The value of using inductive and deductive methods in instructing a mathematical principle and foreign language alphabet are tested with sample groups of sixth and eighth grade students in two separate educational experiments. In both cases, the instructional methods used were--(1) instruction in principle before application to examples, (2) examples followed by principle clarification and supplemented by further examples, and (3) examples only. Although students taught by the first method tended to learn the principles best, the participants in the third groups were superior in the areas of retention and transfer. The performance level of the second groups lay between those of the other two. For a related document see ED 022 392. (AF)