The Impact of Writing on Academic Performance for Medical Students

Abstract

Background: Writing is a useful learning activity that promotes higher-order thinking, but there are limited studies that prove its effectiveness. In previous research, researchers tested the effect of summary writing on students’ comprehension and found no significant difference from that of re-studying texts. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to expand previous findings and investigate the effect of two types of writing tasks on medical students’ academic performance, specifically in the transfer of knowledge.Methods: An experiment was conducted with 139 medical students from Seoul National University College of Medicine. They were randomly assigned to three study conditions: self-study (SS), expository writing (EW), and argumentative writing (AW) group. Each group studied the given material by the method they were assigned, and they were tested on their comprehension and transfer of knowledge using rote-memory type items and transfer type items respectively.Results: The results showed that the two writing groups displayed better performance than the SS group in transfer type items, while there was no difference in scores between the EW and AW group. However, the three groups showed no significant difference in their scores for rote-memory type items. Also, there was a positive correlation between the writing scores and transfer type item scores in the AW group.Conclusions: This study provides empirical evidence for writing to be adopted in medical education for greater educational benefits. Our findings indicate that writing can enhance learning and higher-order thinking, which are critical for medical students.

I Wrote, I Was Evaluated, and I Learned an Alternative Teaching Process in Distance Education: Writing-to-Learn

“…In the same way, with the intention of improving students' cognitive learning in the social studies course through the use of multiple writing-to-learn activities, revealed in their study that writing-to-learn activities that have an "interesting, intriguing and entertaining structure that leads students to different thinking processes" show important effects on academic achievement, as presented in the current study. Similar findings obtained from different studies make the statement of Kim et al, (2021), saying, "writing allows us to find out what we know or do not know about what we are trying to learn" (Kim et al, 2021) even more understandable. Kabataş Memiş (2014), who dealt with the effects of nontraditional writing styles on university students, concluded that the activities are both beneficial and instructive for students, suggesting a result similar to that of this study.…”

“…The initial result revealed that the activities carried out in line with the writing-to-learn model in the distance education process not only improved the writing skills of the prospective teachers for learning purposes but also had positive effects on their learning. The findings of the present study and those of many studies dealing with the effects of the writing-to-learn model, by considering its different aspects, have a lot in common (Aktepe & Yıldız, 2020;Ellis Robinson, 2015;Hohenshell & Hand, 2006;Kim et al, 2021;Klein & Rose, 2010;Rouse, Kiuhara & Kara, 2021;Walp, 2013). The effect of writing-to-learn activities on learning can be explained by different reasons.…”

“…Examining the effects of writing on academic achievement in medical education, Kim et al (2021) drew a conclusion that writing has positive effects on both learning and higher-order thinking skills. Finkenstaedt , who illuminated the importance of writing in the construction of scientific processes, developed a model for the application of writing in the classroom in accordance with this purpose.…”

An Interplay of Oral and Written Communication and Performance of Undergraduates

“…In universities, students always need these higher-order thinking skills to behave and work as capable students and perform further as competent professionals as graduates. Moreover, Kim (2021) and associates found a positive correlation between academic performance and written communication. They propose that writing should be treated as a "learning tool" by students and teachers to acquire knowledge in a more meaningful manner.…”

“…However, students perceive writing as an uphill task because they lack an appealing writing up, which is needed in their research work, written assignments, essay and letter writing. Kim et al (2021) support the promotion of writing skills in students as, from their point of view, the end product of writing is the emergence of higher-order thinking skills in students, which revolve around three cognitive processes, "analysis, evaluation and creativity" (p.21). In universities, students always need these higher-order thinking skills to behave and work as capable students and perform further as competent professionals as graduates.…”