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This single-case study was designed to evaluate the effects of autonomous text choice on reading motivation and reading comprehension in underperforming sixth-grade students. This study was built upon the theoretical framework constructed using self-determination theory, situational expectancy-value theory, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Study participants were asked to read a text of their choice for ten minutes each day. Once a week, study participants were observed during their reading time for off-task behaviors to frame discussions on student engagement with their chosen texts, and every other week during the course of the intervention, participants were provided an opportunity to give feedback on their perspectives through surveys and interviews. Upon conclusion of the study, quantitative data was analyzed, and qualitative data was coded and used to evaluate emerging themes. The quantitative and qualitative data were then compared to triangulate the results of the study. These results demonstrated that autonomous text choice did increase reading motivation in general, with specific increases in intrinsic reading motivation. While some gains in reading comprehension were noted, this study was inconclusive on the effects of autonomous text choice reading on reading comprehension, although some positive gains were noted. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

There is a need to increase the persistence of women in science careers. This study focuses on undergraduate women majoring in or interested in science. Despite interest early on in their academic careers, women are leaving STEM at higher rates than other fields. Through the framework of the Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influence (TIMSI), this study explores psychosocial factors leading to integration in science careers. 484 undergraduate women from 9 universities in the Colorado/Wyoming Front Range and the Carolinas were recruited into this study and surveyed through 8 waves of data collection. A model building process was performed using HLM to study the impact of efficacy, identity, community values, and agentic and communal values on the persistence of undergraduate women in science over time. Results indicate a significant quartic change over time in persistence for undergraduate women, with initially high persistence intentions that steadily drop each semester until leveling out in their final year of undergraduate studies. Women with strong science identities and strong scientific community values begin with even higher persistence intentions. Over time, women with higher scientific community values show greater declines in persistence. Additionally, over time, women who perceive science careers as allowing agentic values have lesser declines in persistence. And women who endorse communal values have greater declines in persistence. Implications for future research include the need to further study the relationship between communal and agentic values regarding the TIMSI framework and the need to target interventions toward building a more diverse notion of what the scientific community values.