The Effect of Concentration-Improving Music on Reading Comprehension
School Name
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Grade Level
11th Grade
Presentation Topic
Psychology and Sociology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Written Paper Award
2nd Place
Abstract
In this experiment, the effect of concentration-improving music on students’ reading comprehension was tested. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether music that claims to enhance concentration would have any noticeable effect on students’ reading comprehension skills. 27 students took 4 reading comprehension tests over the span of a month, with 1 test per week at the same time every week. The time allotted for test-taking was 15 minutes. Test 1 established a baseline score, and the following 3 tests had a different music track playing as background noise while students were taking the assessment. Students completed a post-assessment survey, indicating whether they listened to music while studying, what kind of music, and how distracting they perceived the testing environment to be. Descriptive statistics were run on raw scores, followed by a single-factor ANOVA test. No overarching trends were visible in the data; 14 students improved over the course of the experiment, others declined, still others showed no pattern in their scores. The ANOVA test results (α=0.05) had a P-value of 0.08, an F-value of 2.29, and an F-crit value of 2.69. Therefore, the null hypothesis failed to be rejected. There is no statistically significant difference between the reading comprehension scores in the control group with silence and the experimental groups exposed to concentration-improving music.
Recommended Citation
Willhide, Kate, "The Effect of Concentration-Improving Music on Reading Comprehension" (2018). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 137.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2018/all/137
Location
Neville 321
Start Date
4-14-2018 11:45 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
The Effect of Concentration-Improving Music on Reading Comprehension
Neville 321
In this experiment, the effect of concentration-improving music on students’ reading comprehension was tested. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether music that claims to enhance concentration would have any noticeable effect on students’ reading comprehension skills. 27 students took 4 reading comprehension tests over the span of a month, with 1 test per week at the same time every week. The time allotted for test-taking was 15 minutes. Test 1 established a baseline score, and the following 3 tests had a different music track playing as background noise while students were taking the assessment. Students completed a post-assessment survey, indicating whether they listened to music while studying, what kind of music, and how distracting they perceived the testing environment to be. Descriptive statistics were run on raw scores, followed by a single-factor ANOVA test. No overarching trends were visible in the data; 14 students improved over the course of the experiment, others declined, still others showed no pattern in their scores. The ANOVA test results (α=0.05) had a P-value of 0.08, an F-value of 2.29, and an F-crit value of 2.69. Therefore, the null hypothesis failed to be rejected. There is no statistically significant difference between the reading comprehension scores in the control group with silence and the experimental groups exposed to concentration-improving music.
