A study investigated the influence of key factors (general comprehension ability, prior knowledge of passage topic, interest in passage topic, and locus of control) on training at-risk college students in the use of graphic organizers as a cognitive learning strategy. Subjects, 60 college freshmen required to take a developmental reading/study skills course, were tested for prior knowledge on several topics, given an interest rating questionnaire and randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Subjects assigned to the experimental group were trained to read passages consisting of scientific expository text with a comparison-contrast internal organization; annotate the passages and identify and organize comparison/contrast information; use telegraphic writing to complete a graphic organizer; and incorporate the comparisons and contrasts into a summary statement. The control group carried out several comprehension development activities that did not deal with text structures. Posttests for both groups consisted of reading a scientific passage, annotating it, completing a graphic organizer of the passage, and completing an immediate retention multiple choice test. Results indicated that: (1) training in recognition of expository text structure was successful in improving students' ability as measured by the graphic organizer task; (2) improvement due to training was found only for the poorer readers; and (3) instruction did little to improve students' summarizing scores or passage comprehension. Findings suggest that in-depth training in graphic organizers may be superfluous for the average college student. (Two tables and 4 figures of data are included; 21 references, the posttest passage, and a sample student graphic organizer are attached.) (RS)