Do differences in topic knowledge matter? An experimental investigation into topic knowledge as a possible moderator of the testing effect.

Abstract

A large body of research indicates that testing results in better long-term retention compared to restudying. Given the relevance of such effects for education, there is interest in the conditions and learner differences that may moderate the utility of testing, like background knowledge. It is possible that the testing effect is stronger for those who are more novice, stronger for those who are more experienced, or works equally well for everyone. In four experiments, college students read texts and were tested on them one week later. In Experiments 1, 2A, and 2B, we orthogonally manipulated study strategy (testing versus restudying via reading sentence facts) and availability of background material for a given topic. In Experiment 2B only, participants received feedback when studying via retrieval practice. Experiment 3 employed a mixed design in which each participant used only one strategy or another. Contrary to many past studies, we found an overall testing effect only when feedback was provided. Critically, background topic material benefited overall retention, but we found no evidence that background knowledge moderated the degree of testing benefits. Together, these results suggest that any learning benefits of testing do not depend on having particular levels of existing domain knowledge.