Highlighting text improves student learning.

Is it true that Highlighting text improves student learning?

Partly. A 2023 digital-reading study of 170 university students found no main effect of highlighting on comprehension or transfer, and a 1997 study found pre-existing inappropriate highlighting interfered with reading-test performance. A meta-analysis of highlighting experiments exists but its retrieved abstract does not report results, so the evidence covers only parts of the claim.

Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 1 source for, 2 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

R., P. H., E., M. R., & E., M. E. (2022). Effects of Learner-Generated Highlighting and Instructor-Provided Highlighting on Learning from Text: A Meta-Analysis. eric.ed.gov. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09654-1

Mason, L., Ronconi, A., Carretti, B., Nardin, S., & Tarchi, C. (2024). Highlighting and Highlighted Information in Text Comprehension and Learning from Digital Reading. eric.ed.gov. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12903

Mason, L., Ronconi, A., Carretti, B., Nardin, S., & Tarchi, C. (2023). Highlighting and highlighted information in text comprehension and learning from digital reading. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12903

L., S. V. & S., K. D. (1997). The Effects of Pre-Existing Inappropriate Highlighting on Reading Comprehension.. eric.ed.gov. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ547175