Memory & the Study of Distributed Practice: Lab Report
Description
Word limit: 2000 words (+/- 10%)
Weighting: 35%
This lab report examines the effects of two different studying techniques on people’s test performance: massed practice versus distributed practice. Massed practice refers to studying or rehearsing information in one period (i.e. cramming), whereas distributed practice (also known as spaced practice) refers to spacing out the time spent studying over several sessions with a break in between (see Figure 1 from Carpenter et al., 2012, p. 370).
The study design shows the student studying something once, follwed by a gap, then study it again, then a gap, follwed by the test of the information
Figure 1 Design of a typical study on the spacing effect (2012) supplied by Carpenter, Cepeda, Rohrer, Kang, & Pashler, p. 370
Importantly, the key difference is not the amount of time spent studying, but rather when the person spends the time studying and how much time passes between study periods. For example, you can either study for eight hours straight for an exam (i.e. massed practice), or you can study for one hour each across eight different days (i.e. distributed practice).
In addition to exploring study strategy, in this lab report, you will also examine the relationship between mind wandering during studying and people’s ability to learn and recall information (Risko et al., 2012). Mind wandering is a growing topic of research that builds on existing knowledge about the importance of attention in encoding. Thus, you will also learn about the research into the role of attention and staying on task when trying to learn information.
The topic of study strategy and mind wandering were chosen for your lab report because:
there is a wealth of research for you to draw upon
it is relevant to material you will cover in the Week 3 learning material on Memory
it may shape your own studying strategies in this unit and beyond.
Articals:
Authors: Shana Carpenter, Nicholas Cepeda, Doug Rohrer, Sean Kang, and Harold Pashler
Title: Using Spacing to Enhance Diverse Forms of Learning: Review of Recent Research and Implications for Instruction.
Journal: Educational Psychology Review
Details: Published in 2012, in volume 24, on pages 369–378
DOI: 10.1007/s10648-012-9205-z
Authors: Evan Risko, Nicola Anderson, Amara Sarwal, Megan Engelhardt, and Alan Kingstone
Title: Everyday Attention: Variation in Mind Wandering and Memory in a Lecture
Journal: Applied Cognitive Psychology
Details: Published in 2012, in volume 26, on pages 234–242
DOI: 10.1002/acp.1814
Anderson, S., MD., Mikkelsen, P., Msc., Konge, L., MD., Caye-Thomasen, P., MD., DMSc, Sørensen, S., MD., DMSc., (2015) Cognitive Load in Distributed and Massed Practice in Virtual Reality Mastoidectomy Simulation DOI: 10.1002/lary.25449
Bloom, K.C., Shuell, T.J, (2016) Effects of Massed and Distributed Practice on the Learning and Retention of Second-Language Vocabulary DOI: 10.1080/00220671.1981.10885317
Carpenter, S.K., Cepeda N.J., Rohrer.D., Kang. S.H.K., Pashler. H., (2012) Using Spacing to Enhance Diverse Forms of Learning: Review of Recent Research and Implications for Instructions DOI: 10.1007/s10648-012-9205-z
Risko, E.F., Anderson, N., Sarwal, A., Engelhardt, M., Kingstone, A., (2011) Everyday: Variation in Mind Wandering and Memory in Lecture DOI: 10.1002/acp.1814
Schutte, G.M., Duhon, G.J., Solomon, B.G., Poncy, B.C., Moore, K., Story, B., (2015) A Comparative Analysis of Massed vs. Distributed Practice on Basic Math Fact Fluency Growth Rates DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2014.12.003
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