======The Spacing Effect======


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**Alternative titles:** Distributed vs Massed Practice, Distributed Study Benefits
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Prepare a list with two occurrences of each target word; arrange half as massed pairs and half as distributed with several intervening items. Include a few buffer words at the beginning to minimize primacy effects.
  - Explain the task: you will read words aloud and most will occur twice; students should remember as many as possible.
  - Present the list at a steady pace (for example, one word every few seconds) until all items are read.
  - Immediately impose a brief distractor task such as counting backward by threes to reduce recency effects.
  - Give the recall signal and allow a fixed time window for free recall; students write down as many words as they can in any order.
  - Reveal which words were massed versus distributed and have students score their own protocols, tallying recall for each type.
  - Aggregate class totals for massed and distributed items and compare recall percentages; discuss the observed spacing effect.
  - Optionally administer a short content quiz before or after the activity to assess understanding of spacing, primacy, recency, and basic experimental design.



====Links==== 
📄 Encouraging Distributed Study: A Classroom Experiment on the Spacing Effect - William R. Balch: [[https://gwern.net/doc/psychology/spaced-repetition/2006-balch.pdf]]\\


====Variations====
  * Use sentences or short textbook passages instead of single words, spacing repetitions across the list.
  * Space practice across sessions or days to demonstrate longer term benefits and include a delayed retention test.
  * Compare practice schedules by assigning groups to massed practice blocks versus spaced blocks on real course content.
  * Replace auditory presentation with on-screen slides or cards and randomize orders across small groups.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Ensure timing and scoring are conducted calmly to avoid stress.
  * Protect anonymity when discussing individual results in class.




====Questions to Consider====
  * What is the independent variable in this experiment? (Spacing condition: massed vs distributed.)
  * What is the dependent variable? (Number or percentage of items correctly recalled.)
  * Why include buffer items at the start of the list? (To control primacy so early items do not inflate recall.)
  * Why add a brief distractor task before recall? (To reduce recency so the last items are not unduly advantaged.)
  * How could you apply the spacing effect to your studying this term? (Plan shorter, repeated study sessions over time rather than cramming.)
  * If your class did not show a spacing advantage, what might explain it? (Insufficient spacing, timing differences, list difficulty, scoring errors, or ceiling/floor effects.)