Implementing Recall

The use of tests as schoolroom aids to learning has long been advocated. The conditions under which these benefits accrue have not, however, been fully explored. This paper is a summary of one of several recent studies at the University of Iowa which have sought information on this problem. An attempt was made, in the investigation reported below, to compare the effectiveness of a reading and a rereading of factual material with that of a reading and a completion test response. Specifically, three learning conditions were compared: (1) the reading of a selection of factual material followed by the taking of a completion test as a review exercise; (2) a single reading of the factual material, and (3) a reading of the factual material and a rereading of the material as a review exercise. A criterion test administered immediately after learning prodded a measure of retention for the comparison of the three conditions