Work Type

Article

Publication Date

2017

Department

Liberal Arts and Sciences

Keywords

testing effect; retrieval practice; working memory; feedback; lag

Abstract

We examined the effects of retrieval practice for students who varied in working memory capacity as a function of the lag between study of material and its initial test, whether or not feedback was given after the test, and the retention interval of the final test. We sought to determine whether a blend of these conditions exists that maximizes benefits from retrieval practice for lower and higher working memory capacity students. College students learned general knowledge facts and then restudied the facts or were tested on them (with or without feedback) at lags of 0-9 intervening items. Final cued recall performance was better for tested items than for restudied items after both 10 minutes and two days, particularly for longer study-test lags. Furthermore, on the two- day delayed test the benefits from retrieval practice with feedback were significantly greater for students with lower working memory capacity than for students with higher working memory capacity (r = -.42). Retrieval practice may be an especially effective learning strategy for lower ability students.

Comments

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Memory in 2017, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2016.1220579.

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