Effects of previews on more skilled and less skilled readers' comprehension of expository text

Abstract

Comprehension of expository material by 76 more skilled and less skilled fifth-grade readers was assessed when written previews were used before reading social studies text. The previews were designed to take into account those features of previews that previously had been successful in increasing comprehension of narrative material, but also included features specifically related to exposition. The results indicated that (a) both more skilled and less skilled readers' test scores were significantly increased when previews were used, (b) less skilled readers scored higher on explicit than on implicit questions, and (c) previews did not have a differential effect on question type, or on comprehension type. © 1989, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.