Chewing gum might help improve final exam grades

By: Chelsea Brown

Posted: 11/26/07

With final exams around the corner, students might feel stressed and overwhelmed. But have no fear - a new study suggests that simply chewing gum can improve your test grades.

The study, recently conducted by Cornell University and Wrigley's chewing gum, revealed that chewing gum during exams can improve test scores.

In a marketing class at Cornell, 591 students were tested in this non-scientific experiment. According to the survey, the students with an average score of 90 chewed gum and the students who didn't chew gum received an average score of 60.

The students tested were shocked by this conclusion, and some professors even have gone as far as to use this method to increase test scores. Some people, however, still aren't convinced.

Some professors at FMU feel as though this theory needs more evidence.

Associate Dean of Business Dr. David Frank and business Professor Dr. Ben Kyer both said the results probably aren't accurate since it was an informal study.

Many students had a similar reaction to the results, but for different reasons.

Junior Priya Prioleau thought the study methodology was flawed.

"I chew gum a lot, but it doesn't affect my test scores," Prioleau said.

Chewing gum can effect a student's concentration - both negatively and positively. A student intensely chewing gum during an exam can throw off the concentration of another student, Frank said.

"In an exam situation, the sound of gum chewing can get annoying," Frank said.

Other students find it difficult to chew gum and focus on one particular thing such as an exam. Junior Damara Walker thinks it's difficult to concentrate while chewing gum at the same time.

"Chewing gum makes me think of food and not the test," Walker said.

Junior Everett Robinson said chewing gum is a form of a memorization technique.

"This is a proven fact, and it's going to work because it triggers memory," Robinson said.