University Students More Likely to Pass Oral Exams Taken at Midday, Study Finds
Certain university courses, such as languages, have oral examinations
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A recent study conducted by Carmelo Vicario at the University of Messina, Italy, has revealed that university students have a higher likelihood of passing oral exams if they are scheduled around midday. Vicario’s inspiration for this research stemmed from a previous study indicating that judges’ decisions can be influenced by their proximity to meal times, prompting him to investigate whether a similar phenomenon occurs in educational settings.
Vicario and his team analyzed data from over 100,000 oral assessments undertaken by approximately 19,000 university students in Italy. The study, which spanned from October 2018 to February 2020, encompassed exams from 1243 courses and demonstrated a clear pattern in pass rates throughout the day. Pass rates stood at 54% at 8am, increased to 72% by midday, and then dropped to 51% by 4pm, forming a distinctive bell-shaped distribution of data.
This trend was consistent across various types of oral assessments, including language exams and research presentations, although its applicability to written tests remains uncertain.
According to Thomas Lancaster from Imperial College London, student performance can be influenced by several external factors, including exam scheduling. The concept of chronotypes, which dictates individuals’ natural sleep inclinations and whether they are early birds or night owls, may also play a role in this phenomenon.
Studies suggest that younger individuals are more likely to be night owls, potentially preferring to sleep in later. This misalignment of chronotypes between students and examiners could explain why midday exams yield higher pass rates, striking a balance between optimal student performance and examiner leniency in scoring.
As a result of this research, universities may consider adjusting the timing of oral exams to enhance student outcomes. Vicario advocates for scheduling student vivas and assessed presentations after 10am to ensure optimal performance and overall satisfaction among both students and examiners.
