The Effect of Cramming on Students' Grades.

Abstract

The adoption of the suitable effective study strategies is a crucial decision that all the students’ have to be thoughtful regarding it. Hence, the prevalent reliance on cramming among students raises significant concerns about the effectiveness of such controversial study strategy. While many students resort to last-minute, concentrated study sessions in hopes of boosting their performance prior the exams or deadlines, cramming frequently leads to adverse outcomes, which affects both their academic success and overall well-being. The study conducted at Abd Elhafid Boussouf MUC is an investigation of the repercussions of cramming on master one English students’ academic achievements (grades) and overall well-being. The core aim of this research is to advocate for effective study strategies through sensibilizing students about the ramifications of cramming by answering the following questions: To what extent does cramming impact the grades of master one students? How can we make students aware of the impacts of cramming? What strategies can students use to avoid cramming? In response to these questions, a mixed method approach of research was utilized which incorporates quantitative data from a comprehensive questionnaire that was held at the MUC with 50 students, and qualitative insights from semi-structured interview with five educational psychologists affiliated with “The Public Health Institution of Ferdjioua-Mila-”. The combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches provides the research with broader range of data, which leads to a deeper understanding of the phenomenon under investigation and increases the reliability and validity of the results. The study findings indicate that most of the students have noticed a negative effect of cramming on both of their academic achievements (grades) and well-being. In addition, the five educational psychologists emphasize the detrimental effects of cramming on students’ physical and mental health and cognitive functioning. The overall agreement is on the ineffectiveness of cramming as a long-term study strategy and on the necessity of adopting alternative study strategies.