@article{mccue_persky_donnell_fuller_2025, title={Consequences of Historical Exam Access vs Timely Exam Feedback on Knowledge Retention (CHEATER)}, volume={89}, ISSN={["1553-6467"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.ajpe.2025.101361}, abstractNote={To compare the impact of examination feedback versus access to historical examination questions on information retention. First-year student-pharmacists completed a baseline knowledge assessment composed of 30 examination questions divided into three conditions of 10 questions each. In the CHEAT condition, students were provided with 10 questions and their correct answers ahead of time. These 10 questions appeared on the baseline assessment. In the FEEDBACK condition, students answered 10 previously unseen questions but received feedback at the end of the baseline assessment, including the correct answers and explanations. The CONTROL condition included 10 previously unseen questions, and no information on correctness or feedback was provided. Three days after the baseline assessment, students took a surprise retention quiz with 30 similar questions, including all three conditions. The primary outcome measure was student performance on this retention quiz. On measures of retention, the FEEDBACK condition resulted in the highest performance compared to the CHEAT condition (50% vs 44%) and the CONTROL condition (50% vs 23%). Students were 30% more likely to answer questions correctly when they received feedback in advance through explanations than only correct answers through access to the historical examination. Providing students with feedback on examinations improves future performance. Despite concerns about returning completed examinations and the subsequent potential for future students to access these materials, the advantages of feedback in enhancing learning and retention outweigh the associated risks.}, number={3}, journal={AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION}, author={Mccue, Alina and Persky, Adam M. and Donnell, Cassie and Fuller, Kathryn A.}, year={2025}, month={Mar} }