What Is the Influence of a Compulsory Attendance Policy on Absenteeism and Performance?

Abstract

The authors utilized a quasiexperimental design across sections of managerial communication and management information systems classes (N D 212) to test the impact of compulsory attendance policies on student absenteeism and performance. Students in the compulsory attendance policy condition received an attendance policy that punished excessive absenteeism. Students in the other condition received a policy that told students they were expected to attend but offered neither reward nor punishment. Results suggest that the compulsory policy reduced absenteeism. The policy's effect on performance depended on the student's level of prior academic achievement. The authors discuss the findings.Instructors and researchers have spent much effort on enhancing student class attendance. They have been driven by the common belief that class attendance leads to better academic performance. Researchers have conducted a number of studies, looking at the relationship between class attendance and performance, and the results suggest that students who attend class are likely to perform better than their peers who miss class frequently.For example, Schmidt (1983) measured the impact of different time commitments by students to various course activities on the students' performance in economics classes. The study found that class attendance was the most important factor for student success. Another study of economics students done by Park and Kerr (1990) demonstrated that the role of class attendance is statistically significant in explaining student grades. A randomized experiment in economics classes, designed by Chen and Lin (2008), aimed to estimate the average attendance effect on student exam performance. They concluded that class attendance had a positive and significant impact on college students' exam performance. Devadoss and Foltz (1996) found that agricultural economics students who attended all classes performed better than their peers who missed classes. The difference in grade represented three increments in grade such as CC to BC (Devadoss, 1996).Although many of the studies linking class attendance to performance have been conducted in economics classes, the results appear to hold for students in other academic disciplines. For instance, Longhurst (1999) affirmed that education students' absenteeism results in inadequate learning, disruption in class and compromised performance. Thomas and Higbee (2000) found a strong correlation between class attendance and improved grades in introductory mathematics courses. Silvestri (2003) found grades and attendance to be positively related for a sample of teacher-education students. Thatcher, Fridjhon, and Cookcroft (2007) reported that "always attending class" was the best predictor of performance for cognitive psychology students. Clark, Gill, Walker, and Whittle (2011) reported a moderately positive correlation between attendance and performance for students from across different geography courses and levels. A study by Snyder, Forbus, and Cistulli (2012) revealed a positiv...

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“…Attendance thresholds of 70% or 80% are often described as discriminatory (Colby, , Deane and Murphy, ). However, this correlation does not signify a causal relationship, and simply mandating minimum attendance does not necessarily lead to an improvement in performance (Rodgers, , Snyder et al, ). Nonetheless, these indices may be useful in identifying at‐risk students for individual intervention and support.…”

“…However, this correlation does not signify a causal relationship, and simply mandating minimum attendance does not necessarily lead to an improvement in performance (Rodgers, Spearman correlation (r s ) is significant at the; a P 5 0.05 (two-tailed); b P 5 0.001 (two-tailed); c P 5 0.01 (two-tailed); d P 5 0.005 (twotailed) levels. , Snyder et al, 2014. Nonetheless, these indices may be useful in identifying at-risk students for individual intervention and support.…”

Why don’t they attend? Factors that influence the attendance of HE students of education

“…Pinto and Lohrey 2016). Mandatory explicit attendance policies have demonstrated that they can improve attendance (Snyder et al 2014), but in order to be effective, policies should be explicit and clear. However, this is not the case in many institutions (Self 2012;Marburg 2006).…”

The price of forced attendance

“…4 For some of the many examples, see Romer (1993), Durden and Ellis (1995), Kirby and McElroy (2003), Stanca (2006), Lin and Chen (2006), Marburger (2001), Martins and Walker (2006), Chen and Lin (2008), and Latif and Miles (2013). argument has been reinforced by studies that use classroom or course-level evidence to show positive correlations between mandatory attendance and grades (see e.g., Dobkin, Gil, & Marion, 2010;Marburger, 2006;Snyder, Lee-Partridge, Jarmoszko, Petkova, & D'Onofrio, 2014). We build on these studies by estimating the causal effect of a large-scale and year-long mandatory attendance policy.…”

“…The argument for mandatory attendance is based on a robust positive correlation between grades and attendance. The argument has been reinforced by studies that use classroom or course‐level evidence to show positive correlations between mandatory attendance and grades (see e.g., Dobkin, Gil, & Marion, 2010; Marburger, 2006; Snyder, Lee‐Partridge, Jarmoszko, Petkova, & D'Onofrio, 2014). We build on these studies by estimating the causal effect of a large‐scale and year‐long mandatory attendance policy.…”