A message of encouragement did not change first-exam grades
Average grades for more than 15,000 university students in Hungary did not improve. In a voluntary survey, confidence rose slightly.
The key idea
The message did not improve average grades on the first exam, but confidence rose among those who answered the survey.
The study, in plain language
Shortly before an exam, the university sent a message recognizing past achievements and expressing confidence in the student’s ability. Each student was randomly assigned to receive it before one of their exams. The other exam served as a comparison.
Average grades on the first exam showed no detectable improvement. Among those who answered the voluntary surveys, confidence about taking the exam rose slightly. Motivation increased before the first exam but not the second, and anxiety did not change detectably. The comparison separated exam grades from what people reported before the test.
What they found
- Average grades on the first exam did not improve with the encouraging message.
- Among survey respondents, confidence about taking the exam rose slightly.
- Motivation rose before one exam but not the other, while anxiety showed no detectable change.
Something to think about
Feeling more confident and earning a higher grade do not always go together. The next time someone encourages you before an exam, you can take it as support, not a prediction.
How they studied it
At a Hungarian university, 15,539 eligible students were randomly assigned to receive a message before one of two exams, with the other exam serving as a comparison. Some did not receive the message for administrative reasons, but the analysis followed the original assignment. Voluntary surveys measured confidence, motivation, and anxiety.
What the study cannot show
- Psychological results came from a voluntary subsample; the message arrived only hours before exams and does not establish effects of sustained interventions. The sample came from one Hungarian university.
- The study does not show that brief messages raise average grades or that the change in self-efficacy lasts; it also cannot be generalized to other education systems.
The original study
Not just words! Effects of a light-touch randomized encouragement intervention on students’ exam grades, self-efficacy, motivation, and test anxiety
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.
