Interpolated pretesting can boost memory of related and distinct prose materials.

Abstract

The pretesting effect refers to the finding that tests performed before to-be learned material is encountered can enhance later retention of the material, even when no correct answers were provided on the initial pretest. The goal of the present study was to examine whether interspersing pretest questions between the study of multiple segments consisting of prose passages can induce a pretesting effect on a final cumulative recall test on all segments. To this end, participants studied four segments which were either thematically related (Experiment 1) or distinct (Experiment 2) and either received pretest questions about each segment immediately prior to study of the segment (pretest condition) or not (study-only condition). Results of the cumulative final test performed 24 h after study of the segments showed for both experiments that interpolated pretesting enhanced correct recall of the segments. The findings thus suggest that the positive effects of pretesting on memory generalize from the standard single-list design to a multiplelists design when pretests are performed prior to study of each list. Interpolated pretesting thus may play a critical role as a potential learning tool in educational practice.