Time as a Factor in the Retention of College Text Material

Abstract

Several studies on the nature of memory have been conducted in the last century. Unfortunately, however, few of these studies have been conducted in settings or with material that allowed the researcher to make valid generalizations to the study world of the student.Recently a study by Crewe (1969) showed that cramming or intensive study close to examination time was more effective as a study strategy than that of an original study period followed by a review close to examination time. These results contradicted findings by Ausubel andYoussef (1965), and Peterson, Ellis, ToohiÜ, andKloess (1935). Crewe offered the explanation that in the above studies there was no control for the total time studied (a factor which he did control), therefore, students in the review groups had more time to study and should have earned better retention scores. Crewe's study did confirm earlier studies by McKay (1921), andStroud andJohnson (1942).Serious problems existed with the McKay, Stroud and Johnson, and Crewe research. Although McKay did control for repetitions, she did not control for total time. Stroud and Johnson also did not control for time. In Crewe's study, time was controlled, but out of the total of two hours allotted for study, only fifteen *Dr. Hultgren and Dr. Crewe are on the faculty of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.