[01] Ng Cheng Yik, Faculty of Medicine, Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Melaka, Malaysia. [02] Lim Xin Yi, Faculty of Medicine, Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Melaka, Malaysia. [03] Sankirta Tero Nyana Somadam, Faculty of Medicine, Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Melaka, Malaysia. [04] Ashraf Ezwan Bin Amirudin, Faculty of Medicine, Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Melaka, Malaysia. [05] Sashitharan Ananthan, Faculty of Medicine, Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Melaka, Malaysia.

Highlighting is a common studying technique used by students. However, results from previous researches showed both positive and negative effect on highlighting. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of highlighting in memory and concentration as well as the most beneficial method of highlighting. A randomized controlled trial was done in a private medical college in Malaysia from July 2018 to August 2018. Participants were divided into 3 intervention groups [important points highlighted group (n=37), entire text highlighted group (n=37), not highlighted group (n=37)]. They were given a text on Viola Desmond to read and 14 MCQs to answer. The final percentage for MCQ score was calculated. Post-test feedback and students’ attitude towards highlighting were taken. The results of test score percentage were calculated and analyzed using ANOVA and independent T-test with Bonferroni adjustment. Students’ attitude towards highlighting was analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Chi-Square test, while post-test feedback analysis was done using Fisher-Exact test. The results showed that there were no significant differences among the 3 intervention groups. The not highlighted group had the highest test score percentage mean of 73.7% and SD of 14.9, followed by entire text highlighted group with mean of 71.8% and SD of 16.3 and the lowest test score by important points highlighted group with mean of 71.6% and SD of 16.3. As the results confirm, simply the act of highlighting is not beneficial for memory retention. Rather, student should learn to identify key points to highlight, and this act of choosing what to highlight could be an important determinant of efficacy of highlighting.

Highlighting, Studying Technique, Concentration, Memory, Attention, Randomized Controlled Trial

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