STUDY TECHNIQUE
The final portion of the survey inquired about students ’ study techniques and attitudes . No significant difference was found in final course grade when students were stratified into groups according to hours spent studying during a weekday ( H ( 4 ) = 1.211 , p = 0.7503 ). Student responses were as follows : 0-1 hours ( n = 1 ), 2-4 hours ( n = 20 ), 5-6 hours ( n = 54 ), 7-8 hours ( n = 20 ). Similarly , no significant difference was found in final grade when students were stratified into groups according to how many hours they studied during a Saturday or Sunday ( H ( 4 ) = 2.514 , p = 0.4727 ). Student responses were as follows : 0-1 hours ( n = 1 ), 2-4 hours ( n = 3 ), 5-6 hours ( n = 27 ), 7-8 hours ( n = 44 ). The frequency with which students reported taking breaks while studying was not associated with a difference in final grade , however , the length of those breaks did breach significance . Students who took 10 minute-breaks achieved a higher course grade ( 92 %) compared to students who took 40 minute-breaks ( 85 %) ( H ( 3 ) = 10.66 , p = 0.0137 ).
Students were also stratified according to their primary study method . Differences in median final course grade did not breach statistical significance when compared via Kruskal-Wallis test . Primary study methods were as follows : review lecture slides ( n = 25 ), read the textbook ( n = 6 ), rewatch lectures ( n = 4 ), rewrite lecture slides ( n = 4 ), make study guides ( n = 20 ), use pre-made flashcards ( n = 24 ), creating their own flashcards ( n = 9 ), using practice questions ( n = 11 ), quizzing with a partner ( n = 10 ), self-teaching ( n = 24 ), other ( n = 1 ).
See Table 2 for statistical analysis of the remaining study technique items . Cramming for exams , last-minute changes to study routines , and poor adherence to study schedules were all associated with lower median final grades . Additionally , studying in groups was associated with a significantly lower final course grade . Despite this association , studying alone was not associated with an increased final grade . Students who reported concentrating fully while studying achieved higher final grades , though Tukey ’ s B post hoc analysis was not significant . The practice of generating possible test questions was associated with a significantly higher median final grade . This effect was not replicated when students were asked about self-testing in general . Difficulty identifying main ideas was associated with a decreased final course grade , as was difficulty deciphering examination questions .