The capacity of Ss to utilize memory for recently presented responses to maximize guessing success was studied in 2 experiments. A serial anticipation technique was used with a list of 9 words anticipation technique was used with in Experiment I. In Experiment II the same words were used in a paired-associate task. Ss tended to give responses which had not previously been presented on the current trial. Correct responses increased significantly toward the end of a trial. Omissions increased from beginning to end of a trial. It was considered that a guessing strategy could produce the latter portion of the serial error curve, and in any list-learning inflate estimates of associative strength obtained by scoring anticipations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)