Module 9 Assignment: Empirical Support for Test Taking Strategies

This chapter has discussed numerous different ways to prepare for tests, both in terms of how best to study and also in terms of how to prepare yourself more generally (what to eat, how to calm your mind, etc.)

Directions

Look over the lists found in Preparing for a Test, Taking a Test, and Test Anxiety and pick one of the claims made there.

For example, one of the claims made is that you should ask your professor or study group for help. So, is there evidence that suggests that students who utilize study groups tend to do better on exams than students who don’t?

Alternatively, you can find an empirical piece of evidence that supports a claim about study habits that is not listed in the textbook.

Whether you use one of the claims made in the linked list or pick your own, go and find one empirical piece of evidence that supports that claim. The golden standard of empirical evidence would be a scientific study from a scientific journal (some of which have been cited in Module 9).

  • Look for a scientific study that supports that claim.
  • Next, cite the source that you find.
  • Give a one paragraph summary of how the study supports the claim you have picked.
  • In the summary, explain what the study did and the results of the study.

Hint: a good place to find scientific studies is a database (ask a librarian) or Google Scholar.

Often Google Scholar will contain links to the articles themselves. If not, you should typically be able to access those articles electronically through your college or university’s library.

Rubric

Grading Rubric
Criteria Meets Requirements Needs Improvements Does Not Meet Requirements Points
Empirical Evidence Submission includes a scientific study from a reputable source and it is cited properly. Submission includes a scientific study that may not be from a reputable source but is relevant to the claim the student is making and/or the source is improperly cited. Submission does not include any empirical evidence to support the claim the student is making and/or the source is not scientific. _/6
Student Claim Submission includes a claim about test taking strategies that is clear and specific. Submission includes claim about test taking strategies that is vague and/or unclear. Submission does not include a claim, includes a claim that is not on topic, and/or the claim is not relevant to the source selected to support the claim. _/6
Student Summary Submission includes a summary of the scientific study that is clear and accurate. Submission includes a summary of the scientific study that is not as clear as it could be and/or is not completely accurate. Submission includes a summary of the scientific study that is neither completely clear nor completely accurate. _/8

Exemplary submissions may be used to improve future edition of this textbook!