Abstract of

Norwegian Law Students' Use of Multiple Sources While Reading Expository Texts

Helge I. Strømsø

Ivar Bråten

Seven Norwegian law students read self-selected study texts at three different points of time. Think-aloud protocols were generated during reading and later analyzed to locate the sources referred to when students made links reaching beyond what they read at the moment. The proportion of links to sources located within the selected text decreased and the proportion of links to sources located outside the task context increased over time, with one possible explanation for this being that the students changed their understanding of the task from reading to keep up with lectures to review for the examination. The students who increased their use of sources located outside the task context most when starting to review texts also obtained the highest grades at the examination. Indepth studies of two cases both confirmed and elaborated the findings concerning all participants.

Abstract from Strømsø, H.I., & Bråten, I. (2002). Norwegian Law Students' Use of Multiple Sources While Reading Expository Texts. Reading Research Quarterly, 37(2), 208–227. doi: 10.1598/RRQ.37.2.5