A common faculty complaint in higher education is the failure of students to read the textbook and adequately prepare for class. This study examines the use of student prepared chapter outlines as a strategy for encouraging students to read the textbook, better prepare for class, increase student engagement, and ultimately improve learning outcomes. The effectiveness of the strategy is measured using longitudinal assessments of student learning outcomes in upper and lower level accounting courses. The study also contrasts the differential impact of the strategy on high-stake and low-stake assignments, as well as offering evidence on its effectiveness for both accounting and non-accounting majors.