This book provides research-based insights that deepen and broaden current understandings of the nature of reading. Informed by psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic views of reading-as-meaning-construction, the studies build on principles of scientifi

This book provides research-based insights that deepen and broaden current understandings of the nature of reading. Informed by psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic views of reading-as-meaning-construction, the studies build on principles of scientific realism - an approach to inquiry that incorporates and values a wide variety of methods of observation to find the most inclusive, ecologically valid description of the reading process as it is observed in a variety of contexts from a wide range of perspectives. Focusing on how facts are discovered, developed, and used in the construction of knowledge about reading - a data-driven and theory-driven construction that results from observing the reading process with a variety of tools, methods, disciplines, and conceptual frameworks - scientific realism goes beyond rationalism and experimentation to include studies of events and experiences, but still satisfies even the most narrow definitions of what state and national lawmakers refer to as "reliable and replicable research on reading." Each study in this volume breaks ground for a new line of reading research underpinned by the theory of reading based in scientific realism. Scientific Realism in Studies of Reading is directed to reading researchers, teacher educators, reading specialists, special educators, graduate students, and related education professionals in the disciplines of applied psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics, and is appropriate as a text for advanced courses in these areas.

"There is no other book on the market like this.... It is a counterpoint to those which talk about scientific studies of reading in that, by the methodologies used, it reveals how much more context-rich studies of reading offer to our understanding of the reading process. This book would be excellent for graduate courses on oral reading analysis or oral reading assessment, psycholinguistic or sociolinguistic models of reading, or research methods in literacy education." Sharon Murphy, York University "This book is unique; there are many arguments out there about our current climate but this work looks beyond those to a place of intellectual and scholarly vitality. This is a timely and important book." Richard J. Meyer, University of New Mexico "This volume is certainly cutting-edge. It presents research that many in the reading field are not aware of. The scholarship is outstanding.... It will contribute significantly by helping to move the field past its current preoccupation with rapid and automatic word recognition.... It could set the standard for a new approach to 'scientific research.'" David Freeman, University of Texas Pan American