More quizzes equals higher grades
Early results of a multi-year study by the University of Toronto Faculty of Law revealed a strong positive correlation between law students’ grades and the rate at which they complete Buzzfeed quizzes in class. Dr. Tom Denning, the world-renowned legal professional who headed the study, published his initial findings online; the full paper is expected to be published in Science later this year.
“The results are astounding,” said Dr. Denning. “Buzzfeed quiz completion rates are an even better predictor of law student success than other traditional indicators, like LSAT scores and undergraduate GPA.”
The study surveyed students who have attended U of T Law since 2006—when Buzzfeed was founded—and compared their use of Buzzfeed quizzes to their final grades. While students who completed quizzes outside of class in the late 2000s generally did better than peers who did not complete quizzes at all, the correlation between quiz completion and test performance grew noticeably stronger once students could access the quizzes in class using laptops or smartphones.
HH students in particular reported sky-high in-class Buzzfeed quiz completion rates, with the average HH student completing upwards of three dozen quizzes in a two-hour lecture.
As part of the survey, students shared their strategies for finding and completing Buzzfeed quizzes efficiently. A popular strategy is for students to share links to quizzes in group chats. Once members of the group chat complete each quiz, they send screenshots of their results and receive emoji “reacts” from their peers.
Dr. Denning provided one possible explanation for the phenomenon: “It may be that Buzzfeed quizzes simulate a testing environment. Students must answer as quickly as possible using what they already know about a variety of subjects, such as their likes and dislikes, how they would plan their dream wedding, and what they would put in their ideal taco.”
Harriet H. Han, who graduated from U of T Law in 2019 with straight HHs, credited Buzzfeed quizzes for keeping her awake in class and for helping her discover her passion for family law. “While taking a quiz to determine which Jonas Brother is my soulmate, I realized that even though they’re all in stable relationships, I wouldn’t hesitate to start divorce proceedings for him.” Han declined to disclose which Jonas Brother is her soulmate. Han has since clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada and is now on partner-track at a family law boutique.
Dr. Denning provided some tips for increasing your in-class quiz consumption:
- Start small. The vast world of Buzzfeed quizzes can be intimidating. Start with one or two quizzes per class and work up from there to avoid burnout.
- Build a support system. Hold yourself accountable by sending your quiz results to friends and family. Even better, send it to your study group so you can all increase your grades together.
- Plan for failure. Getting off-track when building habits is inevitable, so it’s crucial to plan ahead. If you haven’t done the readings for class, will you feel the need to pay attention to the professor instead of doing quizzes? Will you get kicked out of your group chat for sending 40 screenshots in a row? Consider what factors are likely to interfere with your quiz goals and plan ahead to mitigate them.
“It may be difficult for those who are not accustomed to the Buzzfeed Method,” Dr. Denning added, “but I believe anyone can easily incorporate these quizzes into their classroom habits and become a stellar student.”
