The effects of analogical and schematic illustrations on the comprehension and retention of expository prose were compared. The population was 191 eighth-grade students at Mahomet Junior High School, Illinois; 134 students' scores were used. Subjects were assigned to two groups through the random distribution of treatment booklets that included a learning task composed of expository prose and either schematic or analogical illustrations regarding the topic of logic gates. Data were collected through four methods: an interest questionnaire administered prior to the learning task; sentiment measure administered immediately following; Test I, which measured initial learning immediately after the task and retention 14 days later; and an interview guide. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients and analyses of covariance were computed. Statistically significant differences were found in subjects' mean scores on object attribute test items during both administrations of Test I. According to mean scores, those students who received the schematic illustrations performed better (81.2 percent) on the object attribute test items than their counterpart students (68.9 percent) who received the analogous illustrations. Students who received the schematic illustrations performed significantly better 2 weeks later when tested for retention (60.6 to 45.1 percent). Findings supported existing theory on analogies and illustrations. (YLB)