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In 3 experiments, 267 undergraduates whose reading ability was determined by the Davis Reading Test or their 12th-grade English marks read and recalled texts that varied in local (micro-) or global (macro-) processing difficulty. In Exp I, 10 theoretically derived text variables, 5 at the micro- and 5 at the macrolevel, successfully predicted comprehension efficiency scores. Micro- and macrovariables accounted for unique portions of the comprehension variance. For the technical prose passages, microvariables were better predictors of less skilled readers' performance, whereas macrovariables were better for skilled readers'. In Exps II and III, lexical and macrostructure difficulty were factorially combined; ...

The study investigates ninth-grade students' use of a reading strategy (the structure strategy) which focuses on following the organizational structure of text in order to determine what is important to remember. Texts read were well organized with problem/solution or comparison structures; signaling varied the saliency of these structures. Signaling effects were expected to interact with mastery of the structure strategy. Regardless of signaling, good comprehenders on the Stanford Achievement Test were expected to follow the structure strategy while poor comprehenders were not. However, comprehension underachievers (vocabulary substantially above comprehension test scores) were expected to follow the structure strategy only when ...

In 3 experiments, 267 undergraduates whose reading ability was determined by the Davis Reading Test or their 12th-grade English marks read and recalled texts that varied in local (micro-) or global (macro-) processing difficulty. In Exp I, 10 theoretically derived text variables, 5 at the micro- and 5 at the macrolevel, successfully predicted comprehension efficiency scores. Micro- and macrovariables accounted for unique portions of the comprehension variance. For the technical prose passages, microvariables were better predictors of less skilled readers' performance, whereas macrovariables were better for skilled readers'. In Exps II and III, lexical and macrostructure difficulty were factorially combined; ...

In 3 experiments, 267 undergraduates whose reading ability was determined by the Davis Reading Test or their 12th-grade English marks read and recalled texts that varied in local (micro-) or global (macro-) processing difficulty. In Exp I, 10 theoretically derived text variables, 5 at the micro- and 5 at the macrolevel, successfully predicted comprehension efficiency scores. Micro- and macrovariables accounted for unique portions of the comprehension variance. For the technical prose passages, microvariables were better predictors of less skilled readers' performance, whereas macrovariables were better for skilled readers'. In Exps II and III, lexical and macrostructure difficulty were factorially combined; ...

A coherent text normally requires the reader to construct a sense of the total text. So we expected a thematic title to relieve the reader of most of this task. Experiment 1 confirmed this idea by showing that the thematic title significantly increased free recall if the text structure was regular or slightly disturbed, but did not affect recall of an unstructured text. Experiment 2 showed that prolonged reading time allowed the thematic title to raise free recall of a text with random structure. Furthermore, the two experiments demonstrated the comprehensibility ratings to be affected by the text structure and ...

The study investigated the use of graphic organizers to compensate for text that was less than optimal in its organization. Tenth graders (N = 114) read two versions of an expository passage that differed only in structure (comparison versus description). Both experimental groups studied a graphic organizer that had been constructed to reflect the comparison text structure. On immediate and delayed recall measures, the experimental groups recalled significantly more than the control groups only under the descriptive text condition. Results support assimilation encoding theory and suggest that organizers aid recall when readers must reorganize information but do not help when ...

Examined the utility of intact (i.e., topic outline format) and embedded (i.e., appropriately positioned within the text) headings as processing aids with nonnarrative text. It is argued that headings potentially provide useful cues for both input and output processing but that little empirical evidence exists to either support or refute this proposition. It is further argued that each of the prior studies reviewed was subject to one or more methodological criticisms that may attenuate the generality of the findings. Results of the present study with a total of 95 college students indicated that no advantage accrued to Ss on the ...

A coherent text normally requires the reader to construct a sense of the total text. So we expected a thematic title to relieve the reader of most of this task. Experiment 1 confirmed this idea by showing that the thematic title significantly increased free recall if the text structure was regular or slightly disturbed, but did not affect recall of an unstructured text. Experiment 2 showed that prolonged reading time allowed the thematic title to raise free recall of a text with random structure. Furthermore, the two experiments demonstrated the comprehensibility ratings to be affected by the text structure and ...

Reports 2 experiments concerned with the effects of headings, both embedded and intact (outline), on the processing of complex text material. Results of Exp I with 132 undergraduates indicate that embedded headings reliably improved delayed test performance. In Exp II with 106 Ss, it was further found that instructions in the use of headings as processing aids facilitated test performance. A discrepancy, however, was observed between the 2 experiments in that the presentation of headings without instructions failed to increase test scores significantly on the dependent measures of Exp II. Sensitization to the headings is proposed as one possible explanation ...

Reports 2 experiments concerned with the effects of headings, both embedded and intact (outline), on the processing of complex text material. Results of Exp I with 132 undergraduates indicate that embedded headings reliably improved delayed test performance. In Exp II with 106 Ss, it was further found that instructions in the use of headings as processing aids facilitated test performance. A discrepancy, however, was observed between the 2 experiments in that the presentation of headings without instructions failed to increase test scores significantly on the dependent measures of Exp II. Sensitization to the headings is proposed as one possible explanation ...