ESPLAT 2025 conference: Scientific thinking in challenging times

A consistent study routine is crucial for academic success. However, students postpone learning until shortly before the exam, especially for courses they are less interested in. The present study examines whether the opportunity to submit a weekly "cheat sheet" for use in the final exam promotes a more regular and continuous learning behavior, increases overall time spent studying, and enhances performance expectations.
In a quasi-experimental study, 170 students (150 female) were assigned to two conditions based on course enrollment. Students in the experimental group (N = 96) submitted one cheat sheet per week, while the control group (N = 74) only produced an overall cheat sheet at the end of the course. Study habits throughout the term were assessed via the frequency of various learning activities (e.g., lecture attendance, use of learning videos) and self-reported hours invested in studying course content. Additionally, exam performance expectations were reported on a 3-item Likert scale (α = .857).
82,4% of the control group spent three weeks or less creating their cheat sheets, whereas the majority (80,2%) of the experimental group invested ten weeks or more. The experimental group attended lectures more often (t(168) = -3.528; p < .001) and made less use of learning videos (t(167) = 2.882; p = .004). No significant group difference was found with respect to hours spent studying. Regression analyses showed no difference in performance expectations between the conditions, controlling for gender, study program and high-school mathematics grade.
The option to create weekly cheat sheets for the statistics exam positively affected study behavior. Allowing students to use their submitted cheat sheets during the exam may serve as a low-threshold intervention to promote a more continuous learning behavior. Possible reasons for the absence of effects on performance expectations (e.g., short-term vs. long-term learning effects, cheat sheet quality) are discussed.