Seeing the letter A pre-exam can improve results
Students would perform better in exams if they spent time looking at the letter A, it has been claimed.And bizarrely, psychologists say exposure to the letter F can even make a student more likely to fail a test.
A study at the University of Missouri looked at the impact of looking at the letters on 130 students. Each of them were sat in front of a test labelled A or F before completing it.
The average score for those who had looked at the A was 11/12 while those who had looked at the F only scored 9/12.
It's thought the inherent implications of an 'A' or 'F' are enough to influence motivational state and performance… say the experts who now write a big A at the top of everything they do.
"We believe the primary implication from this research is that students are vulnerable to evaluative letters presented before a task," said Dr Keith Ciani.
"Teachers should be careful not to use identification systems that map onto assessment systems."
LINKS
University of Missouri
"Teachers should be careful not to use identification systems that map onto assessment systems."
LINKS
University of Missouri
