THE SOURCES OF CONFUSION INVOLVED IN INITIATING PROGRAMED INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM ARE LISTED--(1) SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY DEALING WITH THE FIELD, (2) TYPES OF MACHINERY WITH RANGE FROM THE HIGHLY COMPLEX TO THE VERY SIMPLE, AND (3) DIFFERENT MODES OF PROGRAMING. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE PROGRAMED FORMATS ARE GIVEN--(1) THE MATERIALS ARE DESIGNED SO THAT A STUDENT SETS HIS OWN RATE OF LEARNING, (2) A STUDENT MUST ACTIVELY INTERACT WITH THE MATERIALS, (3) THE STUDENT'S RESPONSE IS IMMEDIATELY REINFORCED SO THAT HE KNOWS WHETHER HE IS RIGHT OR WRONG, AND (4) THE CONTENT IS INTRODUCED IN SMALL BITS IN THE LINEAR PROGRAM AND IN MEASURED BITS IN THE INTRINSIC PROGRAM. RESEARCH DEALING WITH MANY PHASES OF PROGRAMED LEARNING IS BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. THIS ARTICLE IS PUBLISHED IN THE "JOURNAL OF READING," VOLUME 9, NOVEMBER 1965. (MD)