Testing the "Testing Effect"

Taking a test has a greater impact on future retention than studying the material, a new study confirms.

The “testing effect” refers to the fact that the very act of taking a test improves memory, because the effortful retrieval of information elaborates and consolidates memory traces... 

To test its replicability in real-life conditions, a team of researchers conducted a field experiment on 33 students enrolled in a Psychology class at a U.S. university.

Participants were testes three times, on different units. In addition to the lectures, they were first given class notes to review, then class notes and short MCQs (with feedback); and finally class notes and summary statements. In addition, students were asked to rate each method on an Helpfulness Scale.

Results showed that studying the summary statements did not significantly increase performance (61%) compared to the control condition (59%), while taking the MCQs did (66%).

Interestingly, the statements were the very answers to the MCQs--which shows that there was an increased performance due to the vert fact of taking the test, in addition to studying for it.  

Students did recognize this fact, as they found the MCQs more helpful (6/10) than the summary statements (4/10).

Source: Chang (2018)