A study examined the effects of column rules, justification, and the interactive effect of column rule and justification on memory. Subjects, 40 undergraduate students enrolled in journalism courses, read 12 text samples (taken from standardized reading tests) randomly assigned to one of six format conditions and presented on separate, simulated magazine pages in a four-column format in four randomly selected orders. Subjects responded to recall and recognition questions and a personal information data sheet. Three column rule conditions--column rule, no column rule, and "middle rule" (a vertical line running down the middle of the column of text)--were combined with two justification conditions (left and right justification or flush left/jagged right) to yield the six format conditions. Results indicated that the best score for recall was recorded in the flush left/jagged right and middle rule condition, the most "disruptive" graphic presentation. Findings suggest that graphic elements, especially justification and column rules, affect memory for magazine text. (Five figures and a table of data are included, and 40 references are attached.) (RS)