Report 2

What is the preference of female and male

university students to use audio-based memory
strategies to learn and recall information compared
to visually based strategies?
TPP/UCC101 – Scientific Report

Prepared for: Guy Rushton – Coordinator: Skills for Success 101

Prepared by: Harmony Tang [7065432]

William Bright [5346567]
Ellis Summerington-Smythe [9087667]
Abstract

Research aim:
University students employ a range of study strategies to assist them in learning and
recalling information. The aim of this research was to establish if there was a
preference between visually based learning strategies and audio-based ones
between genders.

Research question:
What is the preference of female and male university students to use audio-based
memory strategies to learn and recall information compared to visually based
strategies?

Materials and methods:

A Google-based online survey was completed by 100 USC [University of the
Sunshine Coast] students in December 2012. In addition to four demographic
questions, the students answered eleven Likert scale questions relating to the
frequency of using a range of study strategies on scale of 1-never to 5-always. Six of
the eleven questions were selected, and these were subdivided into two groups;
visual and audio-based memory strategies. Visual included questions: complete
practice book exercises, reorganising and rewriting notes, and use colour to highlight
information. Audio included: review lecture and PowerPoint recordings, record
spoken information and play it back, and listen to podcasts on relevant topics.
Only responses that recorded a frequency of 4-often and 5-always were analysed,
and three participants who identified as ‘X’ gender were not included as the analysis
is between male and female students. Microsoft Excel software was used to analyse
the raw data and produce two bar graphs representing the findings. Supporting
literature was sourced from USC library databases and Google Scholar and
comprised peer reviewed academic journal articles, books and eBooks.

Major findings:
Overall, males preferred to employ audio-based study strategies [40%] compared
with females [21%]. Within that, there were significant differences in the use of
individual strategies: review lecture PowerPoint recordings [72% male versus 39%
female] and listen to podcasts [34% male versus 6% female]; however, a there was
a smaller differential in the strategy of record spoken information and play it back
[30% male versus 19% female]. Both genders utilised visually based study strategies
at about the same level of preference with females at 40% and males 39%. Within
this study category, the differential between males and females were less obvious
than for audio-based strategies: complete practice book exercises [38% male verses
29% female], reorganising and rewriting notes [40% male verses 53% female], and
use colour to highlight information [40% male verses 38% female].

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Conclusion[s]:
As predicted, there was a significant preference for males to utilise audio-based
study strategies such as review lecture and PowerPoint recordings, record spoken
information and play it back, and listen to podcasts on relevant topics compared to
females; however, both males and females demonstrated almost equal fondness for
visual strategies including; complete practice book exercises, reorganising and
rewriting notes, and use colour to highlight information.

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Introduction
University students employ a range of study strategies to assist them in learning and
recalling information in their studies. It is important for academics to understand what
the most frequently used study strategies are, as this will enable them to tailor the
presentation of course information to meet the students’ learning preferences, with
the aim of maximising content learned. The aim of this research is to examine the
preferences of male and female students with respect to visually based memory
strategies and audio-based strategies. It is expected that the results will show that
females tend to prefer visually based strategies and males, audio-based strategies.

Literature review
Within the context of tertiary education, students must learn and retain information in
order to sit examinations and apply their learned knowledge in written assessments.
The difference in how gender impacts their approach to study and specifically, what
study strategies are employed has been under scrutiny to establish what similarities
and differences there are.

Carl (2014) affirms that while there are some similarities in the preference of a few
study strategies, e.g. cramming, there are distinct differences in the mode of study,
with males preferring generally audio based strategies compared with females. This
is also confirmed in Levi, Svinicki and Shibuya’s research, finding that the majority of
male students selected podcast and lecture playback options over reading, reviewing
and revising notes (2010). In contrast, females tended to opt for group study or study
strategies which involved the visual sense rather than the auditory one (Levi, Svinicki
& Shibuya 2010).

In an analysis of gender use of Visual, Aural, Read/write and Kinesthetic [VARK]

learning preferences, Chan, Jones and Xu (2018) established that ‘females tended
to favour visual and read/write strategies and males, aural and Kinesthetic’. This is in
contrast to Collins, David and Shelby (2016) and Wolf et al. (2005) who identified no
distinct learning style preferences in university student males, though females
evidenced preferences for visual and aural strategies. In particular, ‘females used
colour to highlight information before reviewing and revising’ (Collins, David and
Shelby 2016, p. 135).

Investigating working memory capacity and study strategy use, McMillan and Scot
(2001) established that students who used reviewing and revising on a regular basis
were able to retain knowledge for later recall more effectively than students who
employed cram strategies. Although this research did not establish a preference by
gender, another study by Peel and Fife clearly showed that the majority (over 75%)
of university female students revised and reviewed in the weeks leading up to an
examination, compared to 75% of males who crammed the night before.

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Reviewing lecture recordings or PowerPoint slides was favoured almost equally
between genders as a study strategy in two studies (Rogers, Quin & Ruther 2015;
Tang, Standish, & Smith 2018). The study strategy of spaced learning, which is a
form of reviewing and revising, was investigated by Peel and Fife (2000) was found
to be a very effective learning strategy by both genders with an improvement on end
of term grades.

Materials and methods

100 University of the Sunshine Coast students completed an online Google-based
questionnaire on memory strategies between December 4 and 18 in 2012. The
questionnaire included four questions on demographic data: area of study, age,
gender and number of years study. Eleven questions focussed on the study
strategies that students employed to learn and recall information. These were based
on a Likert scale with a usage frequency of 1-never to 5-always. Six of the eleven
questions were selected and sub-grouped as follows:

• Audio-based strategies:
o review lecture and PowerPoint recordings
o record spoken information and play it back
o listen to podcasts on relevant topics.

• Visually based strategies:

o complete practice book exercises
o reorganising and rewriting notes
o use colour to highlight information

Only responses of 4-often and 5-always were included in the analysis as responses
of 3-sometimes and less did not show a strong tendency of use. There were three
participants who recorded an ‘X’ gender, and these reposes were not included in the
male/female analysis statistics.

Supporting literature was sourced from the USC library database and Google
Scholar and included peer reviewed journal articles and academic books and
eBooks.

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Results
Bar graph 1 shows the six memory strategies sub-grouped into audio and visually
based strategies by gender.

50 45
45 40
39
40
Percent of students

35
30
25 21
20
15
10
5
0
Audio Visual
Memory strategy sub-group

Male Female

Bar graph 1 Audio and visually based memory strategies by gender

Bar graph 1 shows the percentage of males and females using visually based
memory strategies is almost identical at 39 and 40% respectively. Males clearly
prefer audio-based strategies to females [45% versus 21%], which is approximately
a one hundred percent difference. Although females prefer visually based study
strategies over audio ones [40% and 21% respectively], almost identical percentages
of males and females use strategies which involve the visual sense.

Bar graph 2 shows the six memory strategies by gender.

80% 72%
70%
Percent of students

60% 53%
50% 39% 40% 40%38%
38%
40% 34%
30% 29%
30% 19%
20%
6%
10%
0%
Review Record Listen to Complete Reorganising Use colour to
lecture spoken podcasts on practice and rewriting highlight key
PowerPoint information relevant exercises notes information
recordings and play it topics
back
Study strategy

Male Female

Bar graph 2 Memory strategy by gender

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Bar graph 2 shows the frequency of use of six memory strategies by gender
breakdown, expressed as percentage. For males, the most frequently used memory
strategy was review lecture PowerPoint recordings at 72%, compared with 39% for
females. Females’ [________________] used strategy was reorganising and
rewriting notes, 53% compared with males at 40%. Using colour to highlight
information was the most evenly distributed strategy between the genders with only
a two-percentage point difference [males 40%, females 38%]. For males, the
remaining three study strategies: record spoken information and play it back, listen to
podcasts of relevant topics and complete practice exercises, were used by students
30-38% of the time; however, there are [________________] differences in female
use. Only 6% of females utilised listen to podcasts of relevant topics [males 34%],
19% Record spoken information and play it back [males 30%] and 29% complete
practice exercises [males 38%].

Discussion
The research question for this report was: What is the preference of female and male
university students to use audio-based memory strategies to learn and recall
information compared to visually based strategies? It was anticipated that females
would prefer visual strategies, and the results confirmed this with 40% utilisation
compared to 21% audio-based strategies which is a significant difference. Males
however, also used visual strategies almost the same as females [39%]; although,
their preference, as predicted, favoured audio strategies, but percentagewise, not
significantly different at 45%.

Analysing the individual memory strategies in all categories except reorganising and
rewriting notes, males’ use of these study strategies was higher than those of
females. It is clear that males prefer using review lecture PowerPoint recordings at
72%, compared to the females’ 39% - a 33-percentage point difference. However,
review lecture PowerPoint recordings was second most preferred method for
females, second only to reorganising and rewriting notes which was utilised 53% of
the time. Both genders expressed similar preferences for using colour as a memory
strategy, 40% males and 39% females. Listening to podcasts on relevant topics
showed the second biggest difference between males and females with a 28-
percentage point difference, with only 6% of females using this strategy compared to
the males’ comparatively high 34%. Record spoken information and play it back as a
strategy wasn’t highly favoured by either gender with it being the lowest for males by
preference at 30%, and second lowest for females at 19%.

The research therefore confirms the study strategy preferences between the
genders, with males significantly preferring audio-based strategies compared to
females, and females preferring visually-based strategies to audio ones; however,
their usage of visually-based strategies was almost at the same level – 39% [males]
and 40% [females].

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This study was conducted out of semester study time [December], and this may
have impacted the results. Similarly, the cohort was relatively small with 100
students. This research only looked at the frequency of use of study strategies and
not their effectiveness. We suggest that further studies be conducted within the
semester and with a larger cohort of students to further reveal the correlations
between study strategies and gender.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the USC library staff, and in particular Alexander
Pilkington-Smith III for assistance in sourcing academic journal articles. Appreciation
is also extended to Learning Advisers, Junko Hashimoto and Eric Timms for their
academic writing skills’ support.

Report 2 Page |7
References

Chan, C, Jones FK & Xu, T 2018, ‘The association between students’ style of
learning preferences, social presence, collaborative learning and learning outcomes’,
Journal of Educators Online, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 1-16, viewed 6 August 2020,
https://www.thejeo.com/archive/2018_15_1/chan_jones_xu

Carl, S 2014, ‘Learning styles: an overview of theories, models, and measures’,

Educational Psychology, vol. 24, no.4, pp. 419-444,
doi:10.1080/0144342341042228834

Collins, Samuel, David, Ned & Shelby, Lara 2016, ‘A pilot classroom-based study of
attention and working memory strategies for primary-aged students’, Journal of
Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 125–136, doi:
10.1017/jgc.2016.123

Levi, SK, Svinicki, M & Shibuya, Y 2010, ‘Attempted validation of the scores of the
VARK: learning styles inventory with multitrait–multimethod confirmatory factor
analysis, Models Educational and Psychological Measurement, vol. 70, no. 2, pp.
323-339, doi:10.1177/9813164409344507

Peel, J & Fife, T 2000, ‘Understanding the learning styles of students: implications
for educators’, The International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 20, no.
11/12, pp. 31-45.

McMillan, DS & Scot JL 2001, ‘Working memory capacity and strategy use’, Memory
& Cognition, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 10-17, viewed 6 September 2020,
doi:10.3758/IU03195736

Rogers, M, Quin, E & Ruther, A 2015, Independence, Social, and Study Strategies
for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: the BASICS College Curriculum,
eBook, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London, viewed 6 August 2020,
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzkyNDA3OF9fQU4

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1?sid=1e504af9-f65234645-8106-33da3e8a61c8@sdc-v-
sessmgr01&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1

Tang, VCH, Standish, A & Smith, M 2018, Shaping tertiary education with students,
Macintosh Press, London, UK.

Wolf, K, Bateman, D, Mannilow, L, & Adamson, R 2005, ‘Learning styles: do they

differ by discipline?’, Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences; vol. 97, no. 4, pp.
18-22, viewed 6 August 2020,
https://search.proquest.com/docview/2098750049?accountid=28745&rfr_id=info%3A
xri%2Fsid%3Aprimo

Report 2 Page |9
 Appendices
Appendix A: Questionnaire

Questionnaire - Memory Strategies of USC Students

TPP101 (Tertiary Preparation Pathway – Academic Skills for Success) students, are
conducting a survey to assess the usage of different types of memory strategies that
USC students employ in their studies. The data will be complied and used in a report
as part of the TPP101 course assessment. We appreciate your cooperation in
completing this questionnaire.
* Required

What is your area of study? *

• [Control] Science
• [Control] Health
• [Control] Education
• [Control] Engineering
• [Control] Arts
• [Control] Business
• [Control] TPP

What year of study are you in? *(include actual years of study - for example, if you
have been studying part time for 3 years, you are in your third year of study, even if
you are only in the second year of your program.)
• [Control] 1st year
• [Control] 2nd year
• [Control] 3rd year
• [Control] 4th year
• [Control] 5th year
• [Control] 6th year
• [Control] 7th year or more

What is your gender? *

• [Control] M
• [Control] F
• [Control] X

What is your age? *

• [Control] less than 20
• [Control] 20 - 29
• [Control] 30 - 39
• [Control] 40 - 49
• [Control] 50 - 59
• [Control] 60 or greater

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In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you use the
strategy of reviewing and revising regularly? *
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you use mind
mapping or concept mapping? *Mind maps, or concept maps, use visual images to
link information. A central idea in the centre of the page is linked to sub-concepts by
lines, drawings & colour.
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you use the
strategy of reorganising and rewriting notes? *
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you use colour
to highlight key information? *This may involve using highlighters, coloured pens,
post-it notes or other methods of your choice.
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you study in
groups?*
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you use
mnemonics? *A mnemonic is a memory device that uses rhymes, patterns or stories
- eg. Every Good Boy Deserves Fruit to remember the notes of the treble clef.
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you review
lecture PowerPoints or Mediasite recordings? *
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you record
spoken information and play it back? *
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you listen to
podcasts on relevant topics? *
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

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In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you complete
practice exercises in text books or work books? *
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

In order to learn and recall information in your courses, how often do you cram in the
24 hours before exams or assessment due dates? *
1 2 3 4 5
Never [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] [Control] Always

Thank you for participation. Are there any comments you would like to add?[Control]

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Appendix B: Proportional study strategy by gender analysis

Male
Review lecture PowerPoint
recordings
Record spoken information and
16% play it back
28%
Listen to podcasts on relevant
topics
16%
Complete practice exercises
12%
15% Reorganising and rewriting notes
13%
Use colour to highlight key
information

Pie chart 3 Proportional analysis of 6 study strategies for male students

Figure 4 Proportional analysis of 6 study strategies for female students

Female

Review lecture PowerPoint

recordings
Record spoken information and
21% 21% play it back
Listen to podcasts on relevant
topics
10% Complete practice exercises

29% 3%
Reorganising and rewriting notes
16%
Use colour to highlight key
information

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