Two experiments examined the interrelationship of subject-matter knowledge, interest, and recall in the field of human immunology/human biology and assessed cross-domain performance in the field of physics. Framed by a stage model of domain learning, cluster-analytic methods were used to group individuals on the basis of their performance on cognitive and affective measures in immunology. Resulting cluster profiles were compared with predictions expected from the stage model. Performance for students in these clusters was compared with their performance on similar measures in the field of physics. In Experiment 1, 30 premedical students and 17 graduate students in educational psychology served as participants. Results revealed 3 unique clusters of students that tended to conform to predictions of the domain learning model. Individuals' knowledge, interest, and recall of immunology generally paralleled their performance in the domain of physics. Experiment 2 sought to test and extend the findings of the initial experiment. Participants were 78 undergraduate students in education. Although 4 clusters emerged, patterns in knowledge, interest, and recall were similar to those revealed in Experiment 1.

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In this review, text-based research on importance and interest is analyzed with

Sixty-six studies were reviewed that met several a priori criteria. Specifically, the studies had to be empirical investigations that related to a particular academic domain and that involved connected discourse presented either in traditional written form or on computer. In addition, the studies had to incorporate some measure of both knowledge and interest. The resulting body of literature was first summarized and analyzed in terms of the domains chosen, the subjects selected, the nature of the texts used, the manner in which knowledge and interest were assessed, and the principal outcomes reported. Next, from this analysis, six premises were proposed as guides for future research and practice. Finally, concluding remarks were advanced that address the overall significance of text-processing research that interactively considers the domain of knowledge and the interest of the reader.