# The Role of Knowledge Retrieval in Inference-making among Rural, Middle Grade Struggling Readers

> **NIH NIH R15** · WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE · 2022 · $329,868

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Recent research shows that inferencing improves across grades 6-12, uniquely accounts for variance in
sentence- and passage-level comprehension, and individual differences in inferencing relate in a principled way
to variations in reading comprehension for readers of all abilities (Barth et al., 2015; Barnes et al., 2015). These
findings suggest that comprehension requires inferencing and that comprehension fails when readers do not
possess relevant knowledge or can only slowly retrieve and integrate knowledge from text or semantic memory
during reading (Kendeou, 2015). Yet, very little research has examined how inferencing changes as a function
of changes in knowledge. To extend this limited body of research, this application requests three years of funding
to conduct two experimental studies designed to (a) examine the relationship between knowledge retrieval and
inferencing (Aim 1) and (b) determine the effectiveness of an intervention that improves knowledge retrieval and
inferencing (Aim 2) among rural, middle grade struggling readers. This proposal also seeks to expand research
opportunities for undergraduates at Buena Vista University (Aim 3). The research design uses 316 struggling
readers in grades 5-8 who attend a rural school. To test Aim 1, the effects of knowledge retrieval (accuracy and
speed) on inferencing will be modeled without dichotomizing the distribution. Linear mixed effect models will be
fit to determine whether reader characteristics (i.e., knowledge retrieval, metacognition, reading comprehension,
word reading efficiency, background knowledge, working memory, and grade) make unique contributions to
inferencing across the posttest and follow-up data collection time points. To test Aim 2, we will first consider
several structural models as students may be nested in teachers, schools, and tutors. We will run unconditional
models to estimate the intraclass correlation for each level of the study design. If significant interclass correlations
emerge, we will fit multilevel models to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention while controlling for
covariates such as pre-test performance on inference-related measures and child-attributes such as English
learner status. Our primary analysis plan assumes an intent-to-treat model in which we test the efficacy of two
intact conditions. We will also estimate effect sizes to report the magnitude of difference between the two
conditions. Expected outcomes include (a) the identification of a method that effectively facilitates knowledge
retrieval and the application of relevant knowledge to form inferences among rural, middle grade, struggling
readers; (b) the validation of an intervention that teaches rural, struggling middle grade readers how to activate,
retrieve, and interweave relevant knowledge with information in the text and accurately form inferences while
reading that can be broadly implemented in middle grade classrooms; and (c) expansion of unde...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10435063
- **Project number:** 2R15HD092922-02
- **Recipient organization:** WILLIAM JEWELL COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Amy Elizabeth Barth
- **Activity code:** R15 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $329,868
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10435063

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10435063, The Role of Knowledge Retrieval in Inference-making among Rural, Middle Grade Struggling Readers (2R15HD092922-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10435063. Licensed CC0.

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