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The Effect of Music on Journal Writing Productivity
Submitted to the
by Approved:
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
CHAPTER Page
I.
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Statement of the Problem. . .
. . 3
Significance of the Study . .
. . 3
Questions to be Investigated.
. . 4
Definition of Terms . . . . .
. . 5
Research Procedures and
Methodology5 Assumptions and Limitations of the
Study. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . 5
Delimitations . . . . . . . .
. . 7
II.
RELATED RESEARCH AND LITERATURE. . . . 8
III.
THE PROCEDURES FOR THIS STUDY. . . . . 13
Subjects. . . . . . . . . . .
. . 13
Instrumentation . . . . . . .
. . 13
Procedures. . . . . . . . . .
. . 14
IV.
ANALYSIS OF THE DATA . . . . . . . . . 18
V.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. . . . . . . . 21
Summary of Findings . . . . .
. . 21
Conclusions . . . . . .
. . . . . 22
Implications. . . . . .
. . . . . 24
Recommendations and
Future Research25 Appendix
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Chapter I
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Writing is an important skill for students to master. To increase
their competence in writing, students must practice writing. The
purpose of this study was to determine if the presence of music in
the classroom would change the quantity of writing output by
eleventh and twelfth grade students during journal writing sessions.
Significance of the
Problem
Many eleventh and twelfth grade students at Upper Valley Joint
Vocational School do not like to write. Various Upper Valley Joint
Vocational School faculty members have indicated that they have
difficulty in motivating students to write. Some of the eleventh
and twelfth grade students at Upper Valley Joint Vocational School
refuse to attempt extended written work, whether the writing
consists of journal entries, homework, essays, or essay answers on
tests. Those same students will complete fill in the blank or short
answer questions as well as multiple choice and matching tests and
assignments. Teachers have reported that sometimes getting a
student to write more than one complete sentence is a challenge.
Failure of students to write more than one paragraph or refusal
to express their thoughts in written form is often due to a lack of
confidence and past failures. The successful completion of written
work improves confidence and allows the teacher to identify student
strengths on which to build and the weaknesses from which to guide
improvement.
Question to be Investigated
This study focused on the question to guide the investigation:
1. What is the effect of the presence of music on journal writing
productivity with eleventh and twelfth grade students?
The sub questions which will further guide the investigation:
a.
What effect does classical music have on journal writing
productivity?
b.
What effect does folk music have on journal writing productivity?
Definition of Terms
The terms to be used throughout this study will be defined as
follows:
Journal Writing Session:
a continuous twenty minute block of time set aside for students to
reflect and to write in their journal.
Writing Productivity:
the number of lines written by a student.
Folk
Music:
compositions written and performed by John Denver.
Classical Music:
compositions written by Gioachino Antonio Rossini and Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart.
Research Procedures and
Methodology
This study was in the form of an action research. It examined
if the presence of folk music and/or classical music influenced the
writing productivity during journal writing sessions of eleventh and
twelfth grade students.
Assumptions
1.
Each student participating in the study wrote at least at the fourth
grade level.
2.
Each student participating in the study could hear the varied tone
and pitch of the musical selections when played at a moderate
volume.
3.
Every student desired to earn a passing grade.
Limitations
1. The
students in the study had all opted to enroll in a vocational
school. Up to half of the student school day was spent in training
in the selected vocational area, as compared to a regular or
comprehensive high school setting where the majority of the student
day and focus would be spent working in an academic setting.
2. The
students selected to participate in the study were in the eleventh
and twelfth grade, as those are the grade levels that attend Upper
Valley Joint Vocational School.
3. The
music was played from the center of the room. Each student would be
close enough to hear, but did not hear the music at exactly the same
volume.
4.
Student attendance during the journal writing sessions reduced the
number of subject entries tabulated in this study.
5.
Student mood and the appeal of the writing prompt may have
influenced individual journal writing session productivity.
Delimitations
1. The students did receive a grade on their journal writing based
upon length and legibility. Grammar and spelling did not impact the
grade unless it affected legibility and understanding.
2. Students were provided a writing prompt, but also could opt to
write about any open topic appropriate for school.
3. Students were allowed to take their journals home to continue
the writing assignment to earn the desired grade. The journals were
be marked with respect to the number of lines written immediately
after the journal writing session was completed.
4. Journal writing sessions took place for four consecutive weeks
starting at the beginning of the second semester of classes.
5. One-hundred students participated in the study, based upon the
number of students who were scheduled to regularly attend the
selected English classes.
Chapter II
Related Research and Literature
Writing is an important form of communication. Conveying of
thoughts and ideas in written form is vital to students as they
transition from high school to college or to the work place. It
would be difficult to argue that effective writing is not an
important skill for an individual to succeed in society. The
question is how to encourage students to participate and practice in
the development of their writing skills. Teachers of writing
regularly encounter students, similar to the high apprehensives in
this study, who struggle painfully through academic writing
situations because their writing is fashioned in response to purely
external demands or they believe they cannot write (Wachholz and
Ethridge, 1996).
Having students write in journals can be a positive experience
and improve writing and thinking ability. Zacharias (1991) noted
that knowledge is seen as generated by the students themselves
through an interactive, thinking, and doing process with their
environment and Reid (1997) indicated that she has seen students’
fluency increase and their dread about writing decrease when using
journals.
In addition, journal writing can improve communication and
rapport between the teacher and the student. Cutforth and Parker
(1996) stated it was their experience that journals foster dialogue
between teachers and students which affirms the mutuality of the
educational encounter, or the sense that both parties are in this
together. A student having confidence in his teacher and believing
it is a mutual effort can foster a more positive and productive
educational experience for the student.
Journaling is more than a method to increase writing competency.
Barlow (1999) suggests it is a way to deepen comprehension. Schools
face a difficult job in getting students to take an active part in
the learning process (Oxendine, 1988). They have difficulty making
connections. It is more than simply knowing a set of facts, but
understanding them and applying them. Oxendine (1988) stated that
journal writing, by its contribution toward self-understanding and,
its role in the thinking process, can help students take an active
part. Writing about a non-threatening situation about subject
matter they consider relevant, students should find the educational
process real and meaningful on a more personal level.
If journal writing is beneficial to student writing competency,
and if journal writing can be a positive factor in the educational
process, how can one motivate or encourage students to write more in
their journals? The presence of music in the classroom is one
option studied over the years, although not as in depth or published
as frequently as one might believe. In his study of research,
Weinberger (1998) reviewed a large number of pre-1980 dissertations
on the topic of the effects of music experience or training on
academic performance, mainly in primary school children. He located
thirty-one dissertations, twenty-nine of which had not been
published as of 1996. He surmises that their findings are virtually
unknown today and apparently have had little influence.
Maintaining student on task performance and especially keeping
them focused on writing can be difficult. In their study, Kariuki
and Honeycutt (1998) indicated complaints by students about writing
assignments and constant physical movement. But when students were
exposed to music, their resistance to performance decreased and they
were able to ignore outside disturbances and focus on their
writing. This enabled the students to produce a higher volume of
writing output which displayed improved writing skills and positive
attitudes. McKnight (1998) found that playing slow tempo classical
music can make a difference on children’s on-task behavior. She
indicated the classical music had a positive effect. In Scott’s
article (1996), the author noted that music calmed and quieted
students while the incorporation of music resulted in some inspired
writing. Lensman (1994) indicated the use of 5 senses, including
hearing by writing to music, improved student writing exercises.
Results with respect to increased productivity in journal
writing while in the presence of music are indicated in several
studies (Donohoe and McNeeley, 1999, Karuki and Honeycutt, 1998,
Koppleman and Imig, 1995, and McKnight 1998). However, Donohoe and
McNeeley (1999) did not identify their findings as significant, and
Koppleman and Imig (1995) determined the type of music present
during journal writing had an impact, both positive or negative, on
journal writing productivity.
Koppleman and Imig (1995) found that when the average number of
words per selection, consistency, and tone, are used to analyze
children’s writings, jazz and classical music have a significant
positive effect when played in the background during the students’
writing time. Top 40 music was found to have a significant negative
effect when played during the student’s writing time.
The research appears to indicate that journal writing is a
beneficial exercise and educational tool. It can promote not only
the improvement of writing and communication skills but also other
skills such as comprehension. In addition, journal writing can
improve student confidence and participation. The presence of music
in general appears to have a positive effect on the quantity and
quality of journal writing. However, some studies indicate
insignificant increases or even a negative influence depending on
the type of music present.
In general, the studies located with respect to the effect of
music on journal writing have focused on students below the sixth
grade.
Chapter III The Procedures for this Study
Subjects
The subjects in this study consisted of eleventh and twelfth grade
students that attended a Joint Vocational School that is located in
west central Ohio. The student ages range from 16 years to 19 years
of age. Each student was enrolled in a career technical or tech
prep program, and transferred from one of 15 rural, small city
school, or suburban districts located in two west central Ohio
counties.
One hundred students, forty-nine twelfth graders and fifty-one
eleventh graders, participated in the study. Sixty-six students,
thirty-two twelfth graders and thirty-four eleventh graders,
participated in all four journal writing sessions.
Instru
The students were required to write in journals which consisted of
spiral bound notebooks with their names and class period written on
the front cover. White college or wide ruled paper was used. The
students were assigned to use either blue or black ink pens or
pencils with number two lead. The journals were stored in file
cabinet drawers assigned by class period, and locked when not in
use.
The participation of each student in the four journal writing
sessions and the length of each twenty minute entry were recorded on
a final tally sheet (See Appendix A). For the collection of data
one tally sheet was prepared for each class period and recorded the
student name, identification number, and number of lines written
during each of the four journal writing sessions.
The classical music consisted of three scores played in the
following order during each journal writing session accompanied by
classical music: Gioacchino Antonio Rossini’s William Tell,
and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and The
Marriage of Figaro. Each piece was played by the New
Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Alfred Scholz.
The folk music selections
were all performed by John Denver. The songs were played in the
following order during each journal writing session accompanied by
folk music: Looking for Space, Calypso, Cowboy’s Delight, Spirit,
Late Night Radio, and Fly Away.
The music selections were
played on a Memorex portable CD Player AM/FM Stereo Radio, from
compact disks. Procedures
Prior to each journal
writing session, the writing prompt for the journal entry was
written on the chalkboard behind the overhead screen. The students
were instructed to obtain their journals, which were spiral bound
notebooks, from the file cabinet drawer and prepare any writing
utensils. They were instructed to write the date on the top of the
page on which they began writing during the journal writing session.
The overhead screen was
raised and the writing prompt was read orally to the students.
Questions regarding the topic were answered and the students were
instructed to begin writing their journal entry. The students were
reminded that the they could write on an open topic of their choice
in place of or to supplement what they have written on the original
topic or writing prompt. The time the journal writing session was
initiated was noted and the time for the students to stop writing
was written prominently on the chalkboard. The classroom clock was
visible from every seat in the classroom.
The music was initiated,
depending on if it was appropriate for that particular writing
session, immediately after the time for stopping was written on the
chalkboard.
After twenty minutes for
reflection and writing, the students were asked to stop, and to
return their journals to the file cabinet drawer. The music, if
playing, was stopped. Those students who desired to continue
writing in their journal after the twenty minute journal writing
session had the instructor mark in ink where the writing was
completed during the session, and the student was required to return
the journal the next day.
Each student received a
classroom grade based upon the final length and proper content of
the journal entry. For the purposes of this study, each student’s
quantity of writing during the twenty minute journal writing session
was assessed and recorded as to the number of lines written. If
writing was placed on a line, that line was counted, even if it
constituted only one word. If a student wrote large, to emphasize a
point for example, and the writing took up two lines in height, then
one line was counted for that particular section.
The student groups were organized based upon class period. There
were six student groups. The largest student group had twenty-three
students. The smallest student group had twelve students. A
baseline was established for each student in each group by
participating in two silent journal writing sessions. Three of the
student groups wrote two sessions in the presence of folk music.
Eleventh grade students, age 16 to 18 wrote in the presence of folk
music. The remaining three student groups, consisting of twelfth
grade students, age 17 to 19, wrote two sessions in the presence of
classical music. Each student group will wrote one journal per week
for four consecutive weeks.
Each student was identified
by class period, and a number according to the alphabetical listing
on the class roster. For example, if John Smith was in period three
and was ranked fourteenth alphabetically, his code designation would
be 3-14.
Separate tabulations were
recorded for each student for each session in which they
participated. Each session was identified by the writing prompt for
that class period, and the conditions (silent, folk music, classical
music).
The baseline averages of
the number of lines written during the silent journal writing
sessions were compared to the folk music averages and compared to
the classical music averages.
If a student was absent
from one of the music sessions (folk or classical) or one of the
silent writing sessions, their totals were not entered into the
average, or utilized for comparing the silent vs. classical or the
silent vs. folk music journal writing sessions.
Chapter IV
The Analysis
of the Data
The study began with one
hundred students, forty-nine eleventh graders and fifty-one twelfth
graders. Thirty-two twelfth graders and thirty-four eleventh
graders participated in each of four journal writing sessions.
For the twelfth grade
students who listened to folk music for two of the journal writing
sessions and participated in all four journal writing sessions, the
number of lines written for each session were counted and recorded.
The individual student average, for the first two journal writing
sessions that were written without background music, was
calculated. Then the individual student average for the two journal
writing sessions written in the presence of folk music was averaged
(Appendix A Table 1).
A paired t test was performed
on the average number of lines written in a journal, comparing the
journal writing sessions performed in silence to those performed
while listening to folk music.
The mean for the journal
writing sessions performed in silence, and before being exposed to
journal writing session with folk music, was 22.828 lines with a
range of 0 to 69 lines and a standard deviation of 15.522 lines.
The mean for the journal writing sessions performed while listening
to folk music was 29.109 lines, indicating a mean increase of 6.281
lines when writing in the presence of folk music as compared to
writing in silence. The range of lines written while listening to
folk music was from 0 to 62.5 lines and had a standard deviation of
16.941 lines. The t value equaled 2.9447, the P value was equal to
0.0061, and the results are considered statistically significant
with a 95% level of confidence. This indicates that the presence of
folk music during the journal writing sessions had a positive impact
with respect to writing productivity.
For the eleventh grade
students who listened to classical music for two journal writing
sessions, after two journal writing sessions written in silence, and
participated in all four journal writing sessions, the number of
lines written for each session were counted and recorded. The
individual student average for the first two sessions written in
silence was calculated and the individual student average for the
two sessions written in the presence of classical music was averaged
(Appendix A Table 2).
A paired t test was performed
on the average number of lines written in a journal, comparing the
journal writing sessions performed in silence to those performed
while listening to classical music.
The mean for the journal
writing sessions performed in silence, and before being exposed to
journal writing session with classical music, was 21.853 lines with
a range of 0 to 48 lines and a standard deviation of 12.553 lines.
The mean for the journal writing sessions performed while listening
to classical music was 23.956 lines, indicating a mean increase of
2.103 lines when listening to classical music as compared to writing
in silence. The range of lines written while listening to classical
music was 0 to 48.5 lines with a standard deviation of 12.188
lines. The t value equaled 1.2694, the P value was equal to 0.2132,
and the results are not considered statistically significant with a
95% level of confidence. This indicates that the presence of
classical music during the journal writing sessions did not have an
influence with respect to writing productivity.
Chapter V Summary and
Conclusions
Summary of Findings
The study began with one
hundred students, forty-nine eleventh graders and fifty-one twelfth
graders. Thirty-four, or about one third, did not participate in
all four journal writing sessions. Thirty-two twelfth graders and
thirty-four eleventh graders participated in each of the four
journal writing sessions.
Although the presence of
music, both classical music and folk music, showed an increase in
writing productivity during journal writing sessions as compared to
journal writing sessions conducted in silence, the results were not
the same.
A statistically significant
increase in writing productivity as indicated by the number of lines
written during journal writing sessions was observed with respect to
folk music’s presence. The playing of folk music had an overall
positive impact with respect to writing volume.
A
much smaller increase in writing productivity was observed when
classical music was played during journal writing sessions as
compared to writing in silence. Although the average increase was
observed, it was not statistically significant.
Conclusions
The evidence demonstrates that the presence of music while eleventh
and twelfth grade students are participating in journal writing can
have a positive impact. It also indicates that some types of music
are more beneficial than others in increasing the writing
productivity of students. As Koppleman and Imig (1995) concluded,
jazz and classical music have a significant positive effect when
played in the background during the student’s writing time. They
also indicated top 40 music had a significant negative effect when
played in the background during student’s writing time.
Koppleman and Imig (1995) believed the reason that top 40 music had
a negative effect was that it distracted the students from the
writing task. The students would focus on words and familiarity
with the music. Instead of writing the students would compete to
determine the title of the song or who performed it. The students
in Koppleman and Imig’s study were in the second grade.
Although somewhat dissimilar, a distraction occurred with the
eleventh grade students in this study who listened to classical
music. Despite the fact that the majority of the eleventh grade
students in this study could not identify the classical music
pieces’ composers or the title of the selection, they were
distracted by the fact that they did not like the classical music
and that it was not music to which they preferred to listen.
Several students in this study did verbally identify the classical
selections as “cartoon music,” and this appeared to decrease the
level of verbal dissatisfaction. However, it may have continued to
influence some student’s attitude and thus lowered writing
productivity.
There is a possible influence in writing productivity that should be
noted. In the journal writing of several eleventh graders, while
listening to classical music, some of the content lines were written
in reference to their view that the classical music annoyed them and
that they did not like it. Occasionally this contributed a
significant number of lines that were subsequently calculated into
the figures for writing productivity. The same was also true for
the twelfth graders who commented negatively upon the folk music.
However, the frequency of the negative comments of the folk music
was rare and the complaints were usually limited to a line or two.
In addition, the twelfth grade writers commented positively about
the presence of the music. They indicated it helped them
concentrate and remain focused. Again, the positive comments were
brief but noted. In addition, some of the added volume of writing
in the presence of either type of music could be cancelled out by
similar comments by students during journal writing sessions in
silence, where they remarked how noise in the hallway or a squeaking
desk annoyed and distracted them. Comments about background noise
were very rarely written when background music was present.
This observation is supported by Donohoe and McNeeley (1999) who
indicated that choice in music did play some role in students’
motivation to write. They noted that students felt they wrote more
while listening to music they liked. Donohoe and McNeely also
stated in their study that students who felt that they had to listen
to music not of their choosing would not be able to work as well.
Implications
Writing is an important
skill for students to master. To increase their competence in
writing, students must practice writing. Methods to increase
willingness and motivation of students, especially students who do
not like to write, are of value. Without practice and without
student writing samples for teacher assessment, teachers are limited
in their ability to provide guidance, instruction and foster
improvement in student written communication skills. Landsman
(1994) seems to support this as she indicated that a key for
building a writing community within each class, which is essential
for opening up students’ writing is to have them write. She
indicated that using the 5 senses, including writing to music
(hearing) can be an effective strategy.
In addition, apprehensive writers are often reluctant writers.
Journal writing can have a positive impact on student willingness to
write. As previously indicated, Reid (1997) observed students’
fluency increase and their dread about writing decrease when using
journals. Of further benefit is the observation of many teachers,
and some researchers including Zacharias (1991) that there is a
connection between journal writing and the thinking process. The
connection, Zacharias indicated, is that journal writing assists the
development of the thinking process.
Improvement in journal writing sessions could not only serve to
motivate reluctant writers and improve written communication but
assist in the thinking process which is key to all areas of
education and learning.
Recommendations and Future Research
This study identified the
potential positive benefits of the presence of music in the
classroom with respect to writing productivity. McKnight (1998) who
concluded that limited time implementing the project and the limited
writing abilities of her students had a bearing on the results.
McKnight believed that more fluent writers would have been easier to
assess and would have found greater increase on the students’ on
task behavior. A study similar to this one but longer in duration
may have provided more substantial results, once the propensity of
students to add comments for or against the presence of music had
ended.
In addition, a larger number of students, exposed to a more
extensive variety of music may identify those which are most
beneficial to writing productivity. It could reduce or eliminate
some of the limitations such as student mood or motivation.
An additional avenue for examining the effect of the presence of
music on journal writing productivity with students would be to
lengthen the study to include a repeated baseline alternating
research design where journal writing session with no music present
would be the considered the baseline and alternating different types
of music would be used during subsequent journal writing sessions.
The results suggest or indicate the possibility of a positive
influence of music on journal writing productivity and could
identify which types of music are the most beneficial to student
writing productivity.
As indicated by different results to selected types of music such as
classical, possibly influenced by age of the student, additional
studies to determine the effect of various types of music at
different ages, and possibly even students with different cultural
backgrounds and achievement levels could be examined. Appendix A Table 1Journal Writing Final Averages Class Period: 1,3,4B Level: 12
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