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This paper describes a study that examined the effect of heading frequency on comprehension and perceptions of information presented in print versus online text. Results indicated that heading frequency did not differentially affect the comprehension of readers of print text while it did differentially affect the comprehension of readers of online texts who had considerably lower comprehension scores with text that had high frequency versus medium frequency headings. ...

As companies increase the quantity of information they provide through their Web sites, it is critical that content is structured with an appropriate architecture. However, resource constraints often limit the ability of companies to apply all Web design principles completely. This study quantifies the effects of two major information architecture principles in a controlled study that isolates the incremental effects of organizational scheme and labeling on user performance and satisfaction. Sixty participants with a wide range of Internet and on-line shopping experience were recruited to complete a series of shopping tasks on a prototype retail shopping Web site. User-centered labels ...

This study investigated the role of signaling in helping good readers comprehend expository text. As the existing literature on signaling, reviewed in the last issue of this Journal, pointed to deficiencies in previous studies' methodologies, one goal of this study was to refine prose research methods. Two passages were designed in one of eight signaled versions each. The design was constructed to assess the individual and combined effects of headings, previews, and logical connectives. The study also assessed the effect of passage length, familiarity, and difficulty. The results showed that signals do improve a reader's comprehension, particularly comprehension two weeks ...

Experiment 1 involved having undergraduates take or not take notes while listening to two passages with or without signals (structural cues). When notetaking on signaled text, recall was maximized; on nonsignaled text, recall was minimized. Because notetakers appeared to rely on signals in processing text, it seemed that notetaking produced a structure-search process. Regression analyses suggested that notetaking in the presence of signals enhanced recall of field-dependent (FDs) but not field-independent learners (FIs). Experiment 2 directly examined this issue in a reading context. Increased high-level recall across passages of the same overall structure (a transfer of structure effect) was found ...

Experiment 1 involved having undergraduates take or not take notes while listening to two passages with or without signals (structural cues). When notetaking on signaled text, recall was maximized; on nonsignaled text, recall was minimized. Because notetakers appeared to rely on signals in processing text, it seemed that notetaking produced a structure-search process. Regression analyses suggested that notetaking in the presence of signals enhanced recall of field-dependent (FDs) but not field-independent learners (FIs). Experiment 2 directly examined this issue in a reading context. Increased high-level recall across passages of the same overall structure (a transfer of structure effect) was found ...

Investigated whether there is evidence for S. Hidi & W. Baird's (1986) suggestion that the effects of text structure on reading are artefacts. They argue that professional readers (e.g., students) mainly use interest instead of structure as their guide for attention and learning. In 3 related experiments using Dutch instructional texts both interest and text structure were manipulated as within-item factors, and on-line as well as off-line methods were used to measure effects on the reading process and product. In each experiment, reading time on the target sentence as well as its recognition were measured. In the second experiment, secondary ...

Investigated whether there is evidence for S. Hidi & W. Baird's (1986) suggestion that the effects of text structure on reading are artefacts. They argue that professional readers (e.g., students) mainly use interest instead of structure as their guide for attention and learning. In 3 related experiments using Dutch instructional texts both interest and text structure were manipulated as within-item factors, and on-line as well as off-line methods were used to measure effects on the reading process and product. In each experiment, reading time on the target sentence as well as its recognition were measured. In the second experiment, secondary ...

Investigated whether there is evidence for S. Hidi & W. Baird's (1986) suggestion that the effects of text structure on reading are artefacts. They argue that professional readers (e.g., students) mainly use interest instead of structure as their guide for attention and learning. In 3 related experiments using Dutch instructional texts both interest and text structure were manipulated as within-item factors, and on-line as well as off-line methods were used to measure effects on the reading process and product. In each experiment, reading time on the target sentence as well as its recognition were measured. In the second experiment, secondary ...

Concreteness was investigated as a text feature that engaged readers' comprehension, interest, and learning in 4 text types: persuasion, exposition, literary stories, and narratives. Three concrete and 3 abstract texts were selected in each text type. Concrete and abstract titles served as recall cues and to investigate title concreteness effects. In 2 experiments, undergraduates read the texts and either provided written recalls or rated them for familiarity, concreteness, interestingness, and comprehensibility. Concrete texts were recalled better than abstract texts, although the magnitude of the advantage varied across text types. Concreteness was overwhelmingly the best predictor of overall comprehensibility, interest, and ...

This experiment investigated the effects of word concreteness and either imagery, verbal, or control strategy instructions on the composition of written definitions. Results revealed significant effects of word concreteness on several quantity and quality variables, but no significant effect of strategy instructions or interaction between concreteness and strategy instructions. Results of self-ratings of strategies actually used in composing revealed that a mental imagery strategy was used with concrete words and a verbal strategy was used with abstract words regardless of strategy instructions. Findings replicated the results of Tirre, Manelis and Leicht [(1979) Journal of Reading Behavior 11, 99-106] in the ...