Making the (Letter) Grade: The Incentive Effects of Mandatory Pass/Fail Courses
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| Title: | Making the (Letter) Grade: The Incentive Effects of Mandatory Pass/Fail Courses |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kristin Butcher, Patrick J. McEwan, Akila Weerapana |
| Source: | Education Finance and Policy. 2024 19(3):385-408. |
| Availability: | MIT Press. 55 Hayward Street, Cambridge, MA 02142. Tel: 617-253-2889; Fax: 617-253-1709; e-mail: journals-rights@mit.edu; Web site: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/loi/edfp |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 34 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Pass Fail Grading, College Freshmen, Courses, Grades (Scholastic), Academic Records, Course Selection (Students), Influences, Academic Achievement, STEM Education, Learner Engagement, Achievement Gains, Teacher Effectiveness, Incentives |
| Geographic Terms: | Massachusetts |
| DOI: | 10.1162/edfp_a_00401 |
| ISSN: | 1557-3060 1557-3079 |
| Abstract: | In fall 2014, Wellesley College began mandating pass/fail grading for courses taken by first year, first-semester students, although instructors continued to record letter grades. We identify the causal effect of the policy on course choice and performance, using a regression discontinuity-in-time design. Students shifted to lower-grading science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in the first semester, but did not increase their engagement with STEM in later semesters. Letter grades of first-semester students declined by 0.13 grade points, or 23 percent of a standard deviation. We evaluate causal channels of the grade effect -- including sorting into lower-grading STEM courses and declining instructional quality -- and conclude that the effect is consistent with declining student effort. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2024 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1434301 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | In fall 2014, Wellesley College began mandating pass/fail grading for courses taken by first year, first-semester students, although instructors continued to record letter grades. We identify the causal effect of the policy on course choice and performance, using a regression discontinuity-in-time design. Students shifted to lower-grading science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in the first semester, but did not increase their engagement with STEM in later semesters. Letter grades of first-semester students declined by 0.13 grade points, or 23 percent of a standard deviation. We evaluate causal channels of the grade effect -- including sorting into lower-grading STEM courses and declining instructional quality -- and conclude that the effect is consistent with declining student effort. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1557-3060 1557-3079 |
| DOI: | 10.1162/edfp_a_00401 |
