Results

Mean scores on the pretest were similar (table 2). The Story-Plus group was better on all measures, including the surprise follow-up test given five weeks later, learning about twice as many words as the Story-Only group. All differences were statistically significant (p < .001).

Table 2: Story-Alone versus Story-Plus

Group Test N M SD Gain Final Gain
Story pre 27 4.6 2.3
post 27 13.9 3.4 9.3
delay 27 8.4 3.5 +3.8
Story + pre 31 4.7 1.7
mid 31 15.1 2.6 +10.4
post 31 19.7 .6 +15.0
delay 31 16.1 2.2 +11.4

The Story-Plus group, however, invested much more total time than the Story-Only group. If we count time for testing, the Story-Only group acquired .15 words per minute and the Story-Plus group acquired .13 words per minute, nearly identical results. Not counting testing time, the story-only group looks even better, acquiring .25 words per minute.

Table 3: Efficiency

Method Time Spent Remembered words Rate
Story-Only 25 minutes including testing time 3.8 0.15 per minute
Story-PLUS 85 minutes including testing time 11.4 0.13 per minute

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