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Students often struggle with developing understanding from expository science texts. This study explored whether training students to engage in a POE (Predict-Observe-Explain) study strategy might be beneficial when learning from texts that introduce theories by describing experiments and empirical results, a common style in social science textbooks. The main questions tested in this experiment were if training students how to use a POE study strategy while reading textbook excerpts would support better comprehension and comprehension monitoring outcomes when students engaged in future learning attempts for an introductory psychology class. In one condition students were trained to use the POE study strategy, while in a comparison condition students were simply trained to use an explanation study strategy. Analyses suggested that students in the POE strategy training condition may have become preoccupied with whether or not their experimental predictions were correct, prohibiting them from engaging with the POE strategy as intended. Although both POE and explanation strategy training helped students to improve their comprehension monitoring on a new set of texts, students in the explanation condition displayed better comprehension on those new texts than students in the POE condition.

This paper presents a model of the challenges facing undergraduates transitioning to taught postgraduate studies developed from a grounded theory analysis of interviews with current and prospective taught postgraduates from a range of psychology programmes. The model reveals the importance of the visibility of current and recently taught postgraduates in influencing the decision making practices of prospective students. The process of transition to taught postgraduate studies is characterised by early decision making, as for many students graduation is no longer seen as the natural end point of their educational careers. Analysis also reveals that in spite of expectations of heavier workloads and increased intensity, the reality exceeds expectations. Key areas for support identified by participants include tailored study skills support and more clarity around what constitutes 'masters' level work.

Background: Psychology courses provide a good opportunity for instructors to teach students effective learning strategies integrated with content. Objective: This replication and extension study explored changes in students' self-reported use of learning strategies before and after a term paper assignment and examined the relationships between learning strategy use and academic performance. Method: Three hundred eighty-five introductory psychology students completed surveys on their use of 11 learning strategies at the beginning and end of the semester, read an empirical article and wrote a term paper about the learning strategy of practice testing, and completed four exams among other assessments. Results: Replicating prior work, students generally reported improvements in their use of learning strategies over the course of the semester, though improvements were largely attributable to grade point average (GPA). Two learning strategies--self-explanation and practice testing--were positively correlated with course performance in the second half of the semester, over and above the effects associated with GPA. Conclusion: Teaching students about beneficial learning strategies may increase their adoption of those strategies as well as their course performance, replicating prior research. Teaching Implications: In order to improve course performance, instructors may consider adapting assignments in ways that increase students' knowledge and use of effective learning strategies.

Background: Instructors and students are on a continuing quest to identify predictors of learning. Objective: This study examines the associations between self-reported exam score and study techniques among students in two courses, Introductory Psychology and Computer Science. Method: We used an online survey to measure the extent students (N = 249) used 10 techniques studied in cognitive science. We also measured students' perseverance, metacognitive skill, distractions, and procrastination. Results: Student use of specific study techniques varied between the two courses and a high utility technique, practice testing, was well used. Students reported low levels of spaced practice. Perseverance and metacognitive skills both correlated significantly with many of the study techniques. While no study techniques predicted exam scores in Introductory Psychology beyond variance predicted by GPA, the use of spaced practice predicted a significant portion of variance in students in Computer Science. Conclusions: Students' use of study techniques varies between their courses and while related to GPA and exam scores, are not unique predictors of variance in learning. Additional moderators and mediators of learning need to be identified. Teaching Implications: We discuss ways instructors can help prepare students in Introductory Psychology and key needs for future research on studying.

Contemporary concerns for college programs focus on the ability of the program to prepare students to become employable upon graduation. For a community college psychology program, that focus is somewhat muted by the fact that many of the community college graduates will transfer to four-year state universities. For this reason, it is imperative for the community college programs to ascertain from those four-year institutions what preparation those transferring students need. This study has captured what fourteen state public university psychology departments desire for transferring students and what they see as lacking in their students transferring from community colleges. The responding department chairs strongly cited basic scholarship skills, a stronger orientation toward critical and scientific thinking, and a professional and career focus in the transferring students.

The use of effective study strategies is important for academic achievement, yet research indicates that students often use relatively ineffective learning strategies. Though potent strategies to promote durable learning exist, there is a lack of theoretical and empirical work on how to train students to self-regulate use of these strategies successfully. We summarize a novel framework to do so: the "knowledge, belief, commitment, and planning (KBCP) framework." The assumptions are that learners must develop knowledge about a strategy and how to use it, believe that the strategy is effective for the individual learner, commit to the strategy, and create an action plan for carrying it out. We then describe an example of the KBCP framework as applied to a college course on teaching students effective learning strategies and self-regulation of these strategies in their college coursework. Lectures on specific learning strategies conveyed knowledge about the strategies, in-class demonstrations illustrated their efficacy (to support belief), and assignments required students to develop a plan for applying them to their courses and to implement the plan (to ensure commitment). Discussion focuses on the implications of including training in how to use learning strategies in psychology courses and curricula, and on the possible extension of such training to the teaching of other psychology content.

This preliminary randomized controlled experiment evaluated the effects of a single classroom mindfulness educational session, versus an active contact control activity (study skills review), on college students' mindfulness meditation frequency and self-reported stress, anxiety, and self-regulation. Those in the intervention group reported marginal increases in meditation frequency, decreased stress (but not anxiety), and improved self-regulation on one of two measures. Decreased stress explained the relationship between group assignment and self-regulation improvements. We provide recommendations for future research based on study limitations, as well as implications for classroom psychology instructors.

Although study skills courses improve student retention, the impact of study skills courses on students' academic self-efficacy has not been investigated. The present study examined pre- and posttest levels of academic self-efficacy in college students enrolled in a study skills course (n = 126) compared to students enrolled in a general education course (n = 111). Students enrolled in study skills courses had lower initial levels of academic self-efficacy and demonstrated greater increases than comparison students, reaching equivalent levels or surpassing the comparison students at posttest. Results are considered in light of the broader issue of student retention and in the context of current practice.

Psychology lecturers are well-qualified to carry out action research which would contribute to the theoretical understanding of learning as well as having practical benefits for students. Pedagogical action research demonstrates how knowledge of psychology can be applied to solve practical problems, providing role models of psychological literacy to students, who can also beneficially be involved as participant researchers. Academics are urged to collect evidence to influence policy where higher education is facing new challenges, whether from changing economic conditions, technological developments, globalisation, student diversity, or greater expectations for personalised, engaging, and flexible learning. Five specific areas within the teaching of psychology are identified as offering rich opportunities for action research: study abroad; study skills for transition to university; engaging students with statistics; gamification; and teaching psychology to students from other disciplines. Readers are invited to join the authors in collaborating on future pedagogic action research in these areas.

Background: How students go about studying, including the learning activities that students engage in both during and between classes, is not easily understood. Previous research indicates that critical student features, such as approaches to learning and decisions of how to organise studying activities, develop in bidirectional interactions between personal and learning environmental factors. However, attempts to influence students' studying activities in certain directions by manipulating the learning environment often prove unsuccessful. A deeper analysis of the student perspective is needed, since students' subjective perceptions of the learning environment to a great extent will influence their individual ways of going about studying and learning. In particular, we need to clarify which aspects steer students towards focusing on certain studying activities in a particular course context. Purpose: This study aimed at elaborating the student perspective of the process of selection of studying activities. It did this by searching for similarities in references to factors perceived as guiding this process among students representing very different combinations of approaches to learning. Sample, design and methods: Students' approaches to learning were evaluated with the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) in two successive psychology introductory courses (N = 261). A random (N = 5) and a purposive (N = 6) student sample was then selected and interviewed. Seven of the students also took part in follow-up interviews six months later. The qualitative analysis aimed at mapping and extracting similarities in students' perceptions of, and dealing with, the selection of studying activities. Results: Despite considerable differences in students' approaches to learning and reported studying activities, all students interviewed referred to a common set of reference points perceived as guiding their ways of studying, i.e. their perception of (1) previous studying experiences, (2) course recommendations, (3) learning outcomes, (4) assessment demands and (5) time and effort spent on studying. Conclusions: We suggest that students' selection of studying activities may be seen as a process of negotiation based on input from certain reference points. In the course context under study, the "targeting" process resulted in a general "homogenisation" of studying activities and permitted students to feel they were "studying efficiently." Although possible generalisation of the results remains to be investigated, it is suggested that understanding students' perceptions of reference points and general understanding of the targeting process could contribute to a better grasp of how student factors, course contexts and students' perceptions of these, interact.

Research suggests that frequent, regularly scheduled quizzing is associated with pedagogically desirable outcomes such as higher performance on exams. It was hypothesized that requiring students to complete brief scheduled online quizzes on assigned reading material before class would also result in increases in both the number of in-class questions and comments and the number of students who read the material prior to class. For each of 3 semesters, students in 1 section of introductory psychology who took time-limited, out-of-class, "open-book" WebCT quizzes on daily readings were compared to students in another section who did not take quizzes during that unit. Because each section participated in quizzing during 2 units and no quizzing during 2 units, within-section comparisons were also made. Analyses indicated that quizzing was associated with increases in both the number of student questions and comments made at the beginning of class and the number of students who reported that they came to class having read the assigned material. It was suggested that the immediate feedback provided by quizzes is particularly efficient in identifying areas of misunderstanding and in challenging students' "illusion of knowing" the material. Spontaneous, anonymous comments on end-of-unit surveys also suggested that a primary value of online quizzing is in helping students maintain a regular reading and study schedule.

"Peer tutoring" refers to a variety of ways in which learning takes place through interaction with peers. This paper describes the development of a module (called Peer Assisted Learning and the Study of Psychology) through which third-year psychology undergraduates participate as peer tutors in a foundation-level module on study skills for psychology students. This third-year module was intended to enrich the experience of the students taking the study skills module and also to use peer tutoring as learning method for the third year students--this second aim is the focus of this paper. Firstly, we report on the design of this module, providing a brief review of some relevant literature and explaining how we chose to develop a module which includes peer tutoring experience alongside seminars on the psychology of adult learning and learning through participation. Secondly, we outline some issues which arose in the practical implementation of the module. Thirdly, we summarise our understanding of the peer tutors' experience by drawing on their participation in seminars and on the practice reports through which the module is assessed. Finally, we identify some issues raised by the module and key points which arose in implementing it. (Contains 1 table.)

The present study investigated the use of multiple digital media technologies, including social networking platforms, by students while preparing for an examination (media multitasking) and the subsequent effects on exam performance. The level of media multitasking (number of simultaneous media technologies) and duration of study were used as predictors of exam performance in a sample of 441 college students. Analysis of the data indicated that students with low level of media multitasking (0-2 digital technologies) scored significantly better on the exam than students with a high level of media multitasking (7 or more digital technologies). There were no significant difference in the duration of study time between low-level media multitaskers and high-level media multitaskers.

This study examined the effectiveness of a study skills training session offered at midterm to students enrolled in a large section of "Introductory Psychology." In the training session, students watched a series of five, short videos on effective learning and answered related clicker questions that encouraged them to reflect their own study strategies and beliefs about learning. Students across all levels of course performance rated the training as helpful and effective. Although there were no differences in subsequent study time and metacognitive skills between students who attended the training and those who did not, students who attended the training gained insight into some of the limitations of their own past study strategies. Additionally, although students who chose to attend the training had lower scores on exams taken prior to training, the difference between those groups disappeared for exams that followed training. Embedding study skills training into an existing course at a point in the semester when students are highly motivated to change and can meaningfully reflect on their own past course performance appears to be a useful pedagogical strategy for introductory-level students.

Whether out of financial concerns for student retention or altruistic goals involving facilitating successful learning, efforts are being made to ensure college student success beyond chance independent study skills. Students often lack effective self-regulatory skills and study strategies necessary for success in college. With guidance through specific task-related learner activities, these skills may be enhanced. The current study investigated how student performance in an introductory psychology course at a midwestern community college might be impacted by a structured, content-learning approach engaging students in specific academic study skills activities. Results indicated that the intervention group performed significantly better across all three exam events and achieved higher semester course grades. Performance on the learning packet itself was positively correlated with exam performance.

This study explored a concept that learning study skills in the context of the content area under study may transfer across courses, multiplying the benefits towards academic success. Methods that have been reported to influence academic growth at the community college level include success courses and applied study skills. In this pilot project among community college students, two instructors provided an enriched study skills curriculum by linking a success course with a psychology course. The instructors used techniques and activities geared toward enhancing study skills such as developing metacognitive strategies. The Learning and Study Skills Inventory (LASSI) was used to assess students' progress. Despite few statistically significant findings, there were several interesting interaction effects. These provide some evidence for the need to emphasize the development of study strategies in existing success courses while also formally or informally tying such courses with a content course.

We surveyed students enrolled in Introductory Psychology courses about their text marking preferences and analyzed the marking in their textbooks. Low-skill readers report more reliance on highlighting strategies and actually mark their texts more than better readers. In addition, low-skilled readers prefer to buy used, previously marked texts over new ones! Furthermore, when low-skill readers mark their texts, they are less capable of marking the most relevant material as determined by instructors asked to mark sampled text pages for comparison. All of this adds up to a destructive feedback system in which students who are weak readers can make things even worse in terms of course performance due to their text marking preferences and behaviors. (Contains 4 tables.)

In this study, the relationship between student study strategies and performance in Introductory Psychology was examined. Eighty-eight students in three sections of Introductory Psychology at a Midwestern university in the United States completed a demographic questionnaire and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory-2nd edition (LASSI-2) during class time within the first two weeks of the semester. The relationships between LASSI-2 subscales and a variety of achievement variables (high school GPA, college GPA, ACT score) as well as final grade in the course were explored. A discriminant analysis indicated that the Motivation subscale was the most important discriminator between students who were successful in Introductory Psychology (as measured by a grade of A and B) versus those who were unsuccessful (as measured by a grade of D or F). These results highlight the importance of considering motivational factors in introductory courses. (Contains 4 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between course experience, students' approaches to learning, effort, ability and examination grade, and to examine aspects of construct validity in the present versions of the Course Experience Questionnaire and the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students in a sample of 206 undergraduate psychology students. The results showed that course experience, students' approaches to learning and ability were significantly correlated with examination grade, whereas effort was not. Structural equation modelling showed that a surface approach mediated the relationship between course experience and academic achievement, whereas ability remained an independent predictor of achievement. These findings indicate that both ability and approaches to learning have considerable independent effects on academic achievement, and that the students' perceptions of the learning environment are important sources of approaches to learning. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Students' evaluation and perception of the learning environment are considered to be important predictors of students' approaches to learning. These variables may also account for variance in academic outcome, such as in examination grades, but previous research has rarely included a comparison between all of these variables. This article investigates the factor structure of an inventory measuring evaluation-perception of the learning environment. These factors were compared with scores on the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students, and with the examination grades of 248 undergraduate psychology students. Exploratory factor analysis produced a measurement model comprising five evaluation-perception factors (workload, presentation, perspective-integration, lecturer, and effect). Structural equation modelling gave moderate support to a model in which evaluation-perception predicted students' approaches to learning, which subsequently predicted examination grades. Hence, evaluation-perception affected examination grades indirectly, via "approaches to learning". Additionally, the factor "workload-demands" contributed independently, as a predictor of examination grades, together with "surface" and "strategic" approaches to learning. These results, finally, gave a basis for recommendations for curriculum design and lecturing. (Contains 4 tables and 3 figures.)

A small scale study using qualitative methodology is presented. The paper identifies differences in revising for exams between Greek first and fourth year psychology students. In-depth interviews, were conducted with eight first year and seven fourth year students. Students' studying activities in revising for exams were explored. The interviews were transcribed and analysed to identify categories of description. The findings indicate differences between first and fourth year students in the aim of studying, studying activities and perceptions of tutor's demands. First year students appeared mainly rote learners while their fourth year counterparts were mainly strategic. A "deep-strategic approach," the repetitive reading in revising, the role of episodic memory in understanding and in the development of knowledge objects are discussed. The study suggests the mediating role of the Greek examination system in revising strategies.

Purpose: The present study seeks to compare scores on factors from the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) with scores on an abbreviated version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) and examination grade among undergraduate psychology students. The purpose is to investigate the relationship between course experience and approaches to learning, and to examine their relative importance as predictors of academic achievement. Design/methodology/approach: Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modelling were utilised in order to find measurement models for each of the constructs and to test hypothesised structural relations between these constructs. Findings: The original CEQ and ASSIST factors were reproduced. A model in which course experience factors predicted SAL was supported, but the same model did not provide evidence for any indirect or mediator effect between course experience, approaches to learning and academic achievement. Indirect empirical support for a hypothesised causal link between course experience and approaches to learning was found. Research limitations/implications: Weak relations between the predictor variables (course experience/approaches to learning) and academic achievement limited the possibility of identifying mediator effects, and future research should address this issue. Practical implications: Lecturers and course designers should take into account that students' approaches to learning are influenced by course experience, especially with respect to the adoption of a surface approach to learning. Originality/value: This paper included a comparison between course experience, approaches to learning, and academic achievement, whereas most previous research has not included academic achievement. The utilisation of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling gave a stronger test of construct validity than exploratory analyses, and it facilitated the testing of hypothesised structural models. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

Compares the role of course objectives in relation to students' study strategies in problem-based learning (PBL). Results comprise data from three PBL programs at Linkopings University (Sweden), in physiotherapy, psychology, and computer engineering. Faculty provided course objectives to function as supportive structures and guides for students' independent studies. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/LRW)

A short version of the Approaches to Studying Inventory administered to 169 college psychology students in early semester revealed that scores for meaning orientation did not predict academic performance in any way, whereas there was a very small negative correlation between reproducing orientation and academic achievement. Internal reliability of subscales within meaning and reproducing orientations were not satisfactory. (Author/MSE)

The Advanced Placement Psychology exam is one of the fastest growing exams offered by the College Board. The average percent of change in the number of students taking this exam over the past five years is 12.4%. With 238,962 students taking the exam in 2013, the AP Psychology exam is the sixth largest exam, surpassing AP Biology and AP World History, and its growth is expected to continue. Given the work required in a college-level class, instructors want their students to earn college credit for their efforts. There are many things instructors can do to prepare their students for this challenge. In this article, Kristin Whitlock, a 21-year AP Psychology veteran, shares ideas to increase students' chances for success on the AP Psychology exam.

This article addresses factors associated with student success in online psychology courses. Prior to beginning an online course, students completed measures of self-discipline and motivation, time commitment, study skills, preference for text-based learning, access to technology, and technology experience. Schrum and Hong (2002) proposed that these student characteristics predict online course success. I used scores on these factors to predict student performance in online introductory psychology and online human growth and development courses. Self-discipline and motivation was the only factor predictive of online psychology course success. My results contradict the model proposed by Schrum and Hong but are consistent with research on the role of motivation in success.

I tested whether students' scores on the semester's first exam would change their reported use of textbook pedagogical aids during the course of the semester. I assessed 240 introductory psychology undergraduates early and late in the semester. The reported use of aids did not positively relate to student performance on any exams and showed only limited changes over the course of the semester. Poor scores on the first exam led only to small increases in the use of summary sections. Furthermore, the use of aids such as boldface terms decreased. Men and more able students used aids less, and women showed greater decreases in the perceived helpfulness of some aids over the semester.

Discusses a systematic approach to six study tips recommended to introductory psychology students to improve their study skills. Presents the results of student ratings (n=114) based upon the tips for helpfulness and degree of use. Includes references. (CMK)

Provides a series of simple mnemonic exercises for memorizing terminology related to the central nervous system. The exercise chooses a keyword for a set of specific functions ("medal" for "medulla") and then constructs an imaginary situation, expressed in one or two sentences, illustrating some of those functions. (MJP)

Investigates the efficiency of a novel addition to the routine of note taking, writing brief summaries of the lecture material during four-minute breaks within the lecture. A group of students wrote three sets of summaries during a 21-minute lecture and showed significant improvement in understanding over other groups. (MJP)

Recounts a portfolio writing assignment designed to help students develop better study skills, increase metacognitive awareness, and use self-reflection to evaluate their performance during the semester. Students completed surveys and journal entries assessing their strategies for reading and studying, as well as, performance goals, emotional preparedness, and planning. (MJP)

The relationship between general metamemory and how well university students performed on in-class multiple choice exams was studied. Correlational and contingency analysis showed a positive relation between classroom performance and students' recommended use of organizational and self testing strategies when they planned study for a free-recall task. (Author/JAZ)

Reports on a study to determine the effectiveness of an integrated study strategy system that uses self-assigned writing as a means of learning psychology content. Concludes that the PORPE (Predict, Organize, Rehearse, Practice, and Evaluate) system can be a potent, durable, and efficient independent study strategy. (JAD)