s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than grade eight

s t u d e n t s i n each of the above s k i l l s (a = .01)

H^: G i r l s perform s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than boys i n each of the above

skills (a = .01)

Based on the d a t a r e p o r t e d i n Chapter IV, the f o l l o w i n g c o n c l u s i o n s were

drawn:

1. There i s riot a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between discrimination

i n p o e t r y and c r e a t i v e performance i n rhyme, rhythm, and imagery

2. There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between s i l e n t r e a d i n g

ability and c r e a t i v e performance i n rhyme, rhythm, and imagery

3. There i s not a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between s i l e n t

reading a b i l i t y and d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n poetry

 78

4. There i s a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between the teacher's

assessment o f a s t u d e n t ' s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n and (a) the student's

s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y , and (b) the s t u d e n t ' s c r e a t i v e performance

i n rhyme,and imagery,

5. There i s not a s i g n i f i c a n t p o s i t i v e c o r r e l a t i o n between the teacher's

assessment of a s t u d e n t ' s l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n and (a) the student's

d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y , and (b) the s t u d e n t ' s c r e a t i v e performance

i n rhythm.

6. Grade t e n students dt_ show s i g n i f i c a n t l y g r e a t e r d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n

p o e t r y than grade e i g h t s t u d e n t s

7. Grade t e n students (a) do not show s i g n i f i c a n t l y g r e a t e r s i l e n t

reading a b i l i t y , (b) do not perform significantly better creatively

i n rhyme, rhythm, and imagery, than grade e i g h t students.

8. G i r l s perform significantly better creatively than boys i n rhyme and

rhythm.

9. G i r l s do not perform s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than boys i n (a) s i l e n t

reading a b i l i t y , (b) d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n p o e t r y , and (c) c r e a t i v e

performance i n imagery

Summarized, these c o n c l u s i o n s t e l l u s , i a c c o r d i n g t o the d a t a , t h a t :

1. There i s no s i g n i f i c a n t r e l a t i o n s h i p between a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y

and c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y

2. There i s no s i g n i f i c a n t r e l a t i o n s h i p between a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y

and s i l e n t reading ability

3. There i s no s i g n i f i c a n t r e l a t i o n s h i p between s t u d e n t s ' a p p r e c i a t i o n

of p o e t r y and t h e i r t e a c h e r s ' assessment o f t h e i r a p p r e c i a t i o n

4. Grade ten students are s u p e r i o r to grade e i g h t s t u d e n t s i n appre-

c i a t i o n of p o e t r y , but not i n r e a d i n g a b i l i t y or i n c r e a t i v e
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performance i n poetry

5. G i r l s are superior to boys i n c r e a t i v e performance i n rhyme and

rhythm, but not i n a p p r e c i a t i o n of poetry,, c r e a t i v e performance

i n imagery, or reading a b i l i t y

I n t e r p r e t a t i o n of the Findings

The s i n g l e most s u r p r i s i n g f i n d i n g to come out of the data i s that,

i n the sample t e s t e d , there was no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between the

two grades i n s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y , as measured by the G a t e s - M c G i n i t i e

Reading Test. The t e a c h e r ' s manual f o r the t e s t gives grade norms f o r

the scores obtained i n each of the three sections of the t e s t . 1

Comparison of the mean scores of the students involved i n the study (see

table 9) w i t h the grade norms given i n the manual reveals that the grade

eight boys were reading at a mid-grade eight l e v e l , the grade ten boys

at a l a t e grade eight l e v e l , and both the grade eight and grade ten g i r l s

at an e a r l y grade nine l e v e l . The grade eight students were, t h e r e f o r e ,

reading at or s l i g h t l y ahead of t h e i r l e v e l , but the grade ten students

were reading one to two grades below t h e i r s . If t h i s l a c k of a s i g n i f i -

cant d i f f e r e n c e i n reading a b i l i t y on the p a r t of the two gradesis a

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c p e c u l i a r to the sample, then the g e n e r a l i z a b i l i t y of the

findings i n the study would be r e s t r i c t e d .

This apparent l a c k of growth i n reading a b i l i t y between the two

grades does have one advantage, however, i n that i t makes the findings

concerning d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n poetry a l l the more s t r i k i n g . These

findings are:

1. D i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n poetry does not c o r r e l a t e s i g n i f i c a n t l y w i t h

^Gates-McGinitie Reading Test, Survey E, Form 2 M.( N e w York: Teacher'

College, Columbia U n i v e r s i t y , 1965), p. 16 (Teacher's Manual).
 80

e i t h e r s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y or c r e a t i v e performance i n rhyme,

rhythm, and imagery

2. D i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n poetry i s the only one of the a b i l i t i e s measured

to show a s i g n i f i c a n t i n c r e a s e w i t h age between grade e i g h t and

grade ten

Before any c o n c l u s i o n s are drawn from these two f i n d i n g s , however,

two important caveats need to be considered. The first i s t h a t the Poem

Comparison T e s t , the measure of a b i l i t y to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y , was

the only measure i n which the p o s s i b i l i t y of a random s c o r e was an

appreciable factor. In f a c t , examination of the means f o r t h i s test

(see F i g u r e 3) shows t h a t of the f o u r c e l l s i n the sample, only the grade

t e n g i r l s had a mean s c o r e n o t i c e a b l y above the random s c o r e of twelve.

These r e s u l t s suggest t h a t f o r the younger students at l e a s t t h i s measure

may not be totally reliable.

Nevertheless, the range of s c o r e s a c h i e v e d i n the sample as a whole,

and i n each of the f o u r c e l l s , i n d i c a t e s t h a t the t e s t i s e f f e c t i v e i n

s e p a r a t i n g the students w i t h more d i s c r i m i n a t i o n from those w i t h less. Out

of a p o s s i b l e maximum s c o r e of twenty-four, the s c o r e s of a l l the students

who took the t e s t ranged between a low of s i x and a h i g h of twenty-three.

With the s c o r e s d i v i d e d i n t o c e l l s , the grade e i g h t boys had the s m a l l e s t

range, between s i x and seventeen, and the grade t e n g i r l s the largest,

between s i x and twenty-three. The grade t e n boys had the second s m a l l e s t

range, between seven and twenty, and the grade e i g h t g i r l s the second

h i g h e s t , between seven and twenty-two. The range of s c o r e s of the grade

t e n boys, however, may w e l l have been a f f e c t e d by the r e l a t i v e l y small

number i n the c e l l (eighteen). I f we c o n s i d e r only the very h i g h scores,

those of twenty and over, the s u p e r i o r i t y of the grade t e n g i r l s i s a g a i n

apparent, s i n c e they had t h r e e students i n t h i s category, the grade t e n boys

 81

and the grade e i g h t g i r l s one each, and the grade e i g h t boys none.

The second caveat i s t h a t , because more e l a b o r a t e p r e c a u t i o n s t o

guard a g a i n s t the presence of a r e a d i n g a b i l i t y f a c t o r were taken w i t h

the Poem Comparison T e s t than w i t h the measures of c r e a t i v e ability,

i t s s i g n i f i c a n t l y . l o w e r c o r r e l a t i o n w i t h the r e a d i n g t e s t may simply indicate

t h a t i t was more s u c c e s s f u l i n e l i m i n a t i n g the r e a d i n g f a c t o r than were

the o t h e r measures. I t seems u n l i k e l y , however, g i v e n the n a t u r e of the

t h r e e measures of c r e a t i v e a b i l i t y , t h a t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y was a significant

f a c t o r i n them, whereas i t c e r t a i n l y would have been i n the Poem Comparison

T e s t , i f the p r e c a u t i o n s d e s c r i b e d i n Chapter I I I had not been taken.

With these two p o s s i b l e l i m i t a t i o n s i n mind, then, we may conclude

from the f i n d i n g s that:

1. There i s a f a c t o r of a b i l i t y to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y which i s

distinct from b o t h s i l e n t r e a d i n g a b i l i t y and the a b i l i t y to perform

c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme, rhythm, and imagery

2. Of the a b i l i t i e s measured, the a b i l i t y to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n poetry i s

the one most c l e a r l y a f f e c t e d by m a t u r a t i o n

Given the f a i l u r e of the re'a'ding t e s t to f i n d a s i g n i f i c a n t diffe-

rence between the grades, the s i m i l a r f a i l u r e of the t h r e e measures

of c r e a t i v e a b i l i t y i n p o e t r y (the Rhyme.Test, the Rhythm T e s t , and the

Imagery T e s t ) to f i n d a s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e i s l e s s surprising,

s i n c e each of these measures d i d have a s i g n i f i c a n t c o r r e l a t i o n w i t h the

reading t e s t . These c o r r e l a t i o n s do, however, suggest 'that s i l e n t

r e a d i n g a b i l i t y i s an important component i n the a b i l i t y to p e r f o r m

c

c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme, rhythm and imagery.

The s i g n i f i c a n t l y s u p e r i o r performance of the g i r l s i n the Rhyme

T e s t and Rhythm T e s t , but not i n any of the o t h e r measures, i s not easy

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to e x p l a i n . Gunn found t h a t a l i k i n g f o r rhyme and rhythm formed one

p a r t of a b i p o l a r f a c t o r of a p p r e c i a t i o n . 1
The s u b j e c t s i n h i s s t u d y ,

however, were a l l boys, so he was,not a b l e to determine whether this

p r e f e r e n c e was more c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of g i r l s than boys.. Nor has i t

been e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t a l i k i n g f o r rhyme and rhythm n e c e s s a r i l y results

i n s u p e r i o r c r e a t i v e performance i n these a r e a s . N e v e r t h e l e s s , the

f i n d i n g s of the p r e s e n t r e s e a r c h l e a d to "the c o n c l u s i o n t h a t g i r l s do

perform c r e a t i v e l y i n rhyme and rhythm s i g n i f i c a n t l y b e t t e r than boys.

What was. perhaps more s u r p r i s i n g than the g i r l s ' superiority i n

rhyme and rhythm was t h e i r f a i l u r e to d i s p l a y s i g n i f i c a n t l y greater

ability to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n poetry. Three of the s t u d i e s , mentioned

i n Chapter I I commented on the d e f i n i t e s u p e r i o r i t y i n l i t e r a r y dis-

c r i m i n a t i o n shown by females over m a l e s . 2

Two s t u d i e s , however, r e p o r t e d

only s l i g h t d i f f e r e n c e s i n response between boys and g i r l s , although

i n each case the s u p e r i o r performance was by the g i r l s . 3

As mentioned

above, examination of the means f o r the Poem Comparison T e s t (see F i g u r e 3)

r e v e a l s t h a t most of the s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between the grade eight

and grade t e n s c o r e s on t h i s t e s t was due to the s u p e r i o r performance

D.G. Gunn, " F a c t o r s i n the A p p r e c i a t i o n of P o e t r y , " B r i t i s h J o u r n a l

X

of E d u c a t i o n Psychology, V o l . 21 (1951), p. 101.

2
I . A . R i c h a r d s , P r a c t i c a l C r i t i c i s m (New York: H a r c o u r t , Brace and
World), 1929, p. 312; E.M. E p p e l , "A new t e s t of p o e t r y d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , "
B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y , V o l . 20 (1950), p. 115;
W.S. H a r p i n , "The A p p r e c i a t i o n of P r o s e , " E d u c a t i o n a l Review, V o l . 19
(1966), p. 21,

3
J . N . B r i t t o n , "Evidence of Improvement i n P o e t i c Judgment,"
B r i t i s h J o u r n a l of Psychology, V o l . 4 (1954), p. 200; J.R. S q u i r e ,
The Responses of A d o l e s c e n t s While Reading Four Short S t o r i e s (Champaign,
111.: N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l of Teachers of E n g l i s h ) , 1964, p. 21.
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of the grade t e n g i r l s . The s t u d i e s c i t e d above, which found that

females showed g r e a t e r d i s c r i m i n a t i o n than males, used s u b j e c t s at

the grade t e n l e v e l and above. S q u i r e ' s study, on the o t h e r hand, which

found little d i f f e r e n c e between the sexes i n response, used s u b j e c t s at

the n i n t h and t e n t h grade l e v e l , a sample somewhat s i m i l a r i n age to the

one used i n the p r e s e n t study. These f a c t s l e n d support to the

suggestionsthafctthe g r e a t e r success of the Poem Comparison T e s t i n

d i s t i n g u i s h i n g between boys and g i r l s at the grade t e n l e v e l compared w i t h

the grade e i g h t l e v e l was because the s u p e r i o r i t y of g i r l s i n l i t e r a r y

d i s c r i m i n a t i o n does not become c l e a r l y apparent u n t i l the l a t e r years

of secondary s c h o o l .

Another p o s s i b l e . e x p l a n a t i o n t h a t must be c o n s i d e r e d , however, i s

t h a t the s m a l l number of boys a t the grade t e n l e v e l c o n s t i t u t e d an

unrepresentative sample, and t h a t , had the sample been l a r g e r , the

d i f f e r e n c e between the g i r l s and boys would have been l e s s . This ex-

p l a n a t i o n i s supported by the f a c t t h a t more boys were i n c l u d e d i n the

c l a s s l l i s t s than were p r e s e n t f o r a l l the t e s t s . Perhaps the boys who

were absent were s u f f i c i e n t l y s u p e r i o r i n a b i l i t y from the boys who were

present to have l e s s e n e d the d i f f e r e n c e between the s c o r e s of the girls

and the boys at the grade t e n level.

Finally, the c o r r e l a t i o n s between the Teacher R a t i n g and the

o t h e r measures are i n t e r e s t i n g . The Teacher R a t i n g had i t s highest

c o r r e l a t i o n w i t h the r e a d i n g t e s t (.60), and i t s lowest c o r r e l a t i o n with

the Poem C o m p a r i s o n T e s t (.15). The c o r r e l a t i o n s with the Rhyme,

Imagery and Rhythm T e s t s were . 5 1 , .45, and .32 respectively. These

f i g u r e s show t h a t the q u e s t i o n n a i r e was more s u c c e s s f u l i n i d e n t i f y i n g

the s t u d e n t s ' r e a d i n g a b i l i t y and creative a b i l i t y i n the t h r e e aspects

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of p o e t r y than i t was in identifying their a b i l i t y to discriminate i n

poetry. In view of the f a c t t h a t s e v e r a l of the items i n the q u e s t i o n -

n a i r e r e f e r r e d to v a r i o u s forms of c r e a t i v e e x p r e s s i o n , both o r a l and

w r i t t e n , on the p a r t of the s t u d e n t s , the r e s u l t s are u n d e r s t a n d a b l e .

However, as was mentioned i n Chapter I I I , s e v e r a l t e a c h e r s commented

on the d i f f i c u l t y they had completing the q u e s t i o n n a i r e , and i t s v e r y

h i g h Hoyt E s t i m a t e o f R e l i a b i l i t y (.95) arouses the s u s p i c i o n that,

r a t h e r than responding to each item s e p a r a t e l y , the t e a c h e r s were

unduly i n f l u e n c e d by the o v e r a l l grade which they had j u s t a s s i g n e d t h e i r

s t u d e n t s a t the end of the semester.

Weaknesses of the Study

V a r i o u s weaknesses i n the study have a l r e a d y been mentioned in

p a s s i n g , but a summary of the most important would now be i n o r d e r .

The main weakness i n the study was an imbalance i n the sample

between g i r l s and boys, grade e i g h t s and grade t e n s . The reasons f o r

t h i s imbalance are o u t l i n e d i n Chapter I I I , but the most s e r i o u s effect

was t h a t grade t e n boys were u n d e r - r e p r e s e n t e d . However, r a t h e r than

randomly reduce the numbers of the other groups t o match the numbers of

the grade t e n boys, i t was d e c i d e d t o proceed w i t h the a n a l y s e s u s i n g

d a t a from as many s t u d e n t s as p o s s i b l e , and make the n e c e s s a r y statistical

compensation f o r the unequal numbers.

Another weakness i n the study was the number of r a t h e r low e s t i m a t e s

of r e l i a b i l i t y a c h i e v e d by some of the measures employed. The main sources

of concern i n t h i s r e s p e c t were the Poem Comparison T e s t and the Imagery

Test.
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In the case of the Poem Comparison T e s t the problem of the random

s c o r e , mentioned i n the p r e v i o u s s e c t i o n , i s p r o b a b l y a t l e a s t partially

r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the low r e l i a b i l i t y . An a l t e r n a t i v e method of s c o r i n g

the s t u d e n t s ' responses i n this t e s t would be t o mark each i t e m n o t on a

t h r e e - p o i n t s c a l e b u t on a two-point s c a l e , t r e a t i n g the p r e f e r e n c e f o r

the o r i g i n a l poem as the o n l y c o r r e c t response and t r e a t i n g b o t h the

p r e f e r e n c e f o r the i n f e r i o r v e r s i o n and the p r e f e r e n c e f o r n e i t h e r v e r s i o n

as i n c o r r e c t responses. T h i s method would have the advantage of l o w e r i n g

the s c o r e s of the " f e n c e - s i t t e r s , " those students .whoconsistently recorded

a preference f o r neither version. Under the system of s c o r i n g used i n

t h i s study, i t was p o s s i b l e f o r such a student t o a c h i e v e a s c o r e

of twelve out of twenty-four, whereas under the two-point system he would

get z e r o .

A f t e r the a n a l y s i s of the d a t a was complete, the Poem Comparison T e s t

was r e - s c o r e d u s i n g the two-point s c a l e , and an i n f o r m a l check was

made t o determine whether t h i s method of s c o r i n g would have had any

n o t i c e a b l e e f f e c t on the r e s u l t s o b t a i n e d from the t e s t . The d e c i s i o n

was t h a t the use of the two-point s c a l e , i n s t e a d of the t h r e e - p o i n t ,

would n o t have had any such e f f e c t on the o v e r a l l r e s u l t s . Nevertheless,

it i s arguable t h a t a l a c k of a p r e f e r e n c e i s no b e t t e r than a wrong

p r e f e r e n c e and t h a t the responses should be t r e a t e d as b e i n g of e q u a l

value. I n f u t u r e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s of the t e s t , t h e r e f o r e , the two-point

s c a l e i s p r o b a b l y the one "that s h o u l d be used.

In the case of the Imagery T e s t the r e l i a b i l i t i e s a c h i e v e d by both

markers i n both the f i r s t and t h i r d s e c t i o n s of the t e s t were d e f i n i t e l y

lower than the r e l i a b i l i t i e s a c h i e v e d by the same two markers i n the

Rhythm T e s t . There a r e s e v e r a l p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n s f o r t h i s situation.

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The first i s t h a t there were f a r fewer items i n each s e c t i o n of this

t e s t than there were i n the Rhythm T e s t ( f i v e compared to f i f t e e n ) , and

an i n c r e a s e i n the number of items i n a measure w i l l u s u a l l y cause a

corresponding increase in its reliability. Increasing the number of

items i n the first and t h i r d sections of the Imagery T e s t from f i v e to

ten would be one simple improvement t h a t c o u l d be made to the test to

improve i t s r e l i a b i l i t y .

Another p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n f o r the low reliability of the test i s

the method of s c o r i n g used. For the purpose of s i m p l i c i t y i n marking,

a three-point s c a l e was used. However, M c C o l l y and Remstad have shown

in their evaluation of c o m p o s i t i o n r a t i n g s c a l e s t h a t : ( a ) odd number

s c a l e s are s u s c e p t i b l e to the e r r o r of c e n t r a l tendency, and (b) although

four-point and s i x - p o i n t s c a l e s do not d i f f e r i n terms of t h e i r reliabi-

lity, the former are to be preferred i n terms of the s a v i n g of the raters'

time and effort. 1

Therefore, i n any future administrations of the tests

the use of the four-point s c a l e f o r both the Rhythm T e s t and the Imagery

T e s t would be recommended.

T h i r d l y , the f a c t t h a t both markers a c h i e v e d h i g h e r reliabilities

for the t h i r d s e c t i o n than the f i r s t s e c t i o n of the Imagery T e s t suggests

t h a t the items i n the first s e c t i o n were p a r t i c u l a r l y d i f f i c u l t to

evaluate. In the t h i r d s e c t i o n the s t u d e n t s ' responses were more

structured, and t h e r e f o r e , p o s s i b l y , e a s i e r f o r the markers to score.

I t seems l i k e l y t h a t more time i s needed to prepare m a r k e r s . f o r the

/'W. M c C o l l y and Robert Remstad, "Composition R a t i n g S c a l e s f o r

G e n e r a l M e r i t : An E x p e r i m e n t a l E v a l u a t i o n , " J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n Research,
V o l . 59 (October, 1 9 6 5 ) , pp. 5 5 - 5 6 , c i t e d i n P. S h a p i r o , An I n v e s t i g a t i o n
of Two Methods of Teaching P o e t r y to C h i l d r e n (Boston: Boston U n i v e r s i t y
School of E d u c a t i o n , 1 9 6 9 ) , p. 4 6 .
 87

first section than f o r the third section of the t e s t so t h a t a more

c o n s i s t e n t s t a n d a r d can be applied.

Of the f o u r measures of student performance developed f o r this

study, the Imagery T e s t was the only one not to f i n d a significant

difference on either sex or grade. The f a u l t s i n the test discussed

above may be a p a r t i a l e x p l a n a t i o n f o r t h i s f a i l u r e , s i n c e f o r both sex

and grade the differences between the mean s c o r e s approached but did

not quite attain significance at the 5% level.

I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r Research

At b e s t , the generalizability of the results of t h i s study i s

limited to students of the same age and socio-economic s t a t u s as the

s t u d e n t s i n the sample; t h a t i s to say, grade e i g h t and grade ten

students of average socio-economic background i n a l a r g e m e t r o p o l i t a n

secondary s c h o o l . Students of a d i f f e r e n t age and background might w e l l

r e a c t d i f f e r e n t l y to the measures employed.

Some doubt as to the p o s s i b i l i t y of even t h i s degree of generaliz-

ation';: however, has been c a s t by the performance of the sample on the

s t a n d a r d i z e d r e a d i n g t e s t , where no significant difference between the

two grades was foynd. Perhaps the most urgent need i s f o r further

r e s e a r c h , at l e a s t at the l o c a l l e v e l , to determine whether i t r e f l e c t s

a situation t y p i c a l of a l a r g e r population. I f the latter situation

should prove to be the case then a c o n c e n t r a t e d e f f o r t to improve the

r e a d i n g programme at the junior secondary l e v e l would c l e a r l y be indi-

cated. '

Assuming, however, t h a t the l a c k of measurable growth i n r e a d i n g

a b i l i t y was a peculiarity of the sample, then r e p l i c a t i o n of the study

w i t h a more t y p i c a l sample i n t h i s r e g a r d would be worthwhile. It i s

 88

p o s s i b l e t h a t a sample w i t h a s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e i n r e a d i n g ability

based on age would d i s p l a y s i m i l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s i n c r e a t i v e

ability i n poetry, and an even more s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e i n a b i l i t y

to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n p o e t r y . I t would a l s o be a d v i s a b l e i n any such

r e p l i c a t i o n to increase the range i n age of the students t e s t e d , e s p e c i a l l y

upward t o the s e n i o r secondary l e v e l . Two y e a r s may be too l i t t l e time

to produce a s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e i n a b i l i t y i n a l l the areas tested.

The possibly greater success of the Poem Comparison T e s t i n d i s t i n g u i s h i n g

between g i r l s and boys a t the grade t e n l e v e l compared w i t h a t the grade

e i g h t l e v e l suggests t h a t the r e l i a b i l i t y of t h i s measure, i n p a r t i c u l a r ,

would be g r e a t e r w i t h g e n e r a l l y o l d e r students than the ones used i n

the sample.

The f i n d i n g s concerning the a b i l i t y to d i s c r i m i n a t e i n poetry raise

the q u e s t i o n of whether t h i s s i t u a t i o n i s r e s t r i c t e d t o p o e t r y or whether

it a p p l i e s e q u a l l y t o prose l i t e r a t u r e . T h i s would c e r t a i n l y be a.

f r u i t f u l area f o r further research. Both Burt on and Choppin f e l t that a

s t u d e n t ' s a p p r e c i a t i o n w a s , f a i r l y s p e c i f i c and c o u l d n o t be judged

r e l i a b l y by a s i n g l e t e s t . 1
Perhaps the measures used i n the p r e s e n t

study c o u l d be used as p a r t of a b a t t e r y of t e s t s designed t o measure the

c o r r e l a t i o n between a s t u d e n t ' s a p p r e c i a t i o n of l i t e r a t u r e and h i s

c r e a t i v e performance i n i t .

Finally, of the measures developed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r t h i s study, the

Poem Comparison T e s t , because i t was the only measure t o f i n d a s i g n i f i -

cant d i f f e r e n c e between the two grades, p r o b a b l y o f f e r s the g r e a t e s t

value as a r e s e a r c h instrument. I t could, f o r example, be used i n l o n g i -

t u d i n a l s t u d i e s as a measure of the l e v e l of development i n a p p r e c i a t i o n

i
D.L. vBurton, ''The.^Relationship of A p p r e c i a t i o n t o C e r t a i n Measurable
F a c t o r s , " J o u r n a l of E d u c a t i o n a l P s y c h o l o g y , V o l . 43 (1952), p. 438;
B.H. Choppin, "Can L i t e r a r y A p p r e c i a t i o n Be Measured O b j e c t i v e l y ? "
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Review of E d u c a t i o n , V o l . 15 (1969), p. 247.
 89

of p o e t r y o f d i f f e r e n t grades a t the secondary l e v e l . Alternatively, i f

p a r a l l e l forms were developed, i t c o u l d p r o v i d e a u s e f u l p r e - and p o s t -

t e s t i n experimental s t u d i e s of the e f f e c t of v a r i o u s t e a c h i n g styles

on the development of a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y i n students. The success

of the t e s t i n t h i s study i s certainly sufficient t o encourage i t s

f u r t h e r development and use i n the f u t u r e .

If the Poem Comparison T e s t i s t o be used i n f u t u r e r e s e a r c h , however,

i t would be a d v i s a b l e f o r i t t o be examined f i r s t w i t h r e g a r d to i t s v a l i -

dity. S u p e r f i c i a l l y , a t l e a s t , i t appears t o be an e f f e c t i v e measure of

appreciation. Nevertheless, i t s failure to c o r r e l a t e s i g n i f i c a n t l y with

e i t h e r the measures of c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y . o r the t e a c h e r s '

assessment of t h e i r s t u d e n t s ' l e v e l of a p p r e c i a t i o n must c a s t some doubt

upon i t s v a l i d i t y . Perhaps one o f the f i r s t requirements would be f o r t h i s

study t o be f o l l o w e d up w i t h another v a l i d i t y study u s i n g a d i f f e r e n t measure

of a p p r e c i a t i o n . One p o s s i b i l i t y f o r such a measure x<?ould be the a n a l y s i s

of the responses made by students themselves on a q u e s t i o n n a i r e designed t o

elicit t h e i r a t t i t u d e s towards l i t e r a t u r e . I f the v a l i d i t y of the Poem

Comparison T e s t c o u l d be e s t a b l i s h e d by o b t a i n i n g a s i g n i f i c a n t correlation

between i t and a measure such as the one d e s c r i b e d above, i t s v a l u e as a

research instrument would undoubtedly be i n c r e a s e d d r a m a t i c a l l y .

I m p l i c a t i o n s f o r Teaching

Perhaps the f i n d i n g w i t h the most d i r e c t i m p l i c a t i o n f o r t e a c h i n g

was t h a t a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y i n c r e a s e d between grade e i g h t and grade

t e n , whereas s i l e n t reading a b i l i t y and c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y

 90

did not. The i m p l i c a t i o n s of the f i n d i n g c o n c e r n i n g the l a c k of growth

i n r e a d i n g a b i l i t y have a l r e a d y been commented upon and need not be

dwelt upon h e r e . Although the f i n d i n g on a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y i s v e r y

encouraging, the f i n d i n g on c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y i s c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y

disappointing. I t i s important t o remember, however, t h a t t h i s study was

not an e x p e r i m e n t a l study. I t has measured what i s , not what might be

if c e r t a i n t e a c h i n g p r a c t i c e s were adopted. It is difficult to b e l i e v e

t h a t i f c r e a t i v e performance i n p o e t r y wereemphasized more i n the secondary

s c h o o l s s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s i n performance i n t h i s a r e a would not be ob-

t a i n e d between the two grades. What form t h i s emphasis s h o u l d take i s

beyond the scope of t h i s study t o . s u g g e s t . I t has a t l e a s t made the need

f o r such a programme c l e a r .

S i m i l a r l y , i t was not the purpose of t h i s study t o suggest methods

to t e a c h e r s f o r improving t h e i r s t u d e n t s ' a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y . I t has

simply shown t h a t such an improvement i s p o s s i b l e even when no comparable

improvement i n r e a d i n g a b i l i t y has taken p l a c e . A t the moment we can

only s p e c u l a t e as t o what f a c t o r s might have l e d t o t h i s improvement.

t One

p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n i s c o n t a i n e d i n the o b s e r v a t i o n , made i n Chapter I I I ,

t h a t the grade t e n s t u d e n t s demonstrated i n t h e i r response to the Poem

Comparison T e s t more i n t e r e s t and involvement than the grade e i g h t s t u d e n t s .

They were c e r t a i n l y slower on the whole i n making t h e i r d e c i s i o n s about each

poem. T h i s o b s e r v a t i o n i s i n a c c o r d w i t h the importance a t t a c h e d by such

w r i t e r s as Purves and S q u i r e t o the engagement or involvement of the r e a d e r

i n the l i t e r a r y work as an e s s e n t i a l p a r t of a p p r e c i a t i o n . In the case of the

 91

r e s e a r c h sample the s u p e r i o r involvement of the grade t e n s t u d e n t s was

p r o b a b l y due t o t h e i r g r e a t e r m a t u r i t y , although the p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t the

c h o i c e of poems i n the t e s t might have been more a p p e a l i n g t o o l d e r s t u d e n t s

cannot be e x c l u d e d . N e v e r t h e l e s s , the l e s s o n t o be l e a r n t from t h i s ob-

servation i s clear: the t e a c h e r who can i n c r e a s e h i s s t u d e n t s ' i n t e r e s t and

participation i n the l i t e r a t u r e they read w i l l p r o b a b l y be s u c c e s s f u l

i n r a i s i n g the l e v e l of t h e i r a p p r e c i a t i o n of t h a t l i t e r a t u r e .

Although a l l the measures developed f o r t h i s study c o u l d be used

i n the classroom, the one most l i k e l y t o be used by the E n g l i s h t e a c h e r

is the Poem Comparison T e s t . I t has the advantage of b e i n g the e a s i e s t

to s c o r e , and i t p r o v i d e s i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t he i s most l i k e l y t o want t o

possess. The t e s t c o u l d be used as a survey to determine the level

of a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y i n a p a r t i c u l a r class or grade. P a r a l l e l forms

of the t e s t c o u l d be a d m i n i s t e r e d a t the b e g i n n i n g and end of a y e a r

to determine what growth, i f any, has taken p l a c e i n a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y .

F u r t h e r , by examination of student responses to i n d i v i d u a l items a t e a c h e r

c o u l d determine h i s students' p a r t i c u l a r s t r e n g t h s or weaknesses i n

a p p r e c i a t i o n of p o e t r y a t a g i v e n time. Used i n these ways, the test

c o u l d become an i n v a l u a b l e measuring instrument not o n l y i n r e s e a r c h

but i n the t e a c h i n g of p o e t r y i n the classroom.

 92

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF THE MEASURES OF APPRECIATION

DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER I I
 93

Summary of the Measures of A p p r e c i a t i o n described i n Chapter II

Normative Measures

Measures Employing Prose

Author Date B r i e f D e s c r i p t i o n

C a r r o l l 1933 Four passages on same t o p i c but

of d i f f e r i n g q u a l i t y - subject
to rank-order the passages.
(12 items)

W i l l i a m s , Winter.^ Wood 1938 Battery of f i v e t e s t s :

(1) Subject to rank-order f i f t e e n
compositions of d i f f e r i n g merit
on same t o p i c ,

(2) subject to sort twenty e x t r a c t s

of varying merit i n t o three
categories: l i k e d , d i s l i k e d ,
and i n d i f f e r e n t ,
(3) subject to choose between two
forms of the same sentence,
(30 items)
(4) subject to rank-order three
forms of the same sentence,
(5) subject to rank-order three
short e x t r a c t s of varying merit
on same t o p i c .

Burton 1952 Subject to choose from three

p o s s i b l e endings to short
story p l o t .

Harpin 1966 Two sub-tests:

(1) subject to choose between
matched p a i r of e x t r a c t s from
novels, (9 items)
(2) subject to rank-order four
passages. (1 item)
 94

Measures Employing P o e t r y

Abbott, Trabue 1921 Subject t o rank-order a good

s h o r t poem and t h r e e i n f e r i o r
v e r s i o n s . (13 items)

W i l l i a m s , Winter, Wood 1938 B a t t e r y of t h r e e t e s t s :

(1) s u b j e c t t o s o r t twenty s h o r t
e x t r a c t s of v a r y i n g m e r i t
into three categories:
l i k e d , d i s l i k e d , and i n d i f f e r e n t ,
(2) s u b j e c t t o choose between
two forms of the same c o u p l e t ,
(3) s u b j e c t t o rank-order t h r e e
p o e t r y e x t r a c t s of v a r y i n g
m e r i t on same t o p i c .

Rigg 1942 Subject t o choose between good

s h o r t e x t r a c t and i n f e r i o r
v e r s i o n . (40 items)

Eppel 1950 Subject to s e l e c t missing l i n e

of s h o r t e x t r a c t from o r i g i n a l
l i n e and two c o u n t e r f e i t
l i n e s . (20 items)

Britton 1954 Subject t o rank-order f i f t e e n

s h o r t poems - e i g h t genuine,
seven c o u n t e r f e i t .

D e s c r i p t i v e Measures

Measures Employing O b j e c t i v e Format.

Gunn 1951 A d o l e s c e n t boys' r a t i n g s of

n i n e t e e n poems a c c o r d i n g t o
n i n e pre-determined criteria
recorded.

Measures Employing Content A n a l y s i s ;

Richards 1929 Undergraduates' w r i t t e n responses

to t h i r t e e n poems a n a l y z e d .
 95

Squire 1964 0 r
responses of adolescents
a l

to four short stories recorded

and coded.

Purves 1968 130 essays on l i t e r a r y topics

by adolescent students i n four
countries coded.
 96

APPENDIX B

THE FULL FORMS OF THE MEASURES

DEVELOPED FOR THE STUDY
 97

Rhyme Test

I n s t r u c t i o n s to the students

Many poets make use of rhyme i n t h e i r poems, that i s , they use words

that have the same sound. I would l i k e to see how many words you can

think of to rhyme w i t h a series of words I am going to give you.

For example, what words could you t h i n k of that rhyme w i t h the word

' h i l l ' ? (Here I w i l l w r i t e on the board any words suggested by the

students).

I am going to give you one minute f o r each word. Write down your

rhyming words on the sheet i n the space provided and d o n ' t worry about

s p e l l i n g . The idea i s to get down as many words as you can think of

in one minute. We w i l l take a short break a f t e r each word, but once

we have f i n i s h e d w i t h a word don't go back to i t and add any more rhymes.

There are f i f t e e n words. Are there any questions? We w i l l now begin.

The f i r s t word i s "stone,"; What words rhyme w i t h 'stone'?

[After s i x t y seconds] Stop! Do not add any more words.

The second word i s "'grow.' ! 1

What words rhyme w i t h 'grow:"?

And so on.

The f i f t e e n words are:

(1) stone (2) grow (3) rude (4) lump (5) green

(6) old (7) cheer (8) eight (9) face (10) more

(11) dew (12) mud (13) s p i r e (14) c l o c k (15) r i c h

 98

Poem Comparison T e s t

I n s t r u c t i o n s t o the students-

As you p r o b a b l y know, poets o f t e n w r i t e more than one v e r s i o n of

a poem b e f o r e they a r e s a t i s f i e d with i t . Now I am going to present

you w i t h twelve s h o r t poems, each of them i n two v e r s i o n s , and ask you t o

say how good you t h i n k each v e r s i o n i s . You w i l l be g i v e n three c o p i e s

for each v e r s i o n :

(1) good (2) f a i r (3) poor

There w i l l be a box f o r each c h o i c e l i k e this:

Good Fair , Poor

I would l i k e you t o put a check-mark i n the box t h a t r e p r e s e n t s your

o p i n i o n of t h a t v e r s i o n of the poem.

You w i l l hear each v e r s i o n read t o you once on tape, and I would

l i k e you t o read s i l e n t l y along as the poem i s b e i n g r e a d . I will

then g i v e you a few moments t o r e - r e a d both v e r s i o n s and mark your

o p i n i o n of each one b e f o r e we go on t o the next poem.

Are t h e r e any q u e s t i o n s ?

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l told.
 99

Poem I Lost

Version A L o n e l y and a f r a i d
A l l n i g h t long on the l a k e
Where the f o g and the m i s t l i e heavy,
The w h i s t l e of a boat
Keeps on c a l l i n g through the dark
Like a l i t t l e child
That has l o s t i t s mother, Fair Poor
Good
And, n o t knowing what t o do,
C r i e s out f o r h e l p •

V e r s i o n B: D e s o l a t e and alone
A l l n i g h t long on the l a k e
Where f o g t r a i l s and m i s t c r e e p s ,
The w h i s t l e of a boat
C a l l s and c r i e s unendingly,
L i k e some l o s t c h i l d
In t e a r s and t r o u b l e Good Fair Poor
H u n t i n g s the harbour's b r e a s t
And the harbour's eyes.

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l told.
 100

Poem I I Steam Shovel

V e r s i o n A: Not a l l the d i n o s a u r s a r e dead.

I saw one l i f t i t s hard grey head
And watch as I walked down the road
That takes me t o my s c h o o l today.
I n s i d e i t s mouth i t had a l o a d
Of g r a s s - i t looked as i f i t t a s t e d good'.
I t must have n o t i c e d where I s t o o d ,
Because i t sent a c l o u d of steam my way, Good Fair Poor
Then poked i t s neck f a r out t o s e e , i 1i [i
But kept on e a t i n g s o l i d l y .

V e r s i o n B: The d i n o s a u r s a r e not a l l dead.

I saw one r a i s e i t s i r o n head
To watch me w a l k i n g down the road
Beyond our house today.
I t s jaws were d r i p p i n g w i t h a l o a d
Of e a r t h and g r a s s t h a t i t had cropped.
I t must have heard me where I stopped, Good Fair Poor
Snorted white steam my way, r 1i 1 i
And s t r e t c h e d i t s long neck out to s e e ,
And chewed, and g r i n n e d q u i t e amiably.

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l t o l d .
 101

Poem I I I Erosion

V e r s i o n A: I t took the s e a a thousand y e a r s ,

A thousand y e a r s to t r a c e
The g r a n i t e f e a t u r e s o f t h i s c l i f f ,
I n c r a g and scarp and base.

I t took the sea an hour one n i g h t ,

An hour of storm t o p l a c e Good Fair Poor
The s c u l p t u r e of these g r a n i t e seams | FI 1
Upon a woman's f a c e .

V e r s i o n B: I t took the s e a so many y e a r s

So many y e a r s t o t r a c e
The marks you see upon t h i s c l i f f ,
E s p e c i a l l y a t the base.

I t o n l y took an hour one n i g h t

One stormy hour t o p l a c e „ , „ .• „
„, j J Ci I 1 * Good Faxr Poor
Those d r e a d f u l marks you see so p l a i n ^
Upon t h a t woman's f a c e .

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l told.
 102

Poem IV Travel

V e r s i o n A: I should r e a l l y l o v e to go
To where magic orchards grow;
To where, under a deep b l u e sky,
Mysterious i s l a n d s calmly l i e ,
Where, observed by c u r i o u s g o a t s ,
L o n e l y castaways b u i l d t h e i r b o a t s ;
Where i n sunshine a l l l a i d out,
Wondrous c i t i e s , m i l e s about,
Are w i t h mosque and minaret
In the midst of d e s e r t s s e t , Good Fair Poor
And merchandise from near and f a r
Is t h e r e f o r s a l e i n the bazaar...

Version B: I should l i k e t o r i s e and go

Where the golden apples grow;
Where below another sky
P a r r o t I s l a n d s anchored l i e ,
And, watched by cockatoos and goats,
L o n e l y Crusoes b u i l d i n g b o a t s ;
Where i n sunshine r e a c h i n g out
E a s t e r n c i t i e s , m i l e s about,
Are w i t h mosque and minaret
Good Fair Poor
Among sandy gardens s e t ,
And the r i c h goods from near and f a r
Hang f o r s a l e i n the bazaar...

P l e a s e do not t u r n over u n t i l to
 103

Poem V T h i s I s J u s t to Say

Version A: I have eaten

the plums
t h a t were i n
the i c e b o x

and which
you were p r o b a b l y
saving
for breakfast

F o r g i v e me
they were d e l i c i o u s Good Fair Poor
so sweet
and so c o l d

T h i s I s J u s t to Say

V e r s i o n B: I have j u s t f i n i s h e d e a t i n g
the plums
t h a t you had l e f t
i n the r e f r i g e r a t o r

I guess
You had i n t e n d e d
to e a t them
later

I'm s o r r y
but they r e a l l y Good Fair Poor
were
delicious

P l e a s e do not t u r n over u n t i l told.

 104

Poem VI Autumn

V e r s i o n A: A touch of c o l d i n t h e Autumn n i g h t
I walked abroad,.
And saw the ruddy moon l e a n over a hedge
L i k e a r e d - f a c e d farmer.
I d i d n o t stop t o speak, b u t nodded; Good Fair Poor
And round about were the w i s t f u l s t a r s i 1i s i
With w h i t e f a c e s l i k e town c h i l d r e n . | II J

V e r s i o n B: I went o u t s i d e one c h i l l y Autumn n i g h t

And saw the moon - i t was a g l o r i o u s s i g h t .
I t flamed a b r i l l i a n t r e d w h i l e a l l around the sky
A m i l l i o n g l i t t e r i n g s t a r s shone dimly from on h i g h .
I d i d n o t t r y t o speak, y e t deep i n t o my h e a r t G o o d _ a i r

I f e l t a l o v e f o r n a t u r e ' s splendour d a r t .

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l told.
 105

Poem V I I Sea-Fever

V e r s i o n A: I must go down to the seas a g a i n , t o the l o n e l y s e a and the

sky,
And a l l I ask i s a t a l l s h i p and a s t a r to s t e e r h e r by,
And the wheel's k i c k and the wind's song and the w h i t e
s a i l ' s shaking,
And a grey m i s t on the sea's f a c e and a grey dawn b r e a k i n g .

I must go down t o the seas a g a i n , f o r the c a l l of the

running t i d e
Is a w i l d c a l l and a c l e a r c a l l t h a t may n o t be denied;
And a l l I ask i s a windy day w i t h the white clouds f l y i n g ,
And the f l u n g spray and the blown spume and the s e a - g u l l s
crying.

I must go down t o the seas a g a i n , t o the vagrant gypsy

life,
To the g u l l ' s way and the whale's way where the wind's
l i k e a whetted k n i f e ;
And a l l I ask i s a merry y a r n from a l a u g h i n g f e l l o w - r o v e r ,
And q u i e t s l e e p and a sweet dream when the long t r i c k ' s
over.
Good Fair Poor

V e r s i o n B: I want t o go t o sea once more, t o the d e s o l a t e sea and the

sky,
And a l l I want i s a good s t o u t boat, w i t h the s t a r s .up t h e r e
on h i g h ,
And the f e e l of the wheel and the song of the wind as i t
shakes among the s a i l s ,
And the message f o r me i n the l o o k of the sea as she r e a d i e s
f o r nor'west g a l e s .

I want t o go to s e a once more, f o r the sound of the evening

tide
Is a p o w e r f u l c a l l and one i n t r u t h t h a t l e a v e s you no p l a c e
to h i d e ;
And a l l I want i s a breezy day when you can see the w h i t e clouds
fly,
And t h e spray from the s h i p t h a t comes up from the d i p t o
deafen the s e a g u l l ' s c r y .

I want t o go to sea once more, as a wandering f e l l o w might,

To the l o n e l y deck where the b u f f e t i n g wind seems to
c h a l l e n g e you t o a f i g h t ;
And a l l I want i s a j o l l y t a l e from some s t o u t - h e a r t e d mate
And a f a i t h f u l crew who, a l l l o y a l and t r u e , w i l l dare t r y
w i t h me t h e i r f a t e .
Good Fair Poor

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l told.
 106

Poem V I I I Fueled

V e r s i o n A: The r o c k e t
f u e l e d by
the l a t e s t i n v e n t i o n
of t h e s p a c e - r e s e a r c h e r s
shot i n t o the sky
And everyone was deeply impressed.
On t h e other hand,
No one even n o t i c e d
When a l i t t l e s e e d l i n g
Made i t s way through the s o i l
And popped out i n t o the a i r Good Fair Poor
Even though i t s only f u e l was j 1 t 1i
a thought
from
God.

V e r s i o n B: Fueled
by a m i l l i o n
man-made
wings of f i r e -
the r o c k e t t o r e a t u n n e l
through the sky -
and everybody cheered.
Fueled
o n l y by a thought from God -
the s e e d l i n g
urged i t s way
through t h e t h i c k n e s s e s of b l a c k
and as i t p i e r c e d
the heavy c e i l i n g of t h e s o i l -
and launched i t s e l f
up i n t o outer space - Good Fair Poor
no I |I f
one
even
clapped.

Please do n o t t u r n over u n t i l t o l d .
 107

Poem IX P r e l u d e No. 1

V e r s i o n A: The w i n t e r evening s e t t l e s down

With s m e l l s of s t e a k s i n passageways.
Six o'clock
The b u r n t - o u t ends of smoky days.
And now a gusty shower wraps
The grimy s c r a p s
Of w i t h e r e d l e a v e s about h i s f e e t
And newspapers from vacant l o t s ;
The showers beat
On broken b l i n d s and chimney p o t s .
And a t the c o r n e r o f the s t r e e t Good • Pair Poor
A l o n e l y cab-horse steams and stamps.
And then t h e . l i g h t i n g of the lamps.

V e r s i o n B: As the w i n t e r evening c l o s e s i n
With s m e l l s of food i n passageways
People r e l a x a f t e r t h e i r hard days.
I f you go out, around your f e e t
Wrap newspapers from vacant l o t s ,
Good Fair Poor
And when i t r a i n s you hear i t s beat
On r o o f s and b l i n d s and chimney-pots.
Down a t the c o r n e r of the s t r e e t
J u s t l i s t e n t o t h e cab-horse stamp
As i t awaits the l i g h t i n g of the lamp,

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l told.
 108

Poem X Kansas Boy

V e r s i o n A: A Kansas boy who'd never seen the sea

Walked through the g r a s s e s swaying a t h i s knee
As though he were a s a i l o r , a l l on f i r e
To see the waves around him leap s t i l l h i g h e r .
He scanned the ocean broad and f o l l o w e d s h i p s ,
T a s t i n g the watery spray upon h i s l i p s ,
For i n h i s bones he f e l t the e e r i e ghost
Of one who'd s a i l e d a stormy E n g l i s h c o a s t .
A c r o s s the f i e l d s he heard h i s school-mates c r y i n g -
He saw j u s t crows but dreamt of s e a g u l l s f l y i n g .

Good Fair Poor

V e r s i o n B: T h i s Kansas boy who never saw the sea

Walks through the young c o r n r i p p l i n g a t h i s knee
As s a i l o r s walk; and when the g r a i n grows h i g h e r
Watches the dark waves leap w i t h greener f i r e
Than ever oceans h o l d . He f o l l o w s s h i p s ,
T a s t i n g the b i t t e r spray upon h i s l i p s ,
For i n h i s b l o o d u p - s t i r s the s a l t y ghost
Of one who s a i l e d a storm-bound E n g l i s h c o a s t .
A c r o s s wide f i e l d s he hears the sea-winds c r y i n g
Shouts a t the crows - and dreams of w h i t e g u l l s f l y i n g .

Good Fair Poor

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l told.
 109

Poem X I

V e r s i o n A: The dawn; t h e b i r d s '

tumultuous clamour
grows as t h e l i g h t
gradually
makes more d i s t i n c t
the r o c k s , the t r e e s ,
p i c k i n g out each
f r o m among t h e g r e y .

The c l a m o u r g r o w s
and n o i s e s m i n g l e -
of water s l a p p i n g
along the rocks -
a l l t h e sounds
o f t h e dawn, t h e e a r l y
morning, a l l
the e a r l y sounds.

And more d i s t i n c t
the r o c k s , the t r e e s ,
and b r i g h t e r now
the e a r l y l i g h t i n g -
when s u d d e n l y
a l l these sound cease - Good Fair Poor
a strange s i l e n c e i 1i 1
and t h e n t h e s u n . II

V e r s i o n B: Sunrise; the birds

begin to r a i s e t h e i r voices
as t h e l i g h t
c r e e p s o v e r r o c k s and t r e e s
making each v i s i b l e
against the sky.

The n o i s e s g r o w
and g e n t l y m i n g l e
i n the e a r l y l i g h t ;
the water s l a p s
against the rocks;
the wind s i g h s
in the trees.

I t ' s g r o w i n g b r i g h t e r now,
the r o c k s , t h e t r e e s
a r e more d i s t i n c t ;
suddenly a l l i s q u i e t ,
and t h e n
as i f a t a s i g n a l , _ Good Fair Poor
the sun appears! -j j i r i
 110

Poem XII The Dead Crab

V e r s i o n A: I t had a good t h i c k s h e l l upon i t s back

That even the worst storm c o u l d not c r a c k ;
And at i t s edge j u s t poking out
Were s m a l l back eyes t h a t s t a r e d about:
Beneath, the p o w e r f u l cote-armurel
armour
Gave i t s s o f t u n d e r s i d e some power;
While a l l e i g h t l e g s w i t h c l e v e r j o i n t s
Ended i n r a z o r - s h a r p p o i n t s .
I t s claws i t always h e l d o u t s i d e .
I t ' s obvious t h i s c r e a t u r e d i e d
Q u i t e c a l m l y , not the l e a s t alarmed
By f e a r , and not by any danger harmed;
Because i t ' s v e r y p l a i n to see
A crab's a p e r f e c t armoury.2 "a p l a c e where
weapons are kept
Good Fair Poor

V e r s i o n B: A r o s y s h i e l d upon i t s back
That not the h a r d e s t storm c o u l d c r a c k ,
From whose sharp edge p r o j e c t e d out
B l a c k p i n - p o i n t eyes s t a r i n g about:
Beneath, the w e l l - k n i t cote-armure
That gave to i t s weak b e l l y power;
The c l u s t e r e d l e g s w i t h p l a t e d j o i n t s
That ended i n s t i l e t t o ^ p o i n t s ; a long, t h i n
The claws l i k e mouths i t h e l d o u t s i d e ; dagger
I cannot t h i n k t h i s c r e a t u r e d i e d
By storm or f i s h or sea-fowl harmed,
Walking the sea so h e a v i l y armed;
Or does i t make f o r death to be
O n e s e l f a l i v i n g armoury?

Good Fair Poor

 Ill

Poem Comparison T e s t : Key and L i s t of Authors

The following l i s t i n d i c a t e s which of the two v e r s i o n s i s the original

poem: ;

Poem Version Poem Version

1 B 7 A
2 B 8 B
3 A 9 A
4 B 10 B
5 A 11 A
6 A 12 B

List of T i t l e s and Authors

Poem Title Author

1 Lost C a r l Sandburg
2 Steam Shovel C h a r l e s Malam
3 Erosion E.J. Pratt
4 Travel Robert L o u i s Stevenson
5 T h i s Is J u s t To Say William Carlos Williams
6 Autumn T.E. Hulme
7 Sea-Fever John M a s e f i e l d
8 Fueled M a r i e Hans
9 P r e l u d e No. I T.S. E l i o t
10 Kansas Boy Ruth L e c h l i t n e r
11 The Dawn; The B i r d s ' W.W.E. Ross
12 The Dead Crab Andrew Young
 112 ,

Rhythm T e s t

I n s t r u c t i o n s t o the s t u d e n t s

One c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of a l o t of p o e t r y i s i t s rhythm, t h a t i s the

k i n d of beat or s t r e s s t h a t you f i n d i n each l i n e . There a r e many d i f f e r -

ent rhythms, and I would l i k e t o see i f you c o u l d i m i t a t e some by

finishing a l i n e or adding a l i n e of your own as the case may be.

You don't have t o worry about making your l i n e s rhyme. You can

make them rhyme o r n o t rhyme, j u s t as you l i k e .

For example; i f you were asked t o complete the m i s s i n g l i n e i n

these lines:

A s p i d e r danced a cosy j i g
Upon a f r a i l t r a p e z e ,
And from a f a r - o f f c l o v e r f i e l d

you might p u t :

" t h e r e came a p l e a s a n t b r e e z e "

or " I heard a t i n k l i n g stream"

or any o t h e r l i n e t h a t you t h i n k f i t s the rhythm.

It's p r o b a b l y a good i d e a t o read the l i n e s you a r e g i v e n carefully

first of a l l t o make sure t h a t you have got t h e i r rhythm f i r m l y i n your

head. Even exaggerate the rhythm i n your r e a d i n g i f you l i k e . I n the

example.we have j u s t looked a t the rhythm would go something l i k e this:

(/ = a s t r e s s e d s y l l a b l e ; u"= an u n s t r e s s e d syllable)

A s l i d e r danced a ^osy j i g
1

on a f ^ a i l trapeze

And f^om a f ^ r - o f f clover field...

So, as you can hear, "There came a p l e a s a n t breeze" and " I h^ard a t / n k l i n g

stream" b o t h f i t the rhythm.

 113

On the f o l l o w i n g pages you w i l l f i n d f i f t e e n items f o r you t o work

on. You w i l l be a b l e t o work a t your own speed, and I w i l l t r y t o make

sure t h a t everyone gets time t o f i n i s h .

Are t h e r e any q u e s t i o n s ? Remember, i t i s n ' t so important t o worry

about the sense of your l i n e as i t i s t o t r y t o g e t the rhythm t o

sound right.

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l t o l d t o do s o .
 114

Now see i f you can do t h e s e :

(1) By day the b a t i s c o u s i n t o the mouse

He l i k e s '

(2) He f i d d l e d n o r t h an' he f i d d l e d s o u t h ,

He f i d d l e d '

(3) Where i n j u n g l e s , near and f a r ,

Man-devouring tigers are,

L y i n g c l o s e and g i v i n g e a r

(4) Then Robin made h a s t e t o the s h e r i f f t o ask

And he s k i p p e d and l e a p t a l o n g the s t r e e t s

And capered h i g h i n the a i r .

(5) She l e f t the web, she l e f t the loom

She made t h r e e paces through the room

She saw \

She saw the helmet and t h e plume.

(6) How pure, how b e a u t i f u l , how f i n e

Do t e e t h

No f l u t i s t f l u t e s , no dancer twirls,

But comes equipped w i t h matching pearls.

(7) When everyone e l s e i s ready t o go o u t ,

The c a t '

He's n o t where he's been.

Cats s l e e p f a t and walk thin.

 115

(8) I t ' s the sun l i k e watermelon,

And the sidewalks overlaid

With

L i k e a j a r of marmalade.

(9) We were taken from the ore-bed and the mine,

We were melted i n the f u r n a c e and the p i t

We were c a s t and wrought_

We were c u t and f i l e d , and t o o l e d and gauged t o f i t .

(10) Rats!

They fought the dogs and k i l l e d the cats,

And b i t the b a b i e s i n the cradles,

And

And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles.

(11) We listened; but we o n l y heard

That s t a r v e d upon i t s p e r c h ;

And, listening s t i l l , w i t h o u t a word

We s e t about our h o p e l e s s s e a r c h .

(12) Count t h i s among my heart-felt wishes

To hear a f i s h t a l e t o l d by fishes

And '

The honour of a f e l l o w trout.

 116

(13) She t w i s t e d h e r hand behind h e r ; b u t a l l the knots h e l d good'.

She w r i t h e d her hand t i l l h e r f i n g e r s

(14) I looked f o r him behind an i s l e of t r e e s ;

I listened ' '

(15) H i s p r o p e r name was P e t e r Sweet

But he was known as K e e l - h a u l P e t e ;

H i s sense of humour was so grim,

F r e s h corpses
 117
7

Imagery T e s t

I n s t r u c t i o n s to the students

T h i s t e s t i s designed to see how good you a r e a t c r e a t i n g images.

What i s an image? W e l l , whenever we n o t i c e i n t e r e s t i n g or u n u s u a l ways

i n which two d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s a r e a l i k e , we have c r e a t e d an image. For

example, an a i r p l a n e and a b i r d a r e two d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s but most

of us can see ways i n which they a r e a l i k e . We c o u l d express the i d e a

in this way:

An a i r p l a n e i s l i k e a b i r d because they b o t h have wings and f l y

through the a i r .

Section I

Now, I am going t o g i v e you v a r i o u s o b j e c t s , and ask you to c r e a t e

an image out of each one by comparing i t to something e l s e . You may make

your images as i n t e r e s t i n g or u n u s u a l as you l i k e but remember to say

why you t h i n k the two a r e a l i k e .

Example: An a i r p l a n e i s l i k e ... a b i r d

because ... they both have wings and f l y through the a i r .

(1) A sailboat i s like '

because

(2) An e r u p t i n g v o l c a n o i s l i k e ' '

because ' ' '

(3) A h i g h - r i s e aparatment i s l i k e

because ' '

(4) A crocodile i s like ' ' '

because "

(5) A shoelace i s l i k e

because
 118

Section I I

In t h i s s e c t i o n I would l i k e t o see how many d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s one

particular t h i n g can remind you o f . F o r example, i f you were asked what

a f u l l moon reminded you of you might say: a b a l l , a g o l d c o i n , a

flashlight, a wheel and so on.

Now see how many different,; t h i n g s each o f the f o l l o w i n g things

reminds you o f . You don't have t o g i v e r e a s o n s , j u s t g e t down as many

i d e a s as you can.

Example: a f u l l moon reminds me o f : a b a l l - a g o l d c o i n - a f l a s h l i g h t -

a wheel -

(1) an i c e b e r g reminds me o f :

(2) drumbeats remind me o f :

(3) f a l l i n g l e a v e s remind me o f : r

(4) a s n a i l - s h e l l reminds me o f :

(5) a h i g h b r i d g e reminds me o f :

P l e a s e do n o t t u r n over u n t i l t o l d t o .
 119

Section I I I

We o f t e n use images i n our c o n v e r s a t i o n or i n our w r i t i n g to make

something we a r e d e s c r i b i n g c l e a r e r or more v i v i d . Two of the commonest

k i n d s of image a r e s i m i l e s and metaphors. A s i m i l e makes a comparison

between whatever you a r e d e s c r i b i n g and something e l s e by u s i n g the words

' l i k e ' or 'as'. F o r example, you might say:

(1) The b i r d s c h i r p i n g a t dawn were l i k e a group of m u s i c i a n s t u n i n g up.

or

(2) Her cheeks were as r e d as_ a p p l e s .

A metaphor, on the other hand, s t a t e s t h a t whatever you are d e s c r i b i n g

a c t u a l l y i s what you want to compare i t t o . U s i n g the same examples,

you might say:

(1) The b i r d s c h i r p i n g a t dawn were a group of m u s i c i a n s t u n i n g up.

i

or

(2) Her cheeks were r e d a p p l e s .

L e t ' s t r y an example. What c o u l d we compare an empty house t o , u s i n g

a simile? Now a metaphor?

Now I would l i k e you t o t r y and complete each of the f i v e sentences

on the next page w i t h e i t h e r a s i m i l e or a metaphor. I t doesn't matter

which you use, but t r y t o make your comparisons as i n t e r e s t i n g or as

striking as you can.

Are t h e r e any q u e s t i o n s ?

P l e a s e do not t u r n over u n t i l t o l d t o .
 120

Now t r y these:

(1) The stormy sea was

(2) The young c h i l d r e n , p l a y i n g i n the garden, were

(3) The f o r e s t - f i r e was

(4) The excited crowd was

(5) The trees, standing out against the evening sky, were
 121

Q u e s t i o n n a i r e t o t e a c h e r s on students i n v o l v e d i n the t e s t s

I am going t o ask you t o r a t e each of your students on v a r i o u s forms

of b e h a v i o u r t h a t might be r e l a t e d t o a p p r e c i a t i o n .

P l e a s e f e e l f r e e t o use whatever c r i t e r i a you c o n s i d e r r e l e v a n t i n

answering the q u e s t i o n s .

Student's name:

P l e a s e c i r c l e the a p p r o p r i a t e response.

(1) How t h o r o u g h l y does he/she do assignments on l i t e r a t u r e ?

very quite not very not at a l l

(2) How f r e q u e n t l y does he/she ask q u e s t i o n s about l i t e r a t u r e ?

very quite not v e r y not a t a l l

(3) How f r e q u e n t l y does he/she v o l u n t e e r o p i n i o n s about literature?

very quite not very not at a l l

(4) What b r e a d t h of r e a d i n g do comments made by him/her r e v e a l ?

v e r y much quite a l o t n o t v e r y much very little

(5) How much open-mindedness do comments made by him/her r e v e a l ?

v e r y much quite a l o t n o t v e r y much very little

(6) How w e l l does he/she read p r o s e , p o e t r y o r drama o r a l l y ?

very w e l l quite well not very w e l l very poorly

(7) How much o r i g i n a l i t y does he/she show i n w r i t t e n work?

v e r y much quite a l o t n o t v e r y much very little

(8) How much o r i g i n a l i t y does he/she show i n o r a l work?

v e r y much quite a l o t n o t v e r y much very little

 122

APPENDIX C

INFORMATION BASED ON PARTIAL DATA

 TABLE 11

CORRELATION MATRIX: TOTAL SCORES AND SUB-SCORES (PARTIAL DATA)*

n=98-112

READING TEST IMAGERY TEST TEACHER

POEM
SEX GRADE RHYME COMP RHYTHM I I I I I I TOTAl I II I I I T O T H RATING

- . 02 34 16 29 16 00 05 06 11 14 07 14 18
SEX

GRADE 08 31 20 20 16 03 03 16 02 32 19 25

RHYME 25 69 61 64 65 70 48 53 50 65 55

POEM COMP 30 23 32 25 29 23 -21 30 31 15

RHYTHM 37 45 49 49 48 38 59 61 36

/ I 64 • 66 80 31 39 39 49 51
A
D
I
) T I
81 92 32 37 56
62
55

61
52

55
N
G
1 111 95 34

36
41

43 61 62 58
(TOTAL
I 46 49 76 35
M / I

I
A 40
11 27 84
G
E
70 35
R
Y
] 1 1 1

(TOTAL
48

TEACHER RATING

*decimal point omitted

 124

TABLE 12

NUMBER OF SIMULTANEOUS OBSERVATIONS*

POEM TEACHER
RHYME COMP RHYTHM READING IMAGERY RATING

RHYME TEST 104 101 98 105 104

POEM COMP. TEST 105 101 109 108

RHYTHM TEST 101 108 107

READING TEST 103 103

IMAGERY TEST 111

TEACHER RATING

*decimal point omitted

 125

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