False Proof
If it is always observed that when quizzes are given every Wednesday, one tends to get a higher score. Would you say that specific day to hold a quiz matter in garnering high score? Why or why not?
Answers
Explanation:
No, I personally do not think the actual day of the week matters, with one exception noted in the last paragraph. I think what you may be witnessing is the difference between an evaluation that’s consistent and easy to anticipate versus one that’s more random (i.e. a pop quiz or a quiz that’s announced but with little warning.)
If a student knows that every week on the same exact day they will have a quiz, it’s relatively easy to manage study habits and be well-prepared for that weekly quiz. Also, only a week goes by before an evaluation is given, so that weekly quiz acts as an incentive to not fall too far behind in the class. However, having a predictable weekly quiz still gives the student some flexibility to manage how much work they are doing daily for the class (assuming there are no H.W. checks or other more frequents checks of work in place.)
By contrast, classes where pop quizzes are given or the teacher may announce only the day before that there will be a quiz, those type of assessments may be more likely to “catch” more students who are not keeping up with their assignments and “reward” those who are regularly completing assigned readings and/or homework.
From an educational standpoint, the more random quizzes probably do a better job of reinforcing consistent study habits. However, as long as weekly quizzes are well constructed evaluations, they probably work just fine as far as checking the student is mastering the course material and still somewhat reinforce study habits, although with much more flexibility built in as far as when the student completes the work.
Finally, if this trend is for an individual student versus an entire class, it may say more about what that student’s Tuesday night looks like versus other nights of the week than anything else. For example, if a student plays sports for hours every Thursday night, they might have to plan studying for a Friday quiz with a bit more care or pull a late night as compared to a quiz taken after a night the student is completely free to study.