This 2026 study investigated whether the order in which students complete generative tasks (like generating their own examples of concepts) and retrieval tasks (like cued recall) affects learning outcomes. Using a 3×2 experimental design with 208 university students, the researchers compared three task sequences — generative-before-retrieval, retrieval-before-generative, and restudy-before-generative — under two timing conditions: completing tasks immediately after an initial study phase or completing them two days later. Students were tested one week after finishing the learning tasks on both retention and comprehension of four psychology concepts.
The study found that the order of generative and retrieval tasks generally made little difference to learning outcomes. The one notable exception was that retrieval task performance was significantly better for the generative-before-retrieval group when a two-day delay was involved, likely because those students used the open-book generative task as an opportunity to re-engage with the material first.
Key Takeaways
- Order of activities matters less than you might think. You can feel free to sequence generative activities (discussions, example-generation, concept mapping) and retrieval activities (quizzes, recall prompts) in whatever order suits your course design.
- Retrieval practice still outperforms restudy for retention. Replacing quizzes or recall activities with simply re-reading course material is ineffective. Students who only reread retained significantly less after one week. Low-stakes quizzes and retrieval activities remain worth keeping.
- Task design quality matters more than sequence. The authors note that earlier research finding sequence effects likely reflected a poorly designed generative task (no feedback, no revision opportunity). When both task types are well-designed with feedback built in, sequence effects largely disappear. This is a reminder that how activities are designed is more important than their order.
Read the full article here:
Obergassel, N., Renkl, A., Endres, T., Nückles, M., Carpenter, S. K., & Roelle, J. (2026). Generative and retrieval tasks: Does the sequence matter and do sequence effects depend on learning task delay? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 40(2), e70188.