More correct answers after questions than after rereading
Psychology undergraduates applied concepts to new topics one week later: 64% answered correctly after practice, compared with 40% after rereading alone.
The key idea
After answering questions and reviewing corrections, students answered more questions correctly on new topics than after rereading; rereading with key points came closer.
The study, in plain language
After reading psychology concepts, some students answered questions and received corrections, while others reread the text. The first experiment compared those two methods at two assessment points. In the second, the team added a third option to clarify the difference: rereading and then reviewing statements containing key information.
In the second experiment, one week later, students who practiced with questions answered more questions correctly when applying concepts to new topics than students who had only reread. Rereading with key information fell in between. The comparison included both the effort of retrieving an idea and the material received afterward, although the conditions took different amounts of time.
What they found
- The final test asked students to use the concepts in situations involving other topics.
- Question practice with corrections led to more correct answers than rereading the material.
- Rereading together with key points came closer to the practice result.
How they studied it
Two experiments with psychology undergraduates in the Netherlands compared study methods. The first used two methods and two assessment points. In the second, each student tried three approaches: answering questions with feedback, rereading, and rereading plus key information. One week later, students took a test requiring them to apply the concepts to other topics.
What the study cannot show
- The samples consisted of psychology students.
- The time spent on each method differed.
- The study assessed one specific application task, not every kind of learning.
- The results do not prove that future PaperFlow quizzes are effective.
The original study
The Testing Effect and Far Transfer: The Role of Exposure to Key Information
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.
