What research did the Panel review in developing its findings?
The Panel first reviewed public databases and found about 100,000 research studies on reading that had been published since 1966. Because it was not possible for the Panel to critically review all this research, panel members decided to set criteria for which studies to include in their review. The Panel began by first selecting research topics to examine that were central to the issues of learning how to read. The selection of topics was guided by the work of the National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The NRC Committee had identified and summarized research literature relevant to the critical skills, environments, and early interactions that are important for gaining beginning reading skills. Once it selected the topics for review, the Panel also decided how to choose which studies to include in its analysis. To ensure the quality of the work, the Panel agreed to base its conclusions only on studie
