Testing the limits of testing effects using completion tests

Abstract

Recent work on testing effects has shown that retrieval practice can facilitate memory even for complex prose materials (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006a, 2006b). In three experiments the current study explores the effectiveness of retrieval practice on fill-in-the-blank (FITB) tests requiring the recall of specific words or phrases from a text. Final tests included both repeated items that were directly taken from initial tests, and related items. In Experiment 1, with a 2-day delay between initial and final tests, FITB testing benefited performance only on repeated items. In Experiment 2 a 7-day delay between testing sessions led to more robust effects on repeated items. However, once again no benefits were seen for related items. In Experiment 3 the scope of retrieval was varied by comparing FITB tests to paragraph recall tests requiring retrieval of all sentences following a topic sentence. Only the more open-ended recall practice demonstrated improvements in transfer to novel questions. The results suggest that scope or type of processing required during retrieval practice is likely a critical factor in whether testing will have specific or robust benefits.

Keywords:

• Testing effects
• Retrieval processes
• Transfer

Acknowledgements

Scott R. Hinze is now a Postdoctoral fellow at the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University. This research was supported in part by grant R305B07460 from the Institute for Education Sciences Cognition and Student Learning. We wish to thank Jim Pellegrino for his help in conceptualising this work and Erin Strand for her help with data collection.