The Effects of Study Techniques on Exam Performance

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The Effects of Study Techniques on Exam
Performance

• By David Holler

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Outline

• Introduction to Deep Learning
• Method of the Study
• Results of the Study
• Conclusions

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Deep Learning Styles

• Shallow vs. Deep Learning
• McManus, Richards, Winder and Sproston (1998)
• Biggs (1999)
• Ratliff-Crain and Gonier Klopfleisch (2003)
• Robert W. Grossman (2005) Knowledge
  Transformations i.e. Procedural, Conceptual,
  Analogical

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Method of the Study

• Survey administered to Intro Psych class

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Survey

• Participants
• Demographic Information
• Time Spent on Specific Study Techniques
• Reading and Processing Styles

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Which of the following most closely describes how
you read your psychology textbook?

• I read the psych book the same way I would read
  any bookI start at the beginning of a chapter,
  read until I get tired or to the end of a
  section, and stick in a bookmark. The next time
  I pick up the book, I open it to the bookmark and
  start reading where I left off. I dont go back
  over material Ive read until Ive finished
  reading and need to start studying for the test.
• I really dont read the book. I skim through
  the psych book looking for the key terms, like
  the bold-faced ones, and the summaries. I study
  those parts.
• I first look at the chapter summaries or skim
  the chapter to get a sense of whats going to be
  covered. I then go back and start to read
  in-depth, paying attention to the vocabulary
  words, but also think about what the terms and
  ideas mean and how they relate to other things
  were reading. After taking a break from
  reading, Ill review what I read before moving
  ahead.
• Were supposed to read the book? Seriously, I
  dont read the bookif the prof hasnt said it in
  class it wont be important.

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Which of the following statements most closely
describes how you handle the information in the
psychology textbook?

• I read the book and either write down or
  highlight what I think is importantmostly just
  the vocabulary (bold-faced) words and the
  definitions the psych book gives. I then go back
  and study what I wrote down or highlighted.
• Its ALL important! I highlight almost
  EVERYthing! I should buy stock in highlighters!
• As Im reading, I try to put the concepts and
  ideas into my own words and try to apply them to
  things I know or to other classes. I also think
  about how the concepts compare to other things
  were learning in the class. I try to take note
  of these for when I go back to review.
• I pretty much just use the textbooks study
  guideit has all of the terms and main ideas, so
  I use that to narrow down what to study.
• I rely on what the prof wrote on the board and
  dont bother with the textsaves me a lot of
  time!

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Survey

• Participants
• Demographic Information
• Time Spent on Specific Study Techniques
• Reading and Processing Styles
• Breaking Down the Components of Successful
  Studying Techniques

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Components of Successful Studying

• Class attendance
• Note taking and reviewing
• When are you reading the material?
• Setting dates and goals
• Deeper processing techniques

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Deeper Processing Techniques

• How often do you feel that you can relate the
  material that you have learned to the other
  course material, other classes you have taken, or
  life experiences?
• Do you reflect on the material from class and
  text to understand it as a whole?
• When you study the text, what do you look for in
  the material?
• After studying, do you feel you could thoroughly
  explain what you have just read to someone
  unfamiliar with the topic?

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Method of the Study

• Survey administered to Intro Psych class
• Surveys collected with consent form and anonymous
  copy of test answers
• Data from surveys entered into SPSS for
  statistical analysis
• Determine relationships between study skills
  (independent variables) and exam score (dependant
  variable)

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Results

• A factor analysis was run on all of the study
  technique questions to determine if any study
  techniques grouped together to form coherent
  constructs

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Factor Analysis of Study Techniques
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Sum of all
variables in F1 TOTALSCRSum of all
variables in F1 Pearson Correlation 1 .230 Sig
. (2-tailed) .089 N 57
56TOTALSCR Pearson Correlation .230
1 Sig. (2-tailed) .089 N
56 57
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Results

• A factor analysis was run on all of the study
  technique questions to determine if any study
  techniques grouped together to form coherent
  constructs
• Positive reading techniques were grouped together
  and positive text handling techniques. A Pearson
  Correlation was run on these groupings to see if
  there was a relationship between positive reading
  techniques and positive text handling techniques.

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Which of the following most closely describes how
you read your psychology textbook?

• I read the psych book the same way I would read
  any bookI start at the beginning of a chapter,
  read until I get tired or to the end of a
  section, and stick in a bookmark. The next time
  I pick up the book, I open it to the bookmark and
  start reading where I left off. I dont go back
  over material Ive read until Ive finished
  reading and need to start studying for the test.
• I really dont read the book. I skim through
  the psych book looking for the key terms, like
  the bold-faced ones, and the summaries. I study
  those parts.
• I first look at the chapter summaries or skim
  the chapter to get a sense of whats going to be
  covered. I then go back and start to read
  in-depth, paying attention to the vocabulary
  words, but also think about what the terms and
  ideas mean and how they relate to other things
  were reading. After taking a break from
  reading, Ill review what I read before moving
  ahead.
• Were supposed to read the book? Seriously, I
  dont read the bookif the prof hasnt said it in
  class it wont be important.

17
Which of the following statements most closely
describes how you handle the information in the
psychology textbook?

• I read the book and either write down or
  highlight what I think is importantmostly just
  the vocabulary (bold-faced) words and the
  definitions the psych book gives. I then go back
  and study what I wrote down or highlighted.
• Its ALL important! I highlight almost
  EVERYthing! I should buy stock in highlighters!
• As Im reading, I try to put the concepts and
  ideas into my own words and try to apply them to
  things I know or to other classes. I also think
  about how the concepts compare to other things
  were learning in the class. I try to take note
  of these for when I go back to review.
• I pretty much just use the textbooks study
  guideit has all of the terms and main ideas, so
  I use that to narrow down what to study.
• I rely on what the prof wrote on the board and
  dont bother with the textsaves me a lot of
  time!

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(No Transcript)
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Results

• A factor analysis was run on all of the study
  technique questions to determine if any study
  techniques grouped together to form coherent
  constructs
• Positive reading techniques were grouped together
  and positive text handling techniques. A Pearson
  Correlation was run on these groupings to see if
  there was a relationship between positive reading
  techniques and positive text handling techniques.
• A Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to evaluate
  differences among the three grouped study styles
  on the total exam score.

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(No Transcript)
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Results

• A factor analysis was run on all of the study
  technique questions to determine if any study
  techniques grouped together to form coherent
  constructs
• Positive reading techniques were grouped together
  and positive text handling techniques. A Pearson
  Correlation was run on these groupings to see if
  there was a relationship between positive reading
  techniques and positive text handling techniques.
• A Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to evaluate
  differences among the three grouped study styles
  on the total exam score.
• A stepwise multiple regression was performed to
  determine which variables were the best
  predictors of exam score.

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a Predictors (Constant), GENRLQ7 b Predictors
(Constant), GENRLQ7, GENRLQ8 c Predictors
(Constant), GENRLQ7, GENRLQ8, WRTDWNBD d
Predictors (Constant), GENRLQ7, GENRLQ8,
WRTDWNBD, STDYSKL1 e Predictors (Constant),
GENRLQ7, GENRLQ8, WRTDWNBD, STDYSKL1, NOTEREV1
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Predictors of Exam Score

• After studying, do you feel you could thoroughly
  explain what you have just read to someone
  unfamiliar with the topic?
• How often do you preview the material before
  reading it, either by skimming over the chapter
  or reading chapter summaries located at the end
  of the chapter?
• When you take notes, how much of the information
  written on the board do you write down?
• How would you characterize your studying skills?
• Do you review your notes within 24 hours of the
  lecture?

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Conclusions

• A validation of previous research at UMM
• Students who self report positive reading
  techniques also self report positive
  comprehension styles
• The most important factor in determining exam
  score was a students ability to relate the
  material to another person

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References

• Biggs, J. (1999) Teaching for Quality Learning at
  University (pp. 165-203). Buckingham, UK SRHE
  and Open University Press.
• Gonier Klopfleisch, K., Ratliff-Crain, J.
  (2003). Development of an interactive guide for
  introductory psychology (with K. Klopfleisch).
  Presented at the "Opening the Door Sharing the
  Craft of Teaching" conference sponsored by the
  Academy of Distinguished Teachers, University of
  Minnesota.
• I C McManus, P Richards, B C Winder, K A Sproston
  (1998) BMJ 1998316345-350
• Robert W. Grossman (2005) Discovering hidden
  transformations Making science and other
  courses more learnable (accepted for publication
  in College Teaching to be published sometime in
  2005)

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Special Thanks

• Professor Ratliff-Crain
• Professor Sungur
• Professor Kim
• Professor Anderson