Does Covert Retrieval Benefit Learning of Key-Term Definitions?

• Published in: Journal of applied research in memory and cognition Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 106 - 115
• Main Authors: Tauber, Sarah K., Witherby, Amber E., Dunlosky, John, Rawson, Katherine A., Putnam, Adam L., Roediger, Henry L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washigton Elsevier Science 01.03.2018; Elsevier Inc; Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition
• Subjects: Cognitive Complexity; Covert retrieval; Female; Human; Key-term definitions; Male; Metacognition; Monitoring of learning; Practice; Retrieval practice; Verbal Learning; Key-term definitions; Covert retrieval; Monitoring of learning; Retrieval practice; Metacognition
• ISSN: 2211-3681; 2211-369X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2016.10.004

Even though retrieval practice typically has a robust, positive influence on memory, response format (overt vs. covert retrieval) may moderate its effect when students learn complex material. Overt retrieval is likely to promote exhaustive retrieval, whereas covert retrieval may not be exhaustive for familiar key terms. In two experiments, students were instructed to study key-term definitions and were asked to practice retrieval overtly, to practice retrieval covertly, or to restudy the definitions. Students also made metacognitive judgments. A final criterion test was administered two days later. Students' final recall was greater after overt retrieval practice than after covert retrieval practice or restudy, with a continuously cumulating meta-analysis establishing the effect as moderate in size (pooled d = 0.43). Thus, response format does matter for learning definitions of key terms, supporting the recommendation that students use overt retrieval when using retrieval practice as a strategy to learn complex materials. General Audience Summary One strategy that typically improves students' memory is to test themselves on information that they need to learn. Students may do so by speaking their answers out loud, by writing or typing their answers, or by mentally answering each question. For instance, a student studying in a library may mentally answer questions to avoid distracting others. By contrast, a student studying with a group may offer answers out loud as a part of the group discussion. Our interest was to evaluate whether these different types of responses (typed recall vs. mental recall) influence how effective self-testing is for improving students' memory when they learn key-term definitions. In two experiments, students studied key terms (e.g., self-serving bias) and the corresponding definition for each (When explaining one's own behavior it is the tendency to attribute good behaviors to one's disposition and to attribute bad behaviors to the situation). Students then restudied the key terms and definitions, or tested themselves on them. Students who tested themselves typed the definition for each term, or were instructed to mentally recall the definition for each. Students in all three groups also made judgments about their memory and returned two days later to complete a final memory test. In a first experiment, students' memory on the final test was greater after typing the recalled definitions than after mentally recalling the definitions, or after restudying the definitions. In a second experiment, the same patterns were evident, although the memory benefit after typing the recalled definitions was smaller. These results suggest that how students test themselves is important when they are learning conceptual definitions. Thus, our recommendation is that students type out recalled answers during self-testing when they are learning relatively complex materials.