Does it matter when it happens? Assessing whether formative quizzes at different timepoints in a course are predictive of final exam grades

Abstract

An important step towards promoting academic success is identifying students at risk of poor academic performance, particularly so they can be supported before they fall too far behind. In this study we investigated whether students’ grades on five quizzes that were distributed evenly throughout a course were differentially predictive of their grades on the final cumulative exam. Our focus was not on summative value of the quizzes, but rather how this information could be used to help inform more specific guidelines regarding when student performance should be a concern, and to provide insight for how to better individualize student support. The results of a regression analysis showed that students’ grades for the second, fourth, and fifth quiz were significant predictors of students’ performance on the final cumulative exam. Students’ grade on the first quiz reached borderline significance as a predictor of their grade on the final cumulative exam. Our findings suggest that students’ performance throughout various timepoints of a course is important to take into account for considerations about students' academic achievement. The implications of these findings include the use of frequent quizzing to identify students who would benefit most from additional, targeted academic support to improve the trajectory of their academic achievement. Additionally, students should be made aware of the relationship between their grades on quizzes to the final cumulative exam to help inform their decisions regarding individual academic planning and success.