A Method to Assist Students with Effective Study Habits and Test-Taking Strategies

Abstract

Using examinations and test results to help students identify cognitive deficiencies as well as inefficient and ineffective study habits and test-taking practices is an effective way to enhance learning. While these approaches are well documented in the general education literature, they have not been well described in medical education. In this descriptive report, we describe a method in which students review their performance on multiple choice examinations with an eye toward identifying specific reasons for selecting an incorrect answer. We provide a worksheet for student use in documenting errors and identifying which among several types of errors were likely made. We offer brief explanations for why particular types of errors are made together with recommendations for remediating those problems. We believe that helping students identify habits of learning approaches used in test preparation that may contribute to an unsatisfactory performance on multiple choice exams represents an important and valuable step toward effective learning and successful exam performance.