Two copy testing techniques: The cloze procedure and the cognitive complexity test

Abstract

The theory behind two copy testing techniques--the cloze procedure and the cognitive complexity text--is reviewed; and three hypotheses are developed for testing. These two techniques work especially well when used together as they provide a way to match message properties with the audience's abilities. In a discriminant analysis setting, support is found for all three hypotheses, and a substantial portion of the variance in the criterion variable--advertising recall--is taken into account. The results of predictions to a validation sample are also encouraging.