TABLE 4.

Summary of research findings

Research question	Variables	Analyses	Results	Conclusions
Is there a relationship between a student’s science accuracy and the amount peers consider the student’s ideas?	Science accuracy code(accurate), idea consideration codes (sum of agreement codes, soliciting ideas, and idea building), students’ final semester percentage grades, total talk turns	Pearson correlationMultiple regression	r = 0.70, p < 0.01Academic Ability (p > 0.05) was removed from the model. Science accuracy, b = 0.18, t(17) = 3.45, p < 0.01, and total talk turns, b = 0.37, t(17) = 2.52, p < 0.05, predicted idea consideration (R2 = 0.68).	A student’s science accuracy is highly correlated with peer consideration of the student’s ideas.A student’s science accuracy is predictive of the idea consideration the student receives, even when controlling for total amount of talk.
				A student’s science accuracy is predictive of the idea consideration the student receives, even when controlling for total amount of talk.
Does peer consideration of a student’s ideas predict the student’s ability to influence the direction of the conversation?	Science accuracy code (accurate), idea consideration codes (agreement, soliciting ideas, & idea building), and conversational flow codes (new idea & reference to materials)	Multiple regression	Science accuracy predicted conversation flow. The sum of idea consideration codes did not. Optimal model included science accuracy, b = 0.27, t(17) = 2.46, p < 0.05, R2 = 0.40, and idea building, b = 1.13, t(17) = 2.88, p < 0.05, R2 = 0.20.	Accuracy was the best predictor of one’s ability to influence the direction of the conversation. Providing an idea that peers could be built upon predicted additional ability to direct the conversation.
Does general group academic ability or immediate conversational accuracy better predict group learning?	Group average academic ability (average semester grade), number of accurate statements per group (accurate code), average quiz score per group	Spearman’s rho correlation	Average academic ability of a student group (ρ = –0.25, p = 0.44) did not predict quiz performance. Science accuracy (ρ = 0.58, p < 0.05) predicted quiz performance.	Accuracy within the conversation predicts performance, while academic ability does not determine success.