Abstract
Texts are often reread in everyday life, but most studies of rereading have been based on expository texts, not on literary ones such as poems, though literary texts may be reread more often than others. To correct this bias, the present study is based on two of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Eye movements were recorded, as participants read a sonnet then read it again after a few minutes. After each reading, comprehension and appreciation were measured with the help of a questionnaire. In general, compared to the first reading, rereading improved the fluency of reading (shorter total reading times, shorter regression times, and lower fixation probability) and the depth of comprehension. Contrary to the other rereading studies using literary texts, no increase in appreciation was apparent. Moreover, results from a predictive modeling analysis showed that readers’ eye movements were determined by the same critical psycholinguistic features throughout the two sessions. Apparently, even in the case of poetry, the eye movement control in reading is determined mainly by surface features of the text, unaffected by repetition.
Highlights
IntroductionYou may read it faster, remember more details and understand it better
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought I summon up remembrance of things past, William Shakespeare, Sonnets 30What happens if you read a text for the second time? You may read it faster, remember more details and understand it better
The main aim of the present study is to examine the effects of rereading poetic texts by using assessments made by readers after the sessions and records of eyemovements made during the sessions, to find out whether rereading affects a reader’s understanding and appreciation and increases the fluency of reading
Summary
You may read it faster, remember more details and understand it better This improvement, widely known as the rereading benefit or rereading effect, has been noted in many studies (see Raney, 2003, for a review). Most of them have been based on the rereading of expository texts (e.g., Hyönä and Niemi, 1990; Levy et al, 1991, 1992; Raney and Rayner, 1995; Raney et al, 2000; Rawson et al, 2000; Schnitzer and Kowler, 2006; Kaakinen and Hyönä, 2007; Margolin and Snyder, 2018), only a few of them on the rereading of literary texts (e.g., Dixon et al, 1993; Millis, 1995; Kuijpers and Hakemulder, 2018) and only one of these on the rereading of poetry (Hakemulder, 2004) None of those based on literary texts used direct or indirect methods to record the cognitive processes associated with comprehension and appreciation while they were happening. We shall begin by discussing earlier studies that show the Rereading Shakespeare’s Sonnets benefit of rereading, go on to present our own approach, put forward hypotheses and check them empirically
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
