Cramming (/ˈkræmɪŋ/) is a term often used by students to refer to the act of studying intensively for a test or exam. The spelling of "cramming" follows the regular English rules of phonetics, with the "c" representing the hard "k" sound, the "r" representing a rolling or tapped "r" sound, the "a" as a short vowel sound, and the "mm" representing the nasalized "m" sound. The final "-ing" represents the present participle of the verb "cram," indicating ongoing action.
Cramming, in the context of education or studying, refers to the practice of intensely studying or memorizing a large volume of information within a short period of time, usually immediately before an exam or test. It involves attempting to quickly acquire a significant amount of knowledge, facts, or concepts in a condensed timeframe, often relying on rote memorization rather than deep understanding.
The term "cramming" may also be used to describe the act of hastily completing assignments or tasks in a rushed manner, usually due to a lack of time management or procrastination. This can result in subpar quality of work or a superficial understanding of the subject matter.
While cramming can sometimes be effective in temporarily retaining information for an exam or completing a last-minute assignment, it is generally considered an inefficient learning strategy. It typically neglects meaningful comprehension and long-term memory retention, as the focus is primarily on short-term results. Consequently, material learned through cramming is often quickly forgotten after the test is over.
Education experts and researchers often advocate for more effective and sustainable study techniques, such as regular and distributed practice, active learning, and concept understanding, which facilitate deeper comprehension and long-lasting knowledge retention. These methods encourage a more comprehensive and holistic approach to learning, ultimately leading to improved academic performance and a more solid grasp of the subject matter.
The act of preparing, in a limited time, for passing an examination, by only acquiring that amount of knowledge necessary to answer the questions that may be proposed.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "cramming" originated from the Middle English word "crammen", which means "to stuff or fill". This Middle English term evolved from the Old English word "crāmian", also meaning "to cram" or "to cram full". The Old English root can be traced back to the West Germanic word "kramon", which shares similar meanings related to compressing or filling tightly. The origins of this word eventually go back to the Proto-Germanic word "kramōną", which means "to press or squeeze". The term "cramming" in the context of studying or trying to learn a lot of information quickly was first documented in the late 19th century.