Signaling topic structure via headings or preview sentences

Robert F. Lorch; Julie Lemarié; Hung Tao Chen

doi:10.1016/S1135-755X(13)70011-3

Signaling topic structure via headings or preview sentences

Robert F. Lorch, Julie Lemarié, Hung Tao Chen

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Two experiments compared the effects on text processing of headings and preview sentences that were designed to communicate the same information about the texts' topics and their organization. In Experiment 1, college students read a text for understanding then were tested on memory for the subtopics and memory for simple facts presented in the text. Memory for subtopics was better for the text with headings; there was no difference between headings and preview sentences on memory for facts. In Experiment 2, participants read a text in order to outline it. Outlining was better if the text contained signals to topic structure than if the text did not contain signals, but there were no reliable differences between previews and headings. The findings show that previews function similarly to headings in a task that emphasizes the relevance of topic structure information, but they do not elicit readers' attention to topic information as readily as headings do. These results have implications for textbook design and instruction of comprehension strategies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	59-66
Number of pages	8
Journal	Psicologia Educativa
Volume	19
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S1135-755X(13)70011-3
State	Published - Dec 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Preparation of this article was greatly facilitated by an award of a Chaire d’Excellence Pierre de Fermat to Robert Lorch from the Scientific Council of the Midi-Pyrenees Region, by the support of the CLLE laboratoire of the Université de Toulouse – Le Mirail, and by a sabbatical leave granted to Robert by the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kentucky.

Funding

Preparation of this article was greatly facilitated by an award of a Chaire d’Excellence Pierre de Fermat to Robert Lorch from the Scientific Council of the Midi-Pyrenees Region, by the support of the CLLE laboratoire of the Université de Toulouse – Le Mirail, and by a sabbatical leave granted to Robert by the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Kentucky.

Funders	Funder number
Scientific Council of the Midi-Pyrenees Region
University of Kentucky
College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University
Université de Toulouse

Keywords

Headings
Preview Sentences
Signaling devices
Text Processing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Developmental and Educational Psychology

Access to Document

10.1016/S1135-755X(13)70011-3

Cite this

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title = "Signaling topic structure via headings or preview sentences",

abstract = "Two experiments compared the effects on text processing of headings and preview sentences that were designed to communicate the same information about the texts' topics and their organization. In Experiment 1, college students read a text for understanding then were tested on memory for the subtopics and memory for simple facts presented in the text. Memory for subtopics was better for the text with headings; there was no difference between headings and preview sentences on memory for facts. In Experiment 2, participants read a text in order to outline it. Outlining was better if the text contained signals to topic structure than if the text did not contain signals, but there were no reliable differences between previews and headings. The findings show that previews function similarly to headings in a task that emphasizes the relevance of topic structure information, but they do not elicit readers' attention to topic information as readily as headings do. These results have implications for textbook design and instruction of comprehension strategies.",

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PY - 2013/12

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N2 - Two experiments compared the effects on text processing of headings and preview sentences that were designed to communicate the same information about the texts' topics and their organization. In Experiment 1, college students read a text for understanding then were tested on memory for the subtopics and memory for simple facts presented in the text. Memory for subtopics was better for the text with headings; there was no difference between headings and preview sentences on memory for facts. In Experiment 2, participants read a text in order to outline it. Outlining was better if the text contained signals to topic structure than if the text did not contain signals, but there were no reliable differences between previews and headings. The findings show that previews function similarly to headings in a task that emphasizes the relevance of topic structure information, but they do not elicit readers' attention to topic information as readily as headings do. These results have implications for textbook design and instruction of comprehension strategies.

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Signaling topic structure via headings or preview sentences

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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