title: Concept mapping improves academic performance in problem solving questions in biochemistry subject.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of concept mapping (CM) on the academic performance of medical students' in problem-solving as well as in declarative knowledge questions and their perception regarding CM.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present analytical and questionnaire-based study was carried out at Bahria University Medical and Dental College (BUMDC), Karachi, Pakistan. In this analytical study, students were assessed with problem-solving questions (A-type MCQs), and declarative knowledge questions (short essay questions), and 50% of the questions were from the topics learned by CM. Students also filled a 10-item, 3-point Likert scale questionnaire about their perception regarding the effectiveness of the CM approach, and two open-ended questions were also asked.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference in the marks obtained in those problem-solving questions, which were learned by CM as compared to those topics which were taught by the traditional lectures (p<0.001), while no significant difference was observed in marks in declarative knowledge questions (p=0.704). Analysis of students' perception regarding CM showed that majority of the students perceive that CM is a helpful technique and it is enjoyed by the students. In open-ended questions, the majority of the students commented positively about the effectiveness of CM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that CM improves academic performance in problem solving but not in declarative knowledge questions. Students' perception about the effectiveness of CM was overwhelmingly positive.
authors.affiliation: Mukhtiar Baig, PhD, MHPE. Department of Clinical Biochemistry & Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, KSA.
authors.forename: Mukhtiar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.affiliation: Saba Tariq, MPhil. Department of Pharmacology, University Medical & Dental College, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tariq
authors.affiliation: Rehana Rehman, PhD. Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rehana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Sobia Ali, MHPE. Department of Medical Education, Shalimar Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sobia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Zohair J. Gazzaz, PhD. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, KSA.
authors.forename: Zohair J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Gazzaz
keywords: Academic performance; Biochemistry; Concept map; MCQs