Chapter 1

Review of Related Literature

The objective of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of different studying

techniques for students in passing quarterly examinations. This review of related literature

will discuss about different studying techniques, the opinions of other persons or researchers about

the impact of this technique for the students learning progression and how to develop this study

skills. In order to provide a framework for this research study, specific emphasis would be placed

on the effects of these studying techniques.

Study techniques can be broadly defined as behaviors serving to acquire, organize,

synthesize, evaluate, remember, and use information. It provides students to better discover their

strengths and weaknesses for them to optimize their learning (Crede, and Kuncel, 2008; Gettinger

and Seibert, 2002). Somehow, according to Kislik (2017), “an effective study technique should be

practiced since it was not as simple as think about studying you should have to actually do it in

order for you to get better”. Therefore studying techniques would depend on the ways students use

to develop and acquire these techniques.

One study by Carey (2010), explains that there are effective learning approaches to at

least for those who are motivated to study. Some few simple techniques can reliably improve

what matters most for the learners which is how much learnings acquired from studying a

particular lesson or subject.

There are ten most common learning techniques available in the student according to

Dunlosky (2013); first, Elaborative interrogation, this generates explanations on how a certain fact

is true, self – explanation, giving explanation on how new existing ideas are related to known
information or explaining the process in a problem solving, summarization, taking down important

details to shorten the information to be studied, then, highlighting or underlining, a technique

usually used while reading where the important ideas to be learned are marked, keyword

mnemonic, from the phrase itself it is the use of keywords for a certain information to remained in

the students’ memory, imagery for text, it is trying to form mental images of information while

reading or listening, rereading, a process of studying a text material again after an initial reading,

practice testing, a self-testing way to know if the ideas were remained in their mind, also,

distributed practice, having a planner of all the activities that needed to be done during a period

that can utilize the time of a person, and lastly, interleaved practice, an implementation of a plan

that involves the different kind of materials, types of processes, or different kinds of problems

within a single studying session.

Similarly, a research study had evaluated the most used learning techniques and classified

it according to its effectiveness. According to Strauss (2013), the least effective study techniques

are highlighting and underlining textbooks and other materials, rereading, summarization,

keyword mnemonics, and imagery use for text learning. The moderately effective study

techniques are elaborative interrogation, self-explanation, and interleaved. Lastly, the highly

effective study techniques are practice testing and distributed practice.

One study by Morin (2013), claims that “learning effective strategies can reduce students’

stress about school and improve grades”. However, there are some techniques that students thought

would be a help but it is an opposite way around. Willingham (2015) asserts that some students

even in top schools used terrible strategies. For an instance, the student’s study behavior of

highlighting the notes or reading materials to emphasize the important information, but according

to Willingham most students highlight like reading the text for the first time, when the fact is that
learner’s do not really know what is important enough to highlight. Another ineffective

comprehension stated was “rereading”, doing this strategy made the students feet better since it is

similar to someone explaining the same text repeatedly, somehow, “reviewing an explanation is

not the same as being able to explain something yourself”. Willingham doesn’t point out that

studying strategies are wrong, it is just that students used it in a wrong way.

In addition, one study by Asci, Kulak, Sezik, Cankara, and Cicek (2016), reports that study

behavior and learning styles has a great effect on a students’ performance. The complex

interrelationships that exist within the students study experiences and study behaviors influences

the academic success of students in higher education. Recent data on 541 final year university

students in Hong Kong indicates that “student perception of the learning experience predicts study

behavior and that study behavior considerably predicts final exam scores.” For an instance, some

learners’ only acquire or read thoroughly the important information in the text that effectively uses

the time allocated for that session.

According to Pallod (2013), who recently took the course in the quiz format, the hardest

part of the learners during the examinations is when the old and hard questions that were missed

previously appears again. Examiners feel pressured because of the question that they wanted to

answer correctly since that lesson had been discussed. Regret would surface if the learners can’t

get the right answer of a question for the second time around. This is just one of the situations that

a learner encounters during the examinations that can be resolved or be given a solution by this

study. Different studying techniques would be a help, and its effectiveness would depend on where

a person, specifically students used it. There are some techniques that would be less of help or are

highly effective, but as long as it is one of the strategies used to lessen the worries in studying it

will always have a great impact on the students learning improvement.

 Strong study techniques are essential to succeed in school and in life. It isn’t enough to just

sit inside a classroom and hope to soak up the knowledge an instructor is presenting. You must put

effort into learning, understanding, and applying the material. It’s never too late to develop great

studying techniques. The sooner you get into a good study groove, the higher chances of getting

good marks and academic success.