Study Break Quizzes: How Short Quizzes Can Boost Student Productivity

As getting the top grades has become more competitive, with many students hoping to gain a place in some of the world’s most respected educational institutions, studying for several hours or longer has become the norm. A quick look on TikTok shows a whole archive of ‘study with me’ time-lapsed content, with some students clocking in 12 hours of studying.

However, focusing for several hours straight can be exhausting. Taking study breaks is key to making sure you don’t burn out, but it doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel. Adding in some practice questions during your study breaks is an easy way to solidify what you've learned during your studying and see how you're progressing.

Here are some reasons why short quizzes can boost your productivity and help you level up your skills to a whole different level.

1. Importance of Study Breaks

Continuous studying without breaks will lead to cognitive fatigue, diminishing your brain's ability to focus and making it difficult to grab information. It is important to take study breaks in order to help your brain process what you have learned so far. Study breaks provide you with opportunities to rest, relax, and recharge both physically and mentally. By taking short breaks it’ll be easier to keep your focus for the rest of your study session.

Of course, the risk of taking a study break is that it becomes less of a break and more of a permanent fixture. So, make sure that your study breaks are taken purposefully. Scrolling on social media has been shown to not give you a mental break at all, so try and choose an activity that keeps you aligned with your study goals. If you’re living in student accommodation you might want to build a wall chart facing your bed so that every time you relax, you can look at it while resting to remind yourself of what you still need to study.

2. Benefits of Incorporating Quizzes

Whether you’re studying for class or actively preparing for standardized tests like GMAT preparations, quizzes are a very useful way to help you to reinforce your knowledge and identify areas for improvement. This makes them perfect for study breaks as they provide a change from the monotony of reading long texts or writing essays, but still give you a chance to check in on your knowledge.

Some of the primary benefits of incorporating quizzes include:

• Active Learning — Quizzes encourage active learning by requiring you to retrieve and apply information from your course materials, rather than just passively re-reading. This active retrieval reinforces your understanding.
• Immediate Feedback — If you’re using an AI quiz tool, you’ll get immediate feedback on your answers, allowing you to find out straight away where you stand and how you are progressing. This can help you plan the rest of your study day so you prioritize what you need to know most.
• Reinforcement Through Repetition — Successfully recalling information for a quiz strengthens the neural pathways for that knowledge through repetition and retrieval practice.
• Motivation and Engagement —There’s nothing better than seeing yourself answer questions on your course correctly – it can give you a real ego boost! Knowing your hard work is paying off is an excellent motivator.

3. Examples of Quiz Formats

To stop quizzes from being repetitive, you can try out different types of quiz formats to keep it fun and engaging.

Examples of quiz questions for various subjects and learning objectives:

1. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) — The MCQ quiz format is one of the most widely used as you need to avoid being led astray by the distractors (incorrect answers).
2. True/False — True/false questions are a quick way to test your knowledge.
3. Fill in the blank — This is the format where you need to complete the phrase with the correct answer. This helps with active recall.
4. Flashcard quizzes — This format has the questions on the flashcard on one side of a card and the answer on the other side so you can guess the right answer and cross-check immediately. It is an effective and fun format to learn with.

4. Tips for Maximizing Quiz Effectiveness

Always make sure that your quiz aligns with your learning objectives. Keeping your focus on these goals will help your study break quiz to reinforce your day’s learning. Make sure that any quizzes you take are closely related to your subject, or preferably created directly from your study materials directly.

Keep track of your progress. If you’re acing the quizzes, move on and create more on a different topic. If you’re struggling, keep practicing until your scores get higher. Try creating quizzes in different formats to keep you on your toes.

Celebrate every win. If you’re getting 100% in your quiz, you must be doing something right! Treat yourself as a little reward to keep your motivation sky high.

Conclusion

Build short quizzes into your study routines and experience the benefits firsthand. Follow the strategies mentioned above to make your study time more enjoyable and keep study breaks productive.

About AmberStudent — Amber Student is one of the leading student accommodation platforms, established in 2016 and serving over 80 million students globally. Amber Student is your one-stop destination for all your housing needs, fully assisted by Amber experts. Download the Amber app from the Google Play or App Store to book an affordable home for your adventure.

Author’s Bio — Bobby Sinha is a storyteller; she enjoys watching Japanese indie movies and knows various ways of using a chopstick. A graduate in business, working as a writer, and someday aspiring to become a filmmaker proves how versatile she is.