This effect has been researched. Basically, praise for intelligence results in students getting discouraged when they fail, whereas praise for effort results in students trying harder (and ultimately doing better, by some measure of "better").
A quick search of Google yields this paper, which you can probably get through the library at Western:
Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance. Mueller, Claudia M.; Dweck, Carol S. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 75(1), Jul 1998, 33-52. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.33
(Disclaimer: I have only read sensationalized news reports and second-hand accounts from others on the paper; I have not actually read the paper myself yet.)
A quick search of Google yields this paper, which you can probably get through the library at Western:
Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance. Mueller, Claudia M.; Dweck, Carol S. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 75(1), Jul 1998, 33-52. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.33
(Disclaimer: I have only read sensationalized news reports and second-hand accounts from others on the paper; I have not actually read the paper myself yet.)