Coding and Cheat Sheet

Cheat sheets/summary notes are common for university students while they take tests and exams. I found it very helpful to reduce my test anxiety and improve my performance when I was an undergraduate student. In this blog, I will explain why a cheat sheet is helpful. Second, how we can use it in coding and programming?  The literature review showed that about 50% of college students frequently experience psychological conditions known as test anxiety (Kavakci et al., 2014). Anxiety while studying is a major predictor of academic performance (McCraty, 2007) and various studies have demonstrated that it has a negative effect on school performance (Vitarsi, P. 2010). High test anxiety could potentially lower well-being directly via worry about failing tests and examinations, and indirectly through tainting the positive elements of school life (e.g., reduced confidence in one’s ability and positive attitudes towards school)

During my practicum and my previous experiences, I met many students who faced anxiety during their mathematics tests. They mentioned that because of forgetting some formulas, could not write perform well. Students who suffer from test anxiety frequently experience distractions in exams and problems in preparing for exams.  Several consequences of test anxiety include a long period of study, increased dropout rates at the university, exam failures, as well as physical and psychological impairments. As an educator, I reflect on developing analytical thinking skills instead of memorizing the formulas. Students are being encouraged to learn the application of complicated formulas to solve real problems. 

In my practicum, my associate teacher, allowed students to have an open-book test.  I observed that most of the students didn't find an open-book test helpful. Their performances were negatively impacted by turning pages of the textbook to find the answer. They were right. Open-book exams were always the worst experience in my undergraduate studies. 

I decided to educate them to prepare summary notes/cheat sheets. They learned to surmise the lessons and squeeze the key information from all lessons and categorize them using color 

coding. They found this technique very useful, not only they managed their test anxiety, but also they performed significantly better in the next assessment. 

My project is about coding, and having a cheat sheet has been very helpful for programmers.  Cheat sheets provide instant assistance, which all programmers appreciate because they save time.

We should prepare our own cheat sheet and this is a very important lesson that I always emphasize, while my students prepare their notes. 

“You can copy and use your friends' notes, but it is not as useful as yours! Because as soon as you start to prepare yours, you begin your learning”. 

Classification, categorization, and summarization of the contents of a full course are key skills that we must learn for postsecondary studies.  

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 Prepare your cheat sheet in R coding!! Good Luck 

1. Kavakci, O., Semiz, M., Kartal, A., Dikici, A., & Kugu, N. (2014). Test anxiety prevalance and related variables in the students who are going to take the university entrance examination. Dusunen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences, 27(4), 301.

2. Vitasari, P., Wahab, M. N. A., Othman, A., & Awang, M. G. (2010). The use of study anxiety intervention in reducing anxiety to improve academic performance among university students. International Journal of Psychological Studies, 2(1), 89.