Terminology test advantage of tracing and pointing is not robust to adjustment for prior knowledge¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r2 · q3 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i1 The tracing and pointing condition answered more terminology questions correctly (d = 0.39, one-tailed p = 0.041), but the difference was no longer statistically significant in an ANCOVA controlling self-reported prior knowledge (d = 0.30). → Yining Wang 2025 q3 i? After covariate adjustment the terminology difference was not statistically significant, so H4 was not supported. → Yining Wang 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Yining Wang 2025¶

Yining Wang, Kexin Han, Paul Ginns. (2025). Tracing and Pointing Support Multimedia Learning: A Cross-Cultural Replication. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10005-7

q3 · i1 · causal · r2

In the same randomized experiment, the tracing and pointing condition scored higher on the 20-item terminology test, "d = 0.39 [95% CI 0.05, ∞]", one-tailed p = 0.041, before covariate adjustment.

"Participants in the tracing and pointing condition answered more terminology test questions correctly (M = 12.69, SD = 3.51) than those in the non-tracing and pointing condition (M = 11.38, SD = 3.30), t(82) = 1.76, p = 0.041 (one-tailed), d = 0.39 [95% CI 0.05, ∞]."

Yining Wang 2025 (2)¶

Yining Wang, Kexin Han, Paul Ginns. (2025). Tracing and Pointing Support Multimedia Learning: A Cross-Cultural Replication. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-025-10005-7

q3 · i? · causal · r2

ANCOVA using self-reported prior knowledge as covariate (correlated with terminology scores, r = 0.26, p = 0.019) eliminated the group difference: "F(1, 81) = 2.00, p = 0.162".

"Under this analysis, the difference between conditions was no longer statistically significant, F(1, 81) = 2.00, p = 0.162, d = 0.30 [95% CI −0.12, ∞]."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Tracing and pointing during a paper-based multimedia lesson improves comprehension test performance in Chinese-speaking adults — related
• Tracing and pointing does not significantly raise intrinsic motivation, though the point estimate resembles prior meta-analytic estimates — related
• Tracing and pointing does not significantly reduce self-reported intrinsic cognitive load — related