The effects of the topic-specific and topic-general prior knowledge on learning from multiple complementary texts

This study examined how the amount and specificity of prior knowledge affected learning from multiple complementary texts. The amount of prior knowledge refers to the quantity of knowledge relevant to a text topic. Topic-specific prior knowledge refers to the knowledge of content explicitly presented in a text, whereas topic-general prior knowledge refers to knowledge related to information in a text but not explicitly presented in the text. Undergraduates (n = 59) completed measures of topic-specific and topic-general prior knowledge and typed their thoughts while reading two texts. Participants also completed measures of comprehension and transfer after reading. The amount and specificity of prior knowledge influenced learning from both texts. Additionally, learning from the first text mediated the impact of topic-specific knowledge on learning from the second text.