Effects of a Single-Session Study Skills Workshop on Exam Performance in General Chemistry Courses

First-year college students in general chemistry and other introductory STEM courses often lack knowledge of effective study strategies and skills to apply them. In this study, the impact of a one-time, 90 min study skills workshop delivered by the course instructor following the first exam in General Chemistry 1 was evaluated across three cohorts of students (three separate years/six academic semesters, extending into General Chemistry 2). Students choosing to attend the workshop were compared to students who did not attend. The workshop featured instruction on evidence-based learning strategies, mindset, and time management, along with reflection on exam performance by students leading to the formulation of study plans shared with others. Results suggested that, after controlling for lower performance on the first course exam in General Chemistry 1, workshop attendees outperformed nonattendees on all subsequent exams, extending into a General Chemistry 2 course. Further, when comparing a matched group of students based on initial exam performance, workshop attendees outperformed nonattendees on the remainder of exams in General Chemistry 1 and General Chemistry 2. We discuss possible explanations for the lasting effects of the intervention, implications for introductory STEM course instructors, and directions for future work to explore.