Previous publications of this experiment have based their significance on objective tests of comprehension. Now, with more relevant criteria for rating the essay answers, it is clear that imagery produces significant gains in comprehension of college history text passages – as measured by free-response tests. This experiment used original and revised passages from a standard American History college text. It tested the interest and the comprehension of these passages by 192 subjects who were entering freshmen at a well-known liberal arts college. The experiment compared the two treatments of four different war passages, presented in every combination and sequence in a completely balanced design. Analysis of variance established that significantly higher scores resulted from the revised treatments. This conclusion points a way, through the use of imagery, to improve college history texts and possibly others. This finding reinforces the conclusion that appropriate imagery enhances the readability of college history textbooks.
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