The meta-analysis supports retrieval effort as a contributor to the testing effect¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r? · q4
Currency · newest study 2014 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q4 i? The meta-analysis's key results support the role of effortful processing in the testing effect. → meta-2

Evidence¶

meta-2¶

Rowland, C. A. (2014, August 25). The Effect of Testing Versus Restudy on Retention: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Testing Effect. Psychological Bulletin. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0037559

q4 · i? · quant-synthesis · r?

The meta-analysis's summary of its own key results states "support for the role of effortful processing as a contributor to the testing effect", with recall initial tests yielding larger benefits than recognition tests.

"Key results indicate support for the role of effortful processing as a contributor to the testing effect, with initial recall tests yielding larger testing benefits than recognition tests."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Existing theoretical accounts attributing the testing effect to enhanced semantic elaboration receive limited support — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Retrieval practice improves long-term retention — a broader claim this one bears on
• Retrieval practice and spaced retrieval improve achievement and retention by medium amounts, while interleaving helps category learning only for some materials and blocking beats it for words — a broader claim this one bears on
• Retrieval Failure Reduces Benefit — related
• A review reports that retrieval practice effects grow more robust as initial retrieval success rises, especially above 75%, and separately that giving more retrieval cues yields smaller effects — related
• Spaced Retrieval Improves Retention — related