RESEARCH IN PROGRAMMED LEARNING REVEALS THAT IT IS USUALLY NO MORE EFFICIENT THAN THE USUAL STUDY-READING, AND IS ALWAYS MORE CLUMSY AND EXPENSIVE. TRIAL OF AN ALTERNATE AUTOINSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE IS REPORTED. ISSUES OF LEARNING THEORY AND EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE ARE RAISED. A PROGRAMED SET OF 1110 WORDS WAS CONVERTED TO SIX SUCCINCT PARAGRAPHS TOTALING 360 WORDS. FOUR GROUPS WERE TESTED--A CONTROL GROUP, WITH NO PREPARATION, A GROUP USING THE PROGRAMED TEXT, A GROUP USING THE SIX PARAGRAPH STATEMENT, AND A GROUP USING THE SIX PARAGRAPH STATEMENT WITH SIX ELUCIDATIVE QUESTIONS. THE SECTION USING THE TEXT UNIT MADE A SIGNIFICANT GAIN OVER THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, IN ONE-TENTH THE TIME REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH THE "PROGRAM," STUDENTS SIMPLY READING THE SUBSTANCE OF IT LEARNED A GREAT DEAL. WHEN THAT SUBSTANTIVE STATEMENT WAS SUPPLEMENTED BY ONLY SIX QUESTIONS THEY DID A BIT BETTER. ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE AUTOINSTRUCTIONAL QUESTION, DIFFERENTIATING SIMPLE REFLEXES FROM LEARNED RESPONSES, REDUCED MISTAKES IN THIS MATTER ON THE END-TEST BY OVER HALF. AUTOINSTRUCTION WHICH FACILITATES AND CLARIFIES SUCH STUDY-READING PROCESSES, INSTEAD OF CLUMSILY FRAGMENTING THEM, CAN GREATLY AID LEARNING. ALL THE READINGS AND LABORATORY EXERCISES IN A COURSE WERE COVERED IN DUPLICATE BY ADJUNCT AUTOINSTRUCTIONAL "TEACH" TESTS. THESE, AND ALL THE MATERIALS OF THE COURSE, WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO SUPERIOR STUDENTS IN AN AUTOINSTRUCTIONAL LAB. THERE WAS NO TEACHING, BUT AN INSTRUCTOR WAS PLACED IN CHARGE TO HELP IF ASKED. STUDENTS FINISHED THE 12-WEEK COURSE IN 6-WEEKS, AND HALF MADE GRADES OF "A".