title: Daily mini quizzes as means for improving student performance in anatomy course.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate daily-written 10-question quizzes in a medical anatomy course as a way to integrate assessment into the course and to evaluate their effect on the course success.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students answering correctly 8/10 or more questions were awarded 0.5 points per quiz. There were 34 quizzes with a maximum point score 17. Measurable outcomes of academic progress in anatomy course (pass rates on 4 examination terms, total pass rate, and average marks) were calculated, and 2007/08 academic year was compared with the previous academic year in which daily written quizzes were not a part of the course. The relationship between cumulative points on daily quizzes and 3 components of the final examination (written, practical, and oral) for 2007/08 academic year was assessed by non-parametric correlation testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individual scores on quizzes ranged from 1.5 to 13.5 points. There was a positive correlation between scores on quizzes and grades on 3 components of the final examination: written (Spearman rho=0.784, P<0.001, n=79), practical (Spearman rho=0.342, P<0.002, n=79), and oral (Spearman rho=0.683, P<0.001, n=79) part. Compared with students in the previous academic year, students attending the course with daily quizzes significantly improved their academic achievement, expressed as the pass rate at the first examination term (39% vs 62%, respectively, chi(2) test, P=0.006, ) and the average course grade (2.71+/-1.08 vs 3.38+/-1.26, respectively; t test, P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite their frequency and possible associated stress, daily quizzes were associated with better academic success in the anatomy course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2, 21000 Split, Croatia. igrkovic@mefst.hr
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poljicanin
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carić
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vilović
authors.forename: Vana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kosta
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinović Guić
authors.forename: Jure
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aljinović
authors.forename: Ivica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grković
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D013337:Students, Medical