Research on illustrations in text: Issues and perspectives

Abstract

So many studies have failed to show significant effects for illustrations in texts and teaching materials that, the author remarks, if the research is taken at face value, it is not difficult to begin believing that illustrations really are not very important in assisting learning. However, he concludes, their value has been confirmed by a sufficient number of studies to support intuitive beliefs and researchers now must move on, using new frameworks to study the reasons illustrations can aid learning. © 1980 Association for Educational Communications and Technology.