Getting Good Grades
I just read an article called "Why study time does not predict grade point average across college students" by Plant, Ericsson, Hill, and Asberg. The article is an interesting look at past data on what predicts GPA, and a small-scale (88 student) study at one university. The authors are big fans of the "deliberate practice" model of learning, and focus on seeing if that translates into academic performance. Some of the interesting information (mostly from past studies):
- studying without distraction predicts higher grades (no TV, no iPod, no study partners)
- students who study without distraction study for *fewer* hours, but get *higher* grades
- focused study is important. Just as many recreational tennis and golf players don't get better over 20 years of playing, just "reading" isn't enough. Deep thinking, analysis, and putting ideas together correlate with better grades.
- scheduling is important. Planning ahead for getting school activities done, and studying at regularly scheduled times correlate with higher GPA.
- going to class predicts higher GPA
- working too many hours, and partying too many hours both predict lower GPA
Overall there weren't a lot of big surprises, but I did find it interesting how important focused, uninterrupted study is. In fact, the total amount of study time did NOT predict good grades. A shorter amount of more focused study was more valuable. (Students tended to have to go to the library to get the more focused study time.)
What works for you?
John
Comments
My experience, after
My experience, after completing 3 degrees (BS, MS, PhD), is that in addition to study, one has to focus on what the instructor or grader is looking for, and research what questions they are likely to ask on an examination.
I had much higher grades in grad school than in undergrad, and I basically did the following things different:
(a) in grad school, I went to office hours frequently, and sought a lot of assistance with homework. If I couldn't solve something, I would tell the instructor: I've tried x, y, and Z, and I've read a, b, and c, and I still cannot figure this out, can you help? This always yielded great results.
(b) in grad school, if I didn't understand what the instructor was seeking, either in an exam question or homework assignment, I asked. They always provided an answer. In undergrad, I was young and naive, and I just guessed at what they wanted if I didn't understand. This was a mistake and my best advice to young students is to ask rather than assume. Another question to ask if you are after a good grade, is "what will it take to earn an A on this assignment?"
(c) in grad school, I always sought old examinations and homework assignments and studied them very closely. Find a friend who took the course with the same instructor and get all of their materials. This was the biggest difference-maker, it gave a feel for the type of questions the instructor asks on exams.
After finishing grad school, I felt like getting grades was as much a matter of "knowing how to play the game" as it was learning. In any course, there is so much material and so many possible questions that might be asked, that unless you know what to expect, it is hard to do well.
I also became a bit jaded about learning: in one course on computer networks, I sat next to a student who clearly knew much more about networks than I did. However, I did much better on exams than he did (I got A's, he got B's or C's). The difference was I got the old exams and he didn't. I studied based on what was likely to be asked, rather than learning about networks for its own sake. It was a sad situation, but it was a large course, where the professor had to use quantitative, rather than qualitative methods to grade.
In grad school, students had to maintain a certain GPA or they were booted from the program. While I understand why this makes sense, in my experience, it led me to focus on how to maintain a good GPA, moreso than learning or taking courses that I would enjoy.
Good guidance for students
I agree, not terribly surprising. And it identifies pretty much what I did not do, unfortunately.
I kept thinking as I read this that it sounds a lot like Flow. At some point we need to realize we only have one CPU (brain) and task switching is expensive in more ways than we can see. Ten years ago it was hard to focus. Today with an iPhone begging you to surf the web and listen to music, SMS messages coming in and Facebook/Twitter activity to look at it's significantly more difficult to focus.
Perhaps focus is something that needs to be taught. It's not just about school. I see this in work all the time. Those that can focus, do.