Skipping class in college and exam performance: Evidence from a regression discontinuity classroom experiment

Carlos Dobkin, Ricard Gil and Justin Marion

Economics of Education Review, 2010, vol. 29, issue 4, 566-575

Abstract: In this paper we estimate the effect of class attendance on exam performance by implementing a policy in three large economics classes that required students scoring below the median on the midterm exam to attend class. This policy generated a large discontinuity in the rate of post-midterm attendance at the median of the midterm score. We estimate that near the policy threshold, the post-midterm attendance rate was 36 percentage points higher for those students facing compulsory attendance. The discontinuous attendance policy is also associated with a significant difference in performance on the final exam. We estimate that a 10 percentage point increase in a student's overall attendance rate results in a 0.17 standard deviation increase in the final exam score without adversely affecting performance on other classes taken concurrently.

Keywords: Class; attendance; College; education; Student; performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (50)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:29:y:2010:i:4:p:566-575

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