Introductory Psychology Student Performance: Weekly Quizzes Followed by a Cumulative Final Exam

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 177-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Eric Landrum
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Introductory Psychology Student ◽  
Psychology Student ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Psychology Course

Students in an introductory psychology course took a quiz a week over each textbook chapter, followed by a cumulative final exam. Students missing a quiz in class could make up a quiz at any time during the semester, and answers to quiz items were available to students prior to the cumulative final exam. The cumulative final exam consisted of half the items previously presented on quizzes; half of those items had the response options scrambled. The performance on similar items on the cumulative final was slightly higher than on the original quiz, and scrambling the response options had little effect. Students strongly supported the quiz a week approach.

The Importance of Taking Psychology: A Comparison of Three Levels of Exposure

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-298
Author(s):  
R. Eric Landrum ◽  
Regan A. R. Gurung ◽  
Eric Amsel
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Absolute Magnitude ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Psychology Student ◽  
Psychology Majors ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Qualitative Responses

We compared the performance of senior psychology majors, introductory psychology students, and similarly aged individuals with no college psychology on seven different outcome measures including multiple-choice knowledge tests, attitudes, and open-ended scenarios requiring qualitative responses. On all measures, both senior psychology majors and introductory psychology students significantly outperformed individuals with no college psychology. However, the absolute magnitude of introductory psychology student performance would be depicted as a failing grade at most institutions (i.e., below 60% correct). We discuss this pattern of results in the context of judging the effectiveness of the major, the role of the introductory psychology course, and judging the effectiveness of the assessment/outcome measures utilized.

scholarly journals “What’s on the Test?”: The Impact of Giving Students a Concept-List Study Guide

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-114
Author(s):  
Patrick J. Cushen ◽  
Jana Hackathorn ◽  
Maria D. Vázquez Brown ◽  
Sean C. Rife ◽  
Amanda W. Joyce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exam Performance ◽  
Study Guide ◽  
Student Preferences ◽  
Study Guides ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
The Impact

Students frequently request concept-list study guides prior to exams, but the benefits of instructors providing such resources are unclear. Research on memory and comprehension has suggested that some challenges in learning are associated with benefits to performance. In the context of an introductory psychology course, a study was conducted to investigate the impact of providing a concept-list study guide on exam performance, as opposed to having students create a study guide. Additionally, student preferences for various types of study guides were examined. Results indicated that although students greatly prefer that the instructors provide a study guide (as opposed to making their own), providing a concept-list study guide resulted in poorer exam performance. These results call for future research on the influence of study guides on student performance.

scholarly journals An Assessment of Group Size in Interteaching

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-117
Author(s):  
Rocio Rosales ◽  
James L. Soldner
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Diverse Group ◽  
Alternating Treatments Design ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Validity Measure ◽  
Small Advantage

A key component of interteaching, as described by Boyce and Hineline (2002), is the opportunity for students to participate in "dyadic" or pair discussions. Although the rationale for pair discussions is evident, only one study to date has evaluated the relative effectiveness of student performance when group size is manipulated. The present investigation was designed to further evaluate the effect of group size during pair discussions on student quiz scores in an introductory psychology course with a diverse group of learners. An alternating treatments design was implemented whereby students were assigned to work in a dyad or in groups of 4-5 students to discuss a preparation guide. All of the major components of interteaching were in effect during both conditions (i.e., availability of prep guides and quality points, clarifying lectures, and frequent test probes). Results showed a small advantage for performance following discussion in dyads, although a social validity measure indicated students favored discussion in larger groups. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future work will be discussed. 

scholarly journals Low-Stakes Quizzes Improve Learning and Reduce Overconfidence in College Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin L Kenney ◽  
Heather Bailey
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Retrieval Practice ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Improve Student Learning

Retrieval practice is a straightforward and effective way to improve student learning, and its efficacy has been demonstrated repeatedly in the laboratory and in the classroom. In the current study, we implemented retrieval practice in the form of daily reviews in the classroom. Students (N = 47) in a cognitive psychology course completed a daily review at the beginning of each class. These consisted of 2-4 questions that encouraged students to practice retrieving material covered in lectures from the previous week. Then at the end of the semester, students took a comprehensive final exam consisting of content that was either on a daily review, a unit exam, both or neither. We replicated previous work such that retrieval practice improved memory. Specifically, we found that students performed significantly better on questions whose information had been covered on both a daily review and unit exam. However, student performance did not differ amongst items covered only on a daily review, a unit exam, or on neither. Additionally, we extended previous work and found that students were significantly less overconfident for information covered on both a daily review and unit exam. The current results indicate that retrieval practice helps college students remember material over the course of a semester and also improves their ability to evaluate their own knowledge of the material.

Introductory psychology student study habits and expected outcomes: Quantitative results

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Donato ◽  
Kristin Batten ◽  
Carly Gintz ◽  
Cade Hulbert ◽  
Regan A. R. Gurung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Introductory Psychology Student ◽  
Study Habits ◽  
Psychology Student ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
Expected Outcomes

A Triarchic Analysis of an Aptitude-Treatment Interaction

1999 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Sternberg ◽  
Elena L. Grigorenko ◽  
Michel Ferrari ◽  
Pamela Clinkenbeard
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
College Level ◽  
School Students ◽  
Treatment Interaction ◽  
Aptitude Treatment Interaction ◽  
Psychology Course

Summary: This article describes a triarchic analysis of an aptitude-treatment interaction in a college-level introductory-psychology course given to selected high-school students. Of the 326 total participants, 199 were selected to be high in analytical, creative, or practical abilities, or in all three abilities, or in none of the three abilities. The selected students were placed in a course that either well matched or did not match their pattern of analytical, creative, and practical abilities. All students were assessed for memory, analytical, creative, and practical achievement. The data showed an aptitude-treatment interaction between students' varied ability patterns and the match or mismatch of these abilities to the different instructional groups.

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