Research was conducted concerning the efficacy of advance organizers and structured overviews in aiding student recall. The research was modeled on a process described by J.R. Platt that involves refining experiments and testing alternative hypotheses. Four studies that gradually refined experimental error were conducted on the effects of advance organizers in relation to learning tasks. Three studies indicated no significant differences between students who used advance organizers and graphic structured overviews and students in control groups who were given neither type of organizer. A fourth study utilized a student-constructed graphic postorganizer condition in addition to a graphic advance organizer and control condition. Results of this study indicated that the student-constructed postorganizer condition was more effective than the other two conditions. (MKM)