Memory for Prose Material. Final Report.

The experiments described in this report attempt to further understanding of the storage and retrieval of factual information. In the first five experiments, organization of simple prose materials is varied. Effects upon both accuracy and order of recall are discussed in terms of retrieval strategies determined by organization. The fourth and fifth experiments consider transfer effects in prose learning as a function of organization. The sixth experiment considers how the context of the prose passage influences retention of sentences embedded within it. The remaining four experiments consider the retrieval of the simplest type of proposition: "Response j is paired with stimulus i." Using time to recall the response, several alternative theories of retrieval were tested. Good fits were obtained employing a mathematical model of a strength theory. (Author)