States that although the think-aloud method (TAM) is being used with increasing frequency in studying text comprehension, some skepticism of its value remains. Discusses assumptions behind TAM, aspects of comprehension it can reveal, and directions for research using TAM. Argues that TAM is a useful technique for tracking changes in the contents…

Investigates conscious understanding during narrative comprehension as revealed through use of think-aloud methodology. Presents an analytical model of conscious understanding. Identifies three working memory operations in the protocols--operations which are functionally necessary to inferences in the protocols. Discusses data and current models…

Demonstrates that (1) in a theory of comprehension, global coherence must refer not just to the availability of a macrostructure, but also to its ease of construction; and (2) the topic-comment assignment at the sentence level can be an important influence on the reader's perception of the passage topic. (FL)

Examines the pattern of eye movements of skilled adult readers when encountering a surprise ending to a story. Suggests that processing at the discourse level must be considered as an influence on the eye movement control system. (NKA)

Presents an analysis of prose narratives that allows content to be identified as central and provides a priori rationale for why the content is central. Investigates which content is supportive of, or distracting to, the central content. (FL)

Discusses previous articles in this journal and calls for a new theory of story grammar. (FL)

Indicates that subjects spent more time reading important information than unimportant information and that, when processing time was limited, extra cognitive effort was allocated to accomplish the same result. Finds that important information was also recalled better, confirming the "levels effect." Reports three experiments supporting…

Suggests that metaphors in text are processed differently from literal language. Indicates that more information was remembered when the context did not contain metaphors and when the target paragraph was more important in the hierarchy of the passage. (NKA)

Investigates the effects of breakdowns in referential and factual coherence on text comprehension and reveals that the processing of factually inconsistent information hindered other information in passages. (FL)

Examines two texts showing that the relational propositions (frequently implicit) that arise out of a combination of independent clauses involve every clause and that they occur in a pattern of propositions that connects all of the clauses together. Shows how relational propositions are essential to the functioning of the text. (HTH)

Suggests the contribution of analogies to text comprehension. Demonstrates that analogies are not functional in text comprehension, but instead they impair recall and inhibit processing. Considers the possible role of analogies as contributors to the aesthetics of an informative text. (HB)

Respectively, three experiments indicate that (1) people can identify all the terminal units in stories as well as different kinds of episodic structure; (2) when attention was focused on the intermediate units, the Goal Path emerged in the judgments; and (3) the same judgments about terminal units were made even when the number of sentences per…

Use of cognitive capacity was measured during reading of text in six experiments. Results were consistent with a comprehensibility theory stating that when more meaning is produced in reader's cognitive system while reading a text, more cognitive capacity is filled by reading it. (FL)

Discusses previous articles in this journal issue and addresses issues concerning the acquisition of specific social knowledge. (FL)

Reveals that (1) structural importance and not serial position was the better guide to recall, (2) children were able to sequence properly with few idiosyncratic interferences, and (3) younger children recalled main events, as well as did older children--improved recall with age was primarily for filler events. (FL)