Some Effects of Summarization Training on Reading and Studying

Abstract

THE STUDY reports the direct and indirect effects of a summarization training program on the reading and studying skills of 70 sixth-grade students. The training improved recall of major but not minor information on a studying task. Path analyses showed that the summarization training affected recall of major information indirectly, through its effect on the amount of major information in students' notes, confirming a metacognitive hypothesis. The training also improved summaries of paragraphs that had main ideas stated within the paragraphs, but not those in which the statement of main ideas had to be invented. These results indicate that