ERIC Number: EJ872882
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Dec
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0191-491X
EISSN: N/A
The Impact of Framing Effect on Student Preferences for University Grading Systems
Smith, Jeffrey K.; Smith, Lisa F.
Studies in Educational Evaluation, v35 n4 p160-167 Dec 2009
Kahneman and Tversky's (1979, 2000; Tversky & Kahneman, 1981) work in decision-making was applied to student preferences for grading practices. Undergraduate psychology students (n = 240) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 framing conditions related to how a university course might be graded: a 100 point system, a percentage system, and an open point system of assessment. The assignments in each condition were the same, and the relative weights assigned to each were the same. The only difference was in the approach to how many total points were involved and how the final grades were calculated. Thus, the same performance would yield the same final grade in each condition. Participants reviewed the grading system they were assigned to and then were asked to rate a series of possible assessments to be used in the course with regard to their motivation, confidence, effort, accuracy of assessment, and how well the student might do using those assessments. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance indicated that the framing conditions significantly affected motivation, confidence, and effort, but not the perception of how well the student would do in the course or whether the grading system provides an accurate assessment of performance. Results are discussed in terms of application to college grading, the relationship to framing effect theory, and the potential for decision theory to inform assessment practice. (Contains 4 figures and 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Motivation, Grading, Higher Education, Undergraduate Students, Educational Psychology, Academic Achievement, Decision Making, Multivariate Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A