Multiple Models of Multiple-Text Comprehension: A Commentary

Abstract

Research on multiple source use concerns how readers handle a number of different, often conflicting or discrepant, information sources to construct a mental representation of content. Students are increasingly being exposed to such complex reading situations, both in and outside of school. The digital world demands multiple source use, and students must be prepared to critically evaluate sources varying widely in genre, design, and trustworthiness. In this special issue of Educational Psychologist, four articles present different models of how readers approach and process multiple information sources. The four contributions, to varying degrees, represent elaborations and extensions of the Multiple Documents Framework (Perfetti, Rouet, & Britt, 1999). This commentary summarizes the four articles and discusses the articles in relation to prior models and to some assumptions apparently underpinning current models of multiple source use.