Effect of Textbook Study Guides on Student Performance in Introductory Psychology

We experimentally investigated the effect of required textbook study guides on undergraduates' multiple-choice exam performance for introductory psychology. Students in 2 sections participated. Students required to complete the study guide performed significantly better than students in the control section. Students who reported completing 75% or more of the study guide did not perform significantly better than students who completed 25% or less. Results offer support for the effectiveness of study guides in courses that use multiple-choice exams; however, more exercises may not enhance performance compared to fewer exercises. Students who used the study guide had a positive perception of the usefulness of the study guide, and most stated that they would voluntarily use one in the future.