The Relationship of Examinations to Amount of Student Reading: the examination as symbol

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Abstract
The authors explored the relationship between examinations and amount of reading by students taking an introductoy course in Pediatrics. The amount of reading reportedly done by students who knew they would be given a written examination based on the reading content was compared to the amount read by those who knew they would not be examined. The test counted for a small percentage of the course grade. A precipitous decline in reading was noted among students who knew they were not going to be given this test. Explanations are offered to account for the striking differences in the amount of reading among the students surveyed. It is suggested that examinations serve as powerful symbols that transcend quantitative input toward student grades. Educators are encouraged to balance the independence given to students with the formal assignments for which they will be accountable. “It is symbolic thought which overcomes the natural inertia of man…” Ernst Cassirer —An Essay on Man

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