This document is an excerpt from an IB Psychology SL Internal Assessment experiment report. The experiment investigated whether using a highlighted font alters recall of words on a list. 22 participants aged 14-15 were given lists with or without highlighted middle words. Participants had 2 minutes to memorize words and 5 minutes to recall them. Results found highlighting disrupted the typical serial position effect curve, with higher recall of highlighted middle words compared to non-highlighted words for that group. The experiment supported the hypothesis that highlighting draws attention and improves recall of those words.

1. An experimental investigation of the serial position effect: Does the use of a
highlighted font alter the recall of words?
IB Psychology SL Internal Assessment
Experiment
Fuyuki Watanabe
Candidate Number 0003166
January 21st, 2010
Word Count: 1494
Completed in partial fulfillment of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program

2. Table of Content
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….. 1
Method
Design…………………………………………………………………...………… 2
Participants………………………………………………………………………... 2
Materials…………………………………………………………………………... 3
Procedure…………………………………………………………………………. 3
Results…………………………………………………………………………………….. 4-5
Discussion……………………………………………………………………………….... 6
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………… 6
References………………………………………………………………………………… 7
Appendices
Appendix A……………………………………………………………………….. 8
Appendix B…………………………………………………………….. ………… 9
Appendix C……………………………………………………………………….. 10
Appendix D……………………………………………………………………….. 11
Appendix E……………………………………………………………………….. 12

3. Abstract
This experiment was aimed to investigate the effect of a highlighted font on recall of
words. The type of experimental design was independent measures. The independent variable
was the way the words were presented on a list. The dependent variable was the number of
correctly recalled words. Every participant, whose age ranged from fourteen to fifteen, was
tested in the similar type of rooms at the same time of the day. The sample type was
opportunistic due to the time constraints. The experimental group received a list with
highlighted words in the middle. The controlled group received a list without any manipulated
variables. The participants were given two minutes to memorize as many words as possible and
five minutes to recall the words. According to the serial position effect, the participants were
expected to recall the earlier and latter words on the list more accurately than those in the middle.
To alter this expected phenomenon, the researchers manipulated the middle words through the
use of a highlighted font. The result suggested that the researchers succeeded in disrupting the
serial position effect and that the highlighted font has an impact on recall.

4. Introduction
The explanation of memory elicited many debates among psychologists. According to the
serial position effect, which is related to the cognitive perspective, people recall the earlier and
latter information on a list better than those in the middle because the earlier items are stored in
the long-term memory (the primacy effect), while the latter items are stored in the short-term
memory (the recency effect) (Tavris and Wade 319-320). One of the past inquiries relevant to
this topic is Glanzer and Cunitz’s study in 1966 (Tavris and Wade 327-328). The aim of this
original study was to examine the effect of a word’s position in a list on recall. To assess this aim,
they manipulated the spacing among the words and the time between encoding and recall. The
controlled group was tested on immediate recall, while the experimental group was asked to
recall after 30 seconds (“Experiment…”). The result suggested that manipulated spacing and
time disrupted the primacy effect and the recency effect respectively.
The aim of this replicated experiment is to investigate the effect of a highlighted font on
recall. Since many find themselves highlighting key concepts and ideas in reading assignments,
it may help to assess the effectiveness of highlighting to enhance the organizational methods in
such assignments. Drawing from the past research, the primacy and recency effect are likely to
be disrupted by placing emphasis on the middle words of the list through the use of highlighted
font.
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5. Methods
Design
The method of experimentation was chosen because it provides a controlled investigation,
allowing the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable to be examined more
precisely. The independent variable was the way the words were presented and was manipulated
through the use of highlighted font. The dependent variable was the number of correctly recalled
words and was measured by counting. An independent measures experimental design was
employed rather than repeated measures due to the order effect. Since it was a memory test, the
participants would learn what to remember in the first trail and affect the second trial if otherwise.
The controlled group received a list without any manipulated variable, and the experimental
group received a list of words in which the middle seven words were highlighted. The type of
data collected was nominal. Other variables that could have affected the results were the time of
the day, age, and academic abilities of the participants. The researchers attempted to control
these variables by selecting a group of students in the same grade and English class, and
conducting the experiment at the same time of the day for every participant. All IB and AP
ethical guidelines were observed and followed in the briefing notes (Appendix B), debriefing
notes (Appendix B), and parent consent forms (Appendix A).
Participants
All participants were selected from the ninth grade of International School of Bangkok. A
total of 22 participants, who brought back the consent forms - twelve from Mr. K’s English 9
class, four from Ms. G’s Math 1A class, and six from after school - participated. All participants’
age ranged from fourteen to fifteen and took the same English 9 course. Opportunity sampling
technique was used due to the time constraints of both the researchers and the participants. The
researchers allocated 8 females and 3 males in both the experimental and controlled group.
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6. Materials
Pencil
Parent Consent Form (Appendix A)
Notification Letter (Appendix A)
Briefing Notes (Appendix B)
Debriefing Notes (Appendix B)
Word List (Appendix C)
Sheets of Blank Paper
Stopwatch
Procedure
A number of tables and chairs were set up in a manner that participants could not look
over other’s paper. The parent consent forms (Appendix A) were collected when the participants
entered the room. Although the experiment took place on three different dates, all participants
were tested at the same time of the day, 2:15pm. The researchers asked the participants to sit on a
specific side of the room depending on whether he or she belonged to the controlled or
experimental group. One of the researchers read the briefing notes (Appendix B) to ensure that
all IB and AP ethical guidelines were observed and followed, while the other researcher passed
out the list to each participant. The participants received two minutes to memorize the words.
Immediately after, the participants were given five minutes to recall the words in a written form
on a piece of paper. One researcher collected the answer sheets while the other researcher read
the debriefing notes (Appendix B) to inform the participants about the aim.
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7. Results
The raw data (Appendix 4) shows the number of participants who recalled the words
correctly. The mode of the controlled group were the earlier items on the list, “ball” and “library”.
The mode of the experimental group was the first item on the list, “ball”. The mean of correct
words recalled of the control group was 7.38 words (9.00 in the beginning, 6.43 in the middle
and 6.71 in the end). The experimental group recorded 6.95 times on average (8.29 in the
beginning, 7.57 in the middle and 5.00 in the end). The standard deviation was 1.75 in controlled
and 2.16 in experimental group. The type of data is nominal.
Graph 1: The percentage of correct retrieval depending on the position of words in the controlled
group
Graph 1’s curved line displays the line of best fit, which suggests that, from the first to
approximately sixteenth word on the list, the percentage of correct retrieval decreases as the
word appears latter on the list. From seventeenth to the last word, however, the percentage of
correct retrieval increases. This generally fits the idea of original U-shape graph of the serial
position effect (Appendix E).
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8. Graph 2: The percentage of correct retrieval depending on the position of words in the
experimental group
Graph 2’s curved line displays the line of best fit, which indicates two U-shaped data in one
graph. From the first to approximately fourth word, the percentage of correct retrieval rapidly
decreases, followed by an increase from the fifth word to the ninth word. Similarly, the
percentage of correct retrieval decreases rapidly from the tenth word until the seventeenth word,
which is again followed by an increase. This data of the experimental group signifies a disrupted
serial position effect.
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9. Discussion
The result of this investigation supported the cause-and-effect relationship between
highlighted font and recall to a large extent. Irrespective of the variable, both graphs showed a
high percentage of correct retrieval in the beginning, indicating that primacy effect occurred. The
result of the experimental group on graph 2, however, showed a higher percentage of recall of
highlighted middle words at the expense of the number of overall words recalled. Graph 2
displayed two U-shaped data, in which the peak in the middle of the graph suggested that the
highlighted font put emphasis on those words, while as the dips in between the peaks suggested,
it actually removed focus from other words.
The implication of this finding resembled the original study presented in the introduction.
Similar to the result of Glanzer and Cunitz’s study, the result of the controlled group on graph 1
suggested that serial position effect was present. However, this investigation differed from the
original study in the way that the total number of words recalled in the experimental group was
not greater than that of the control group. While the independent variable from the Glanzer and
Cunitz’s study, improved the participants’ ability to recall more words than it would without it,
the independent variable in this investigation only improved the participants’ ability to recall the
words that were manipulated, while decreasing the number of other words recalled.
Since the investigation was a controlled experiment, many variables were kept constant
while the only noticeably influential variable was the independent variable, strengthening the
validity of the outcome. Also, the degree of generalizability of this study was cross-cultural
because the participants were from diverse backgrounds. However, one of the weaknesses were
the way the participants were able to freely memorize any words. Some of the participants
received the list and merely studied one part of the list to memorize just that part. For future
suggestions, the researcher should instruct the participants not to do so. In addition, the
researchers should allocate the same number of females and males and conduct the experiment
earlier in the day since some seemed motiveless to take the test after school. Finally, although the
experiment was controlled and precise, it may lack ecological validity.
Conclusion
It was expected that the highlighted font will alter the primacy or the recency effect. This
expectation was supported to some extend because although the primacy effect remained intact,
the recency effect was disrupted. Overall, the important finding from the statistical analysis was
that highlighted font does attract attention for better recall while removing attention from non-
highlighted font. Now the new question that one may ask is whether highlighting all the words
will help to increase the correct recollection in total.
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10. Works Cited
“Experiment Description: Free Recall and the Serial Position Effect.” Athabasca University. 27
June 2005. Web. 30 Nov. 2009.
Tavris, Carol and Carole Wade. Psychology in Perspective. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-
Hall, 2001. Print.
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11. Appendices
Appendix A
Dear _____________,
You have been chosen to participate in an IB psychology experiment. The IB Psychology course
is an optional class that studies the various perspectives of modern psychology, taught by Mr.
Dale Howe. The experiment that we plan to conduct thrives to study human memory, specifically
the ability of a subject to memorize words from a list.
We will conduct the study in ___________’s room on _____________. The results will be
confidential unless the subject [you] wishes otherwise. Please understand that at any point, you
have the right to withdraw from the experiment, and you cannot be forced to continue.
Taking part in this experiment will help us immensely, and will not take more than half an hour
of your time. If you intend to come, please fill out the following form, which will indicate your
consent to participate, and return it to your teacher.
If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us at:
Yotam Gotal: 0851367369, ygotal@gmail.com
Fuyuki Watanabe: 0851493203, fuyuki31@hotmail.co.jp
Maria Yamaguchi: 0871009617, maria_ajup@hotmail.com
Thank you,
The IB Psychology students
I agree to participate in a psychology experiment conducted by Yotam Gotal (Gr. 11), Maria
Yamaguchi (Gr. 11), and Fuyuki Watanabe (Gr. 11). I understand that this experiment’s
procedure has been approved by Psychology teacher Mr. Dale Howe. I recognize the fact that I
can withdraw from the experiment at any point, and may not be forced to continue in any way. I
understand that after the experiment the results will be available only to myself, and will stay
confidential if I so desire. Finally, I understand this experiment follows the International
Baccalaureate Psychology Ethics Guidelines. Accordingly I declare that I agree to take part in
the following experiment, which will simply test my ability to recall words from a list.
Please Sign to Declare your Consent:
Date: __________________________
Signature of parent or guardian: __________________________
Signature of designated subject: __________________________
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12. Appendix B
Hi All!
Thank you for coming,
Today you will be participating in an IB (International Baccalaureate) Psychology IA (Internal
Assessment) test.
During the test you will be given 2 minutes to memorize a list of words, and then five more
minutes to write them down on a piece of paper which you will be given.
Please remember you have the right to leave at any point during the experiment if you feel
uncomfortable in any way. Furthermore, the results of the test will remain confidential, and
names will not be used in our final report.
Please ask your questions now and refrain from talking during the test. The order in which you
rewrite the words does not matter, neither does the spelling.
Please take this experiment seriously and please do cheat as this is a crucial step towards our IB
diploma,
Yotam Gotal, Mia Yamaguchi, and Fuyuki Watanabe
Thank you all for completing our Psychology IA!
In general, the test you have just completed is meant to alter the serial-positioning effect, which
claims that subjects will remember the words in the beginning and end of a list better than they’ll
remember the words in the list’s middle.
We greatly appreciate your participation, you have helped us greatly.
Please hand in your papers to one of us before you leave.
Yotam Gotal, Mia Yamaguchi, and Fuyuki Watanabe
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13. Appendix C
Ball
Library
Enter
Grade
Internet
Joke
Crayon
Lame
Mail
Food
Apple
Pen
Cake
Tree
Space
Elephant
Ink
Kite
Country
Monkey
Lemon
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14. Appendix D
Controlled Group Experimental Group
Ball 10 10
Library 10 9
Enter 8 7
Beginning Grade 9 8
Internet 9 8
Joke 9 8
Crayon 9 8
Lame 8 10
Mail 8 6
Food 7 7
Middle Apple 6 9
Pen 6 8
Cake 5 7
Tree 6 6
Space 6 5
Elephant 8 5
Ink 6 3
End
Kite 3 3
Country 8 5
Monkey 7 5
Lemon 9 9
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15. Appendix E
(Tavris and Carole)
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