There are numerous tips out there for students on how to do
better in their exams in order to improve their grades. We often hear things
like preparing well for the exam, having a good rest prior to the exam, being
in a relaxed state of mind, coming early to the exam venue and so on. While all
these may be good, there is a new and interesting one: bring water into the exam hall. Yes that’s it. You may be wondering
why, but the reason is not farfetched.
Students who bring water into exams may improve their grade
by keeping hydrated. This is according to research by Chris Pawson from the
University of East London and his collaborators Sarah Doherty, Laura Martin,
Ruth Soares and Caroline Edmonds from the University of East London and Mark
Gardner from the University of Westminster.
The researchers recorded the behavior of 447 undergraduate students
across three different cohorts in relation to whether students brought drinks,
and the type of drinks they brought, into exams. Students who were in higher
levels of the university degree were much more likely to bring drinks into the
exam than those in their first year of undergraduate study.
The researchers related the marks attained by students in
the exam to whether those students brought water into the exam. Importantly,
they controlled for general ability using coursework marks to ensure that they
were not simply assessing the possibility that more able students were more
likely to bring water into the exam. The results showed that those who took
water into the exam, and presumably consumed the water, did better in the exam
than those who did not.
The reason behind this is not categorically clear but there
is the possibility that water consumption may have a physiological effect on
thinking functions that result in improved exam performance. There is also the
possibility the possibility that consuming water may alleviate anxiety, which
is known to have a negative effect on exam performance. However, further research
is still needed to tease apart the explanations.
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