On raw exam scores, interleaved homework produced no significant midterm difference between sections but a significant final exam advantage for the interleaved section¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r2 · q2 · i1 small
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? On the midterm exam, there was no significant difference between the two sections (equivalence was not tested). → Steve Bennoun 2026 q2 i1 On the final exam, the interleaved section significantly outperformed the blocked section with Cohen's d = 0.32. → Steve Bennoun 2026 (2)

Evidence¶

Steve Bennoun 2026¶

Steve Bennoun, Veronica X. Yan, & Alice Xu. (2026). Mixing problems increases performance of all students but especially of low-achieving ones in college calculus. npj Science of Learning. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-026-00450-6

q2 · i? · causal · r2

Raw-score comparison of the two course sections on the midterm exam. The article reports t(579) = 1.36, p = 0.17, and Cohen's d = 0.11, and states "there was no significant difference between the two sections".

"On the midterm exam, there was no significant difference between the two sections,t(579) = 1.36,p = 0.17, Cohen’s d = 0.11."

Steve Bennoun 2026 (2)¶

Steve Bennoun, Veronica X. Yan, & Alice Xu. (2026). Mixing problems increases performance of all students but especially of low-achieving ones in college calculus. npj Science of Learning. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-026-00450-6

q2 · i1 · causal · r2

Raw-score comparison of the two course sections on the final exam. The article reports t(512) = 3.77, p < 0.001, and Cohen's d = 0.32, "a significant difference between the two sections" favoring the section with interleaved second-half homework.

"On the final exam, there was a significant difference between the two sections,t(512) = 3.77,p <0 . 0 0 1 ,C o h e n’s d = 0.32."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Interleaving benefits were not detected on high-stakes midterm exams taken after cramming — related
• Controlling for prior knowledge and demographics, interleaving benefited all students on the final exam (β = 0.21, p < 0.001) — related
• Interleaving showed robust benefits across a multiverse analysis of data-processing choices, with all key p-values below stated thresholds — related
• Interleaving disproportionately benefited students with below-average or up-to-0.96-SD-above-average midterm scores, though ceiling effects may contribute — related
• On the midterm, interleaving significantly reduced the gap between URM and non-URM students relative to blocked homework — related
• On the final exam, interleaving reduced gaps for URM students, first-generation students, students with lower mother's education, and students with weaker high school mathematics preparation — related
• A pilot study with 83 seventh graders found a large interleaving benefit (d = 0.97) preceding the main trial — related
• College students assigned free online games as homework scored significantly higher on the midterm than students given traditional assignments — related