Sample A: Cover Page of Thesis, Project, or Dissertation Proposal

A matching procedure was implemented to assign classrooms at the two largest
Head Start sites to the intervention and book reading control groups in order to ensure
that equivalent numbers of classrooms were assigned to both groups, to ensure that both
Head Start sites included classrooms assigned to both groups, and to ensure that both full-
and half-day classrooms were assigned to both groups as evenly as possible (see
Whitehurst et al., 1994, 1999). Within the two largest Head Start sites, full-day
classrooms were randomly matched; and half-day classrooms were randomly matched.
One classroom from each match was then randomly assigned to the intervention group.
Following the matching procedure within each site, any remaining classrooms across
sites were matched; and one of these classrooms was randomly assigned to the
intervention group. Thus, both the intervention and book reading control groups included
teachers and children assigned to both full- and half-day classrooms (see Appendix J).
In preparation for the implementation of the intervention, all teachers were trained
during meetings focused on storybook reading methods in December. Two meetings were
conducted: one with teachers assigned to the intervention group, and one with teachers
assigned to the book reading control group. Table 15 summarizes the similarities and
differences between teacher meetings. Teachers in both groups were informed that the
research was investigating differences in teachers‘ reading styles across classrooms
(Whitehurst et al., 1994, 1999) and that the emotion-laden storybooks were being pilot
tested for use in social-emotional skills curriculum development. Meetings were held in
the staff lounge at the largest Head Start site. Both the intervention and book reading
control group meetings lasted between 45 to 60 minutes. Teachers were not expected to
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