| Abstract: | The hypothesis that narrative text structure would be more interesting than expository text structure, and would therefore motivate more learning, was tested using an experimental design. Five classes of secondary school students read a history textbook chapter written in conventional expository style, and another five classes read a narrative version in which the same subject matter was embedded in a story involving fictional characters. All students also received instruction from their teachers. Contrary to prediction, the two groups did not differ significantly on the achievement posttest. Both groups also had similarly positive attitudes toward the text version they read, although in a face-to-face comparison the majority of the students preferred the narrative version. Recommendations for further tests of the hypothesis are offered. |
