The Effect of JOLs and Free Recall on Reading Comprehension and Study Choices

Abstract

One way to improve students' academic performance is to improve their reading comprehension. Previous investigations demonstrated that testing students on the material as well as having them use metacognitive strategies have independently improved reading comprehension. The tests used in the learning phase in previous investigations have typically been experimenter created. In the current study, free recall of recently read text was used as the test in the learning phase. A second important aspect of the current investigation is the inaccuracy of students' meta- comprehension judgments. Although use of metacognitive strategies does improve academic performance, students often make inaccurate judgments about what they know and are particularly inaccurate in their assessment of text comprehension. The aim of this study was to determine if free recall was an effective testing strategy for reading comprehension and long- term retention. Finally, this study explored the relationship between judgments of learning and re-study choices. Retrieval practice, more precisely free recall, did improve the accuracy of judgments of learning in comparison to rereading the material. However, free recall did not improve participants' academic performance or long-term retention of material.