True–False Tests Enhance Retention Relative to Rerea

Testing with various formats enhances long-term retention of studied information; however, little is known whether true–false tests produce this benefit despite their frequent use in the classroom. We conducted four experiments to explore the retention benefits of true–false tests. College students read passages and reviewed them by answering true–false questions or by restudying correct information from the passages. They then took a criterial test 2 days later that consisted of short-answer questions (Experiments 1 and 2) or short-answer and true–false questions (Experiments 3 and 4). True–false tests enhanced retention compared to rereading correct statements and compared to typing those statements while rereading (the latter in a mini meta-analysis). Evaluating both true and false statements yielded a testing effect on short-answer criterial tests, whereas evaluating only true statements produced a testing effect on true–false criterial tests. Finally, a simple modification that asked students to correct statements they marked as false on true–false tests improved retention of those items when feedback was provided. True–false tests can be an effective and practical learning tool to improve students’ retention of text material.