Does Covert Prequestioning Enhance Learning? Implications for the Roles of Attention and Retrieval in the Prequestioning Effect

ABSTRACT Prequestioning, or attempting to answer questions before learning, can enhance memory relative to non‐testing methods, in part by encouraging deeper processing of subsequent material. This study examined whether the benefits of prequestions depend on whether answers are typed ( overt prequestioning ) or mentally generated ( covert prequestioning ). Undergraduates read expository texts preceded by either overt or covert prequestions and were later tested with multiple‐choice questions. Both formats improved performance relative to reading alone, with no reliable difference between covert and overt prequestioning. The similar efficacy of overt and covert prequestioning was replicated in a second experiment, which also found that prequestioning was just as effective as reviewing statements about what was to come before reading a passage. These findings suggest that prequestioning facilitates learning even without requiring overt responses, supporting theories that emphasize attentional focus. Thus, covert prequestioning offers a time‐efficient, scalable strategy for improving comprehension and retention of textual information.