Student Research Report: Sound and Reading
Our science club investigated whether background sound affects reading comprehension. Thirty-six students were randomly divided into three equal groups. Everyone read the same 900-word article for ten minutes and then answered the same twenty questions. Group S worked in silence, Group M heard instrumental music at a low volume, and Group C heard a recording of a café conversation.
| Condition | Average correct answers | Range of scores |
|---|---|---|
| Silence (S) | 16.8 | 13–20 |
| Instrumental music (M) | 15.9 | 12–19 |
| Café conversation (C) | 13.1 | 9–18 |
The conversation group had the lowest average. One possible explanation is that meaningful speech competes with written language for attention. However, our sample was small, and we tested only one article and one volume level. We therefore cannot conclude that conversation always harms every reader. A future study should test more students, several kinds of text, and different sound levels.
Proposed Headline for the School Website
Café Noise Proven to Reduce Everyone's Reading Ability
Why is the proposed headline unsuitable?
Which change would best test the report's explanation for Group C's lower score?
Student Research Report: Sound and Reading
Our science club investigated whether background sound affects reading comprehension. Thirty-six students were randomly divided into three equal groups. Everyone read the same 900-word article for ten minutes and then answered the same twenty questions. Group S worked in silence, Group M heard instrumental music at a low volume, and Group C heard a recording of a café conversation.
| Condition | Average correct answers | Range of scores |
|---|---|---|
| Silence (S) | 16.8 | 13–20 |
| Instrumental music (M) | 15.9 | 12–19 |
| Café conversation (C) | 13.1 | 9–18 |
The conversation group had the lowest average. One possible explanation is that meaningful speech competes with written language for attention. However, our sample was small, and we tested only one article and one volume level. We therefore cannot conclude that conversation always harms every reader. A future study should test more students, several kinds of text, and different sound levels.
Proposed Headline for the School Website
Café Noise Proven to Reduce Everyone's Reading Ability
Why is the proposed headline unsuitable?
Which change would best test the report's explanation for Group C's lower score?