A Healthy Diet of Studying: Empirical Evidence, Practical Tips

Regan A. R. Gurung

Professor of Human Development & Psychology

Boise State UniversityFeb. 5th 2010

Healthy Diet (of studying)?

The Issue “I studied real hard but I just got a C !!!”

Main Course

What predicts GPA/Retention? Ways Students do Study. What Works? A Healthy Study Habit Diet

Predicting GPA: Correlations Meta-analysis of 109 studies.

0 0.2 0.4 0.6

ACT/SAT

Highsch

SES

Skills

Self-efficacy

Commitment

Goals

Motivation

Robbins, Lauver, Le, Davis, Langley, & Carlstrom (2004)

Predicting Retention: CorrelationsMeta-analysis of 109 studies.

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

ACT/SAT

Highsch

SES

Skills

Self-efficacy

Commitment

Goals

Motivation

Robbins, Lauver, Le, Davis, Langley, & Carlstrom (2004)

Predicting Retention

0 10 20 30 40

Skills

Race

Sex

SAT

HSGPA

Astin & Oseguera (2004)

Use pedagogical aids (Gurung, 2004; Weiten, Guadagno, & Beck, 1996).

240 students (Two sections); 4 exams; Correlational Assessment post-exam 1 and 4.

How do Students Study?

Use of Pedagogical Aids

0

0.51

1.52

2.53

3.5

4

(Gurung, 2003; 2004)

Use study techniques (Bol et al., 1999; Gettinger, & Seibert, 2002).

229 students (Gurung, 2005). Assessed which of 11 study methods they used.

How do Students Study?

How do Students Study?Use of Study Technique ( 1= Never 5=All the Time)

4.01 Read your notes [Repetition]

3.37 Read the text [Repetition]

3.33 Think of mnemonic devices [Cognitive]

3.25 Re-write notes [Repetition]

3.15 Review highlighted info. [Repetition]

3.11 Memorize through repetition [Repetition]

2.96 Review figures and tables in text [Repetition]

2.89 Make up examples/apply [Cognitive]

2.62 Test your knowledge. [Metacognitive]

2.18 Take notes from the book [Cognitive]

2.07 Study with a friend [Cognitive/Metacognitive]

(Gurung, 2005)

-0.2-0.15

-0.1-0.05

00.05

0.10.15

0.20.25

What Works? Study techniques and Exam Score

(Gurung, 2005)

NOTE:Metacogntive/CognitiveSkills Significant BUT Less Used (8th and 9th ranked)

Does using Pedagogical Aids Help?

-0.15

-0.1

-0.05

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

(Gurung, 2004)

Successful Study Techniques (N = 125)

(Gurung, Weidert, & Jeske, in press)

Does studying ‘more’ Help?

Yes (Strage et al., 2002)

Yes (Gurung, 2004)

No (Dickinson & O’Connell, 2001)

No (Gurung, 2005) (Gurung & Mccain, in press) (Gurung, Weidert, & Jeske, in press) (Gurung, Daniel, & Landrum, under review)

What Works?

Repetition for small amounts of information (Gettinger & Seibert, 2002).

Cognitive processing (Balch, 2005; Carney & Levin, 1998; Chen & Daelhler, 2000).

Procedural/organizational based skills (Dickinson & O’Connell, 2001; Elliot et al., 1999)

Metacognitive-based skills (Elliot, McGregor, & Gable, 1999).

What Works?

Routine in class quizzing (Connor-Greene, 2000;Taraban, Maki & Rynearson, 1999).

Introduce study strategies/goals (Fleming, 2002)

Active note taking (Katayama, Shambaugh,& Doctor, 2005).

Reading material before class (Solomon, 1979; Uskul & Eaton, 2005).

More Cognitive Skills: Study Guides

Forcing study guide use helps (Dickson, Miller, & Devoley, 2005).

Use leads to increase in exam scores (Flora & Logan, 1996).

More effective than optional web-based activities (Daniel & King, 2003).

Voluntary online questions help (Grimstad & Grabe, 2004).

More Metacognitive Skills: [Online]Quizzes

Increases exam scores Brothen & Wambach, 2004; Daniel & Broida, 2004

Insures Timely reading of material Marchant, 2002

Must be Timed Randomly select questions from a large pool

When taking the quizzes, did you take

them _________ before they were due :

0

5

10

15

20

25

30W

eek

2-3d

ays

1 da

y

Nig

ht

Day

(Gurung, 2003)

On average, when taking the quiz did you:

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Guess Open

Book

Read

First

Copy

(Gurung, 2003)

Does it Matter?

65

70

75

80

Guess/Open Read First

Exam Scores

Self-Assessment is Key: Tech Helps

Get a sense of what you are not doing:

Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST, Entwistle, 2009)

Study Behavior Checklist (Gurung, et al. in press)

Self-Assessment is Key: Tech Helps

Strategy Example ES

Organizing & transforming Making an outline before writing a paper .85Self-consequences Putting off pleasurable events until work is completed .70Self-instruction Self-verbalizing the steps to complete a given task .62Self-evaluation Checking work before handing in to teacher .62Help-seeking Using a study partner .60

Rehearsing and memorizing Writing a mathematics formula down until it is remembered .57Goal-setting/planning Making lists to accomplish during studying .49Reviewing records Reviewing class textbook before going to lecture .49

Self-monitoringObserving and tracking one’s own performance and

outcomes .45Task strategies Creating mnemonics to remember facts .45Imagery Creating or recalling vivid mental images to assist learning .44Time management Scheduling daily studying and homework time .44

Environmental restructuring

Efforts to select or arrange the physical setting to make learning easier .22

WHY MORE METACOGNITION? BEWARE THE CURSE

Recognition vs. Knowing Curse of (perceived) knowledge: The Feeling of knowing when material is in front of you (Koriat

& Bjork, 2005)

Recommended Diet for Studying

TESTYOUR

KNOWLEDGE

READ, REHEARSE, REVISE

PLAN YOUR STUDYING

APPLY, EVALUATE, & EXPAND

The Issue

The Counter-Question HOW did you study?

“I studied real hard but I just got a C !!!”

The Follow-Through Did you……

Conclusions & Challenges

Optimize HOW you study. Increase metacognition. Increase depth of processing. Facilitate a balanced study diet.

TESTYOUR

KNOWLEDGE

READ, REHEARSE, REVISE

PLAN YOUR STUDYING

APPLY, EVALUATE, & EXPAND