Context-dependent memory for meaningful material: Information for students

Context-dependency effects on memory for lists of unrelated words have been shown more often with recall than with recognition. Context dependency for meaningful text material was examined using two standard academic testing techniques: short answer (recall) and multiple choice (recognition). Forty participants read an article in either silent or noisy conditions; their re ading comprehension was assessed with both types of test under silent or no isy conditions. Both tests showed context-dependency effects in which perfo rmance was better in the matching conditions (silent 'study/silent test and noisy study/noisy test) than in the mismatching conditions (silent study/n oisy test and noisy study/silent test). Context cues appear to be important in the retrieval of newly learned meaningful information. An academic appl ication is that students may perform better on exams by studying in silence . (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.