They divided the students into two groups: the experimental and control.

What they had to do:

• They had to explain what they thought would be on the exam and which resources they thought were most useful to help them study for the expected questions.
• They were also asked how they planned to use these resources to prepare and why they thought their plan would be effective.

They only received a standard exam reminder.

• Across two studies, students receiving the intervention performed significantly better than those in the control group on the same exam; on average, their grades increased by one-third of a letter grade.
• Students also reported higher levels of empowerment and control after the intervention, as well as more positive feelings about future exams in the class.

Although many schools attempt to shower students with more money and information to improve performance, the authors argue that too many resources can actually be a hindrance to intentional studying and strong performances.