Abstract
Extra credit homework can be a supplemental pathway for professors to reinforce course content and encourage students to engage in co-curricular activities (e.g., career fairs). For extra credit to be effectual, it must have valence or be attractive to the intended audience (Vroom 1964). This paper explored the valence of extra credit through two distinct assignments—one small value and the other large. Students could earn up to five bonus points or a late pass as a reward for completing an extra credit assignment. The authors expected 20% would select a late pass, but only 2% did. There was a second extra credit assignment; students could earn 20 bonus points for completing a career badge with four separate career activities. The authors anticipated that 25% of the sample would finish the assignment, but only 2% succeeded. This study reaffirms that valence matters and suggests that timing and frequency of extra credit are also relevant considerations. The results provide an informed route for professors to contemplate finetuning their existing extra credit practices based on student preference and the desired emphasis on career preparation.
Recommended Citation
Murphy, Angela J. and Amort, Holger
(2024)
"Valence Matters: An Exploration of Small and Large Value Extra Credit Assignments to Incentivize College Students,"
Journal of Business, Industry, and Economics: Vol. 29, Article 9.
Available at:
https://roar.una.edu/jobie/vol29/iss1/9