Short answer

Incorporate well-chosen model texts into design projects that involve instructional or educational content to guide users towards desired outputs and communication styles.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) (2013)
Method: Case study
Sample: 12 focus students
Evidence: Strong effect

Providing students with model texts significantly influences their writing by embedding structural elements and domain-specific vocabulary, thereby aiding their ability to adopt relevant authorial positions. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2013 study published in Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo). Using Case study with 12 focus students, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Incorporate well-chosen model texts into design projects that involve instructional or educational content to guide users towards desired outputs and communication styles.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Model Texts Enhance Student Writing Structure and Domain-Specific Language

Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) · 2013

Key Findings

01Model texts leave discernible traces in student writing, affecting both larger structural elements and smaller linguistic details like sentence construction and word choice.
02Students successfully simulated domain-specific authorial positions, such as those of scientists in lab reports and textbook authors in factual essays, guided by the model texts and teacher instruction.
03The way students and teachers interact with and utilize model texts directly impacts the resulting student compositions.

Application

Design takeaway

Incorporate well-chosen model texts into design projects that involve instructional or educational content to guide users towards desired outputs and communication styles.

How to apply

When developing instructional materials or design briefs, provide clear examples of successful outputs that demonstrate the desired structure, tone, and language.

Project actions

01When designing a product or service that requires users to create content, consider providing clear examples of the desired output.
02Analyze successful examples to understand the underlying structures and language that resonate with the target audience.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate how model texts influence the structural and linguistic features of student-generated expository writing and how students position themselves as authors within different writing contexts.

MethodCase study

ProcedureFour distinct expository writing scenarios (biotope log, lab report, historical essay, science essay) were implemented with 5th-grade students. Each scenario utilized different model texts. Student texts were analyzed for traces of the model texts, focusing on compositional and linguistic features, and student self-positioning as writers was examined.

Sample12 focus students

ContextPrimary education (5th grade) writing instruction

Variables

IVPresence and type of model texts, teacher instruction

DVStructural features of student texts, linguistic features of student texts, student authorial positioning

CVGrade level (5th grade), type of writing task (expository), number of focus students

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Employs a case study approach to provide in-depth analysis of student writing processes.
+Connects theoretical frameworks (dialogue, intertextuality, scaffolding, positioning) to practical observations.

Limitations

The effectiveness of model texts can vary depending on the complexity of the task, the prior knowledge of the users, and the quality of the model texts themselves.

Reliability & validity

Reliability could be enhanced through inter-rater agreement on text analysis. Validity is supported by the triangulation of text analysis with observations of student-teacher interaction and theoretical grounding.

Think critically

To what extent does the reliance on model texts stifle genuine creativity or the development of unique authorial voices?

Design Principles

"Scaffolding through exemplary models facilitates the acquisition of genre conventions and domain-specific communication strategies."

Understanding how model texts shape student work is crucial for educators and curriculum designers. It informs the selection and integration of exemplary texts to foster specific writing skills and encourage students to internalize the conventions of different genres and subject areas.

What This Means for Your Design

Using example texts (model texts) helps students write better by showing them how to structure their work and what words to use, making them sound like experts in the subject.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of providing clear exemplars or templates in your design process, particularly if your project involves content creation or instruction.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The research by Háland (2013) highlights the significant impact of model texts on user output, demonstrating that providing clear exemplars can effectively guide users in adopting appropriate structures and domain-specific language. This principle is directly applicable to design projects requiring content creation, where carefully selected model texts can serve as powerful scaffolds, enhancing user performance and the overall quality of the final product.

Source

Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo)

Bruk av modelltekstar i sakprega skriving på mellomtrinnet : Ei undersøking av korleis modelltekstar set spor i elevtekstar og korleis elevar posisjonerer seg i ulike sakprega skrivesituasjonar.

journal · 2013

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Questions About This Research

What does the research say about model texts enhance student writing structure and domain-specific language?: Incorporate well-chosen model texts into design projects that involve instructional or educational content to guide users towards desired outputs and communication styles. Evidence: Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) (2013).
Why does "Model Texts Enhance Student Writing Structure and Domain-Specific Language" matter for design?: Understanding how model texts shape student work is crucial for educators and curriculum designers. It informs the selection and integration of exemplary texts to foster specific writing skills and encourage students to internalize the conventions of different genres and subject areas.
How can designers apply this research?: Incorporate well-chosen model texts into design projects that involve instructional or educational content to guide users towards desired outputs and communication styles.
What were the main findings?: Model texts leave discernible traces in student writing, affecting both larger structural elements and smaller linguistic details like sentence construction and word choice.. Students successfully simulated domain-specific authorial positions, such as those of scientists in lab reports and textbook authors in factual essays, guided by the model texts and teacher instruction.. The way students and teachers interact with and utilize model texts directly impacts the resulting student compositions.
What research method was used?: Case study with 12 focus students.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2013 journal from Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing instructional materials or design briefs, provide clear examples of successful outputs that demonstrate the desired structure, tone, and language.
What are the limitations?: The study focused on a specific age group and educational context, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings to other age levels or learning environments. The influence of individual teacher pedagogy was also a factor.