An investigation of lookbacks during studying∗

Abstract

Looking back at relevant sections of previously read text is proposed as a useful fixup strategy when comprehension fails while studying a text.Subjects read 24 pages of text and answered inserted questions which assessed their comprehension of the text. About half of the subjects were branched back to reread prerequisite information when it was later needed but had not been fully understood by those subjects. Subjects receiving lookbacks showed better comprehension of later information dependent upon the prerequisite information.In the light of these results, the training of natural lookbacks during study holds promise as a means of improving students' study behaviors. Lookbacks During Studying 2 An Investigation of Lookbacks During StudyingStudying has been characterized as having three main phases: before, during, and after reading (Anderson, 1979). The during reading phase, which is our main interest at this time, can in turn be characterized as having three aspects: those activities appropriate when the reader succeeds in comprehending parts of the text, those activities appropriate when the reader fails to comprehend parts of the text, and the monitoring processes which the reader undertakes to distinguish success or failure of comprehension. Comprehension monitoring (see determines to which of the two previous classes of activities the reader should direct his efforts.Appropriate activities to use when sections of text are understood include: organizing the information (e.g., outlining), increasing the amount of text processing (e.g., imaging, paraphrasing, discussing), and record keeping for review (e.g., note taking and underlining)."Fixup" activities appropriate when comprehension fails might include going back to learn prerequisite material missed, misunderstood, or forgotten (e.g., looking back in the text, rereading, or referring to previously taken notes), more carefully inspecting the confusing sections of text (e.g., careful parsing of sentences, slow reading, trying to picture the material mentally), and consulting outside sources (e.g., other books or persons who might be knowledgeable on the subject).The prime objective of this study is to investigate those behaviors used during studying which are appropriate when comprehension of the text Lookbacks During Studying

Metacognition, comprehension monitoring, and the adult reader

“…Nevertheless, inducing readers to use a lookback strategy apparently has beneficial effects. Alessi et al (1979) reported improved test performance among students who were induced to reread sections of text containing information about which they had answered questions incorrectly.…”

Effects of Passage Type on Comprehension Monitoring and Recall in Good and Poor Readers

“…Although rereading has been shown to increase comprehension of text information (Alessi, Anderson, & Goetz, 1979;Bernhardt, 1983;Flood, 1986) and may be necessary for developing well-integrated memory representations in naturally occurring texts, which are often inconsiderate (Armbruster, 1984), it is only one of several strategies that students may employ to comprehend texts. In future studies, students' use of other strategies important for sentence integration such as inferencing and reinstatement of previously presented information into working memory should be explored.…”

Differences in Comprehension-Monitoring and Memory-Monitoring among Adult Readers

“…Research that has examined one process or the other has often failed to distinguish between the two. (Alessi, Anderson, & Goetz, 1979;Baker & Anderson, 1982).…”