Study: Quizzes Improve Students’ Performance in School

Category: Education/Family

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. grasp / græsp / (v) – to completely understand something
    Example:

    I didn’t grasp what was discussed during the meeting, so I need to review the minutes.


  2. skeptical / ˈskɛp tɪ kəl / (adj) – doubtful
    Example:

    The study was done within a very short time, so I’m skeptical about its results.


  3. outperform / ˌaʊt pərˈfɔrm / (v) – to do better than someone or something
    Example:

    The new athlete outperformed the older players.


  4. retention / rɪˈtɛn ʃən / (n) – the ability to remember something for a long time
    Example:

    Reading every day is believed to increase memory retention.


  5. standing / ˈstæn dɪŋ / (n) – a person's rank or level
    Example:

    She’s studying very hard to improve her class standing.


Article

Read the text below.

A new study has found that students who regularly take quizzes tend to do better on major exams than those who do not.


In 2019, Marcus Credé, a psychology professor, had a conversation with a colleague who believed that frequent quizzes could help students grasp lesson contents better. Credé was skeptical of his colleague’s claim, so he conducted a study to see if there was any truth to it.


Credé and graduate student Lukas Sotola analyzed 52 previous studies that involved around 8,000 participants. They wanted to determine whether or not taking quizzes frequently could have significant positive effects on students’ academic performance.


Findings revealed that students who took quizzes at least once a week outperformed those who did not on major exams. Credé and Sotola also found that students who struggled in their classes were less likely to fail when regularly quizzed. The researchers also noted that compared to quizzes with multiple-choice questions, those that required the students to write the correct answers themselves greatly increased their retention of information.


Following the study’s results, the researchers are encouraging educators to utilize frequent quizzes in their classes. They recommend using online platforms that can grade quizzes to lessen the time spent on checking. The researchers are confident that regular quizzes can benefit students’ academic standing, regardless if they are done online or face-to-face.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think giving quizzes regularly is a good practice? Why or why not?
• In your opinion, which is more important in evaluating students’ academic performance, quiz/exam scores or class participation? Explain.

Discussion B

• What are some factors that can affect students’ academic performance (e.g. teacher’s skill, interest in the subject)? Discuss.
• What are ways to help students who are struggling? Discuss.