Supra-Paragraph Prose Structure: Its Specification, Perception, and Effects on Learning

The problem of the specification of the molar, or supra-paragraph structure of a prose passage is discussed in terms of unity, sequence, and hierarchy. These ideas were used to generate passages having the same paragraph units but which were organized at different levels of structure. The method of specification was validated in terms of rated structure and effects on learning. The learning effects of level of structure depend on whether the test is for main parts abstraction, within paragraph detail, or rote; and on the mode of presentation, and part-whole level used.