Gilles 1

Emily Gilles
Dr. Monsour
ED 327
10/7/14
Cloze Procedure Findings:
The paragraph that I chose was from the infotext Writing Fiction, A Guide to
Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway. In the selected 100 words used for the Cloze
procedures, there were 7 sentences, 155 syllables including proper nouns, and 153
syllables without proper nouns.

The 100 words chosen are:
Like their mold-ravaged house, the Microserfs also receive almost no sun as they
pursue their project shipping deadlines round the clock; the litter of objects listed gives
clues to whatever thin slices of personality remain.
What generalizations might you make about the Microserfs after reading this
passage? Are they self-absorbed? Driven, wealthy, immature? Focused or sloppy? All
these descriptions may apply, but they seem bland and inadequate when Juxtaposed with
the list of specific details that bring them to life in a way that mere adjectives never
could.
Here is Michael Martone again: The reader is to

Using the Fry Chart Cloze Procedure, the grade level was between 9
th
and 10
th

grade based on the 7 sentences and 155 syllables (it did not vary without the proper nouns
because the syllable count was only 153 without them).
Using the word documents Flesch-Kincaid Cloze Procedure, the grade level was
8.4 with the Flesch Reading Ease at 56.6%. This was found using the spelling and
grammar check in Word Documents.
Using the Gunning Fox Index Cloze Procedure, the reading level came to be
10.52, so in between 10
th
and 11
th
grade. I found this by dividing the number of sentences
into the number of words, coming to an average sentence length of 14.3. I then found the
number of big words (which are three syllables or more) and divided that by 100 to find
the percentage of big words, which ended at 12%. I then added the average sentence
length with the percentage and multiplied that sum by 0.4 to find that the reading level
was at 10.52.

There might be a discrepancy based on what was deemed to be difficult words,
such as the more than three syllable count or also the number of sentences compared to
the number of larger syllabic words. When looking in the book itself, I found an excerpt
by the author that might explain the discrepancy as well: Writing Fiction is used by
many instructors in both beginning and advanced writing courses and for students at very
different levels of understanding. We have tried, therefore, to make it practical,
comprehensive, and flexible.

Gilles 2
Resource List for Content Reading Level Materials:
Resource Chosen: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Below Level:
1. Thug Notes- a satirical summary of the novel on YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmKEltYUy6k)
2. Video Spark notes- another summary of the novel, this time more in-
depth on YouTube that goes into explaining the themes
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmKEltYUy6k)
3. Illustrations by Matt Kish that interpret the novel with an article that
explains some of the pieces (http://flavorwire.com/421836/matt-
kishs-brilliant-illustrations-for-joseph-conrads-heart-of-darkness/2)
4. A study guide for the novel that explains key concepts in an easily
understandable format and language (http://www-
personal.ksu.edu/~lyman/english320/sg-Conrad-HD.htm)
On Level:
1. A website that has a more intermediate level study guide that has
more complex words than the basic level study guides
(http://www.gradesaver.com/heart-of-darkness/)
2. An oral interpretation of the novel, completely done only through
audio and no visual
(http://www.loudlit.org/works/heartofdarkness.htm)
3. A YouTube video that has a more critical analysis of the novel as well
as on Conrad himself
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr6UBofPZm4)
4. The movie interpretation of the novel- created in 1993 that can cause
students to contrast the two versions for meaning on an intermediate
level (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110002/)
Above Level:
1. Interpretations and Ideas from the Joseph Conrad Society on the novel
(http://www.josephconradsociety.org/student_resources.htm)
2. An academic article from All Africa on the questionable concepts of
racism and colonization thats raised in the novel
(http://allafrica.com/stories/201304080353.html)
3. A discussion of the original publication of the novel in regards to its
literary time period during the Victorian Age
(http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/conrad/pva46.html)
4. An academic article on Joseph Conrads biography and how he came
to write the novel
(http://loki.stockton.edu/~kinsellt/projects/hod/bio.html)


Gilles 3
Analysis Findings:
In gathering the resource list for the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph
Conrad, I was aware that the novel itself is at a higher difficulty level itself. With that
in mind, I knew that a lot of the below and even on level resources would have to be
summaries and analysis of the novel in order to assist students in reading that
material. All of the resources that I found were at the reading level according to the
Cloze results because I used the Cloze procedure offered by the Advanced Google
search as well as a few that I tested using the Fry Graph Cloze Procedure. This novel
is usually taught in the 11
th
grade, so I used that grade level for the resource list.
For below level resources, I tried to find more videos and audio clips in order
for students to be able to follow along while engaging with the video. One that I
enjoyed the most was #1 provided by Thug Notes on YouTube. It was almost a
parody of the novel, but it gained attention by presenting the information in a
simplistic and relatable way. This is important when the text is very difficult, in
order for the students to not become frustrated while learning.
For on level resources, I tried to find a mixture of written and visual/audio
analysis and interpretation of the novel. Students can still get confused with the
material for on level analysis, and guiding them into more critical thinking is
important. For example, there were a few study guides that explained concepts but
also the movie version of the novel that they have to engage with on a higher level in
order to see the differences between the two versions.
For above level resources, I found a lot of academic articles that discussed
the themes of the novel on a higher level, connecting them with the world and
different social issues. One that I thought was very interesting was the academic
article that explored whether the novel was racist. I realize that this article would
not suit all classrooms as it could cause pandemonium, but that faucet of the novel is
very important to explore with above level students who would be more mature in
discussing the real racial implications.
If I did not have access to other reading materials, I would adapt the text in
simpler ways for the students on every level. I think that the text would frustrate a
lot of readers for the below level, and thus I would create a guide of main points to
look at in each chapter of the novel. I would also explain key ideas to them, and have
them find what they think were examples of those in the text as they read, that way
theyre not overwhelmed with finding the ideas themselves. As for on level, I would
have them begin to find those ideas themselves. I would give them important
passages to look at, and then they would have to derive the meaning for themselves.
As for above level, I would have them just create a discussion themselves with the
author, with only a little guidance. They would have to come up with the key ideas
and themes, as well as find textual support.
I would evaluate the students knowledge of the content if they could not
read of comprehend it with group projects. This lets the students bounce ideas off of
each other, and puts less stress on one singular student to come up with all of the
analysis. If one student is at a higher level then the other than they can complement
each other with different viewpoints, and that allows for both of them to get new
ideas from the text. I think that if in groups they discuss the novel then they will get
Gilles 4
more knowledge then if they struggle singularly, so that this way they can work
together.