The following text discusses educational psychology.
Spaced practice—studying material over multiple sessions separated by time—produces significantly better long-term retention than massed practice, or cramming everything into one session. This "spacing effect" has been replicated across subjects from vocabulary to mathematics. Despite strong evidence, most students continue to prefer cramming, perhaps because it produces temporary fluency that feels like mastery. Educators suggest incorporating spaced review into course design so students benefit from the effect automatically.
What does the text say about current student behavior regarding study practices?
Most students already use spaced practice effectively
Students tend to prefer cramming even though spaced practice works better
Cramming is equally effective for long-term learning
The spacing effect only works for mathematics
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the correct answer. The text states "most students continue to prefer cramming" despite evidence that spaced practice is "significantly better."
- Evidence: Students prefer cramming despite evidence.
- Reasoning: Temporary fluency feels like mastery, misleading students.
- Conclusion: Student preference conflicts with evidence.
Choice A is incorrect because most prefer cramming. Choice C is incorrect because spaced produces "significantly better long-term retention." Choice D is incorrect because effects appear "across subjects from vocabulary to mathematics."