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Research projects, reading sources, and a lecture format were used in a course on history and systems of psychology to determine their effectiveness as learning instruments. Twenty-two students enrolled in the fall and spring semesters of the course took part in the evaluation. Students selected from among several types of research projects. One secondary and two primary reading sources were used. The instructor's lectures included material from both within and out· side the texts. The results of a course evaluation indicated that students reacted favorably to research projects as a means for acquiring or modifying skills, information, and attitudes. Satisfaction with reading sources varied as a function of the source and the dimension evaluated. Lectures appeared to be an important component of the course. A distinction was made between firsthand and encyclopedic approaches to learning. Since the former offers a valuable alternative, additional directions for research were suggested.