To What Extent Do Study Habits Relate to Performance?

Walck-Shannon, Elise; Rowell, Shaina F.; Frey, Regina F.

doi:10.1187/cbe.20-05-0091

Cited by 27 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…If the objective is for students to focus on understanding rather than memorizing course materials, writing assessment questions that reflect this objective will encourage students to think deeply about the material and reward those who do. Students may benefit from their instructor explaining how their open-note exams are designed to encourage them to specifically focus on understanding, along with the study habits that have previously been shown to increase student performance and learning (e.g., synthesizing notes, focusing on understanding, self-quizzing [ 25 ]). Second, we encourage biology education researchers to evaluate how open-note exams are commonly designed and implemented in post-secondary biology classrooms, paying special attention to the Bloom’s taxonomy level of each exam question, whether the instructor explains the difference between an open-note and a closed-note exam, and whether the instructor models evidence-based study habits for their students.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Study habits include strategies students use to understand and retain class content. They also encompass how much time students spend studying and how students distribute their study time over the class of a semester [24,25]. Because exam performance is highly correlated with study habits [26][27][28][29], the effectiveness of open-note exam taking may rely heavily on the specific exam preparation methods used by students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating open-note exams: Student perceptions and preparation methods in an undergraduate biology class

2022

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Although closed-note exams have traditionally been used to evaluate students in undergraduate biology classes, open-note exams are becoming increasingly common, though little is known about how students prepare for these types of exams. We investigated student perceptions of and their preparation habits for online open-note exams in an undergraduate biology class, as compared to their previous experiences with closed-note exams in other classes. Specifically, we explored the following research questions: (1a) How do students perceive open-note exams impact their exam scores, their anxiety, the amount they studied, and the amount their peers studied? (1b) How do these perceptions impact performance outcomes? (2a) How do students prepare for open-note exams? (2b) How do these preparation methods impact performance outcomes? Results demonstrate students perceived increased exam scores, decreased exam-anxiety, decreased study time spent personally, and decreased study time spent by their peers for open-note exams, as compared to past experiences with closed-note exams. Open-ended survey responses analyzed through first- and second-cycle analyses showed students adapted their study habits by focusing on note preparation and broad conceptual understanding rather than rote memorization. Using linear mixed effects models to assess student performance, we found students who focused on understanding, note preparation and using external resources outperformed students who did not report those study habits. As institutions shift towards flexible and scalable assessments that can be used in face-to-face or online environments, the use of open-note exams can promote effective study habits and reward higher-order thinking with intentional guidance from the instructor.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating open-note exams: Student perceptions and preparation methods in an undergraduate biology class

2022

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“…College students also reported being distracted 20% of the time during study sessions. Amount of time spent studying, types of strategies used and minimizing distractions are all significant factors that contribute to a students' overall academic performance, which must be further analyzed (13). In relation to specific study strategies, researchers determined common study methods to include completion of past exam questions (100% of students), rereading material (92.3% of students), explaining concepts to peers (7.7% of students), and using flashcards (7.7% of students) (14).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Study and Learning Strategies On Post-Secondary Student Academic Achievement: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review

Xu¹,

Ong²,

Tran³

et al. 2021

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BACKGROUNDWithin academic development, it is important for students to use effective study strategies to facilitate learning. Techniques used for long-term information retention include note taking strategies, time management, methods of self-testing and active recall. These strategies are explored to help students learn more effectively to attain their academic goals.METHODA mixed-methods systematic review of peer-review articles and grey literature was conducted with a predetermined criteria for a convergent integrated synthesis approach. PsychInfo (Ovid), Web of Science, and ProQuest databases were searched with guidance of a PICO-P logic grid and search strategy using keywords of student, study strategies, and achievement alongside filters. Initial studies were screened and reconciled by two independent authors with the use of a piloted screening tool. Using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool (MMAT), included studies were assessed for quality. Two authors independently performed data extraction. Heterogeneity in study designs, outcomes, and measurements precluded meta and statistical analyses; thus, a qualitative analysis of studies was provided.RESULTSFour major themes contributing to academic performance were identified among the appraised articles. These themes were self-testing, scheduling/time management, concept maps, and learning styles. Self-testing, scheduling, and concept maps were positively correlated with increased academic performance, while no correlation was found with learning styles and academic performance.CONCLUSIONIncluded studies provided evidence for significant differences in study strategies implemented by high and low achieving students, such as areas of motivation for learning, efficiency, active recall, retrieval practices, and concept maps. Understanding the effectiveness of certain study strategies is critical for students and educational facilitators to maximize learning.

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“…How students do their studies has a significant impact on their degree of academic performance. Students' degree of preparation and learning techniques devised and utilized intentionally has a significant impact on their academic success (Walck-Shannon, 2021). Thus, one of the most important student learning variables that have a significant impact on student's academic success is study habits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Establishing effective study habits is critical for all students, regardless of their level of schooling. It improves students' capacity to be self-disciplined, self-directed, and productive in their degree programs (Walck-Shannon, 2021). The earlier a student begins exercising and forming excellent habits, the more likely he is to stick with them.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%