Argumentative essay
Mandatory class attendance in higher education has been an issue for quite a long
time. When students have to choose between attending an eight-thirty lecture or
sleeping in, they often choose the latter. Not every student is the same of course, but
generally speaking, the majority of students do not attend class regularly. Some
simply lack the discipline to do so. This will then lead to a large number of students
who fail their class. Therefore, this essay will be arguing that class attendance in
higher education should be mandatory because of the student’s improvement in
academical performance as well as the strengthening of their discipline.
When class attendance is made mandatory, the effect on the student performance is
shown to be positive. According to a study done by Randy Moore at the University of
Minnesota, the effect that class attendance has on academic performance is quite
dramatic. He conducted a study on an introductory science course and compared
two groups of students. One group did not attend class as much (less than 80%) and
the other group attended class regularly (80% and more). When the course had
finished and the students received their grades, he concluded that students who had
attended class less than 80% had received a low grade and students who had
attended 80% or more received a high grade (Moore, 2002). This is a great example
of the positive effect that mandatory class attendance has had on the student’s
academic performance.
Next to the positive effect on the student’s performance, mandatory class attendance
is also a tool which can be used to strengthen the student’s discipline. In an article
written by Crede, Roch and Kieszcynka from the State University of New York at
Albany, three hypotheses are proposed. The second hypothesis reads: ‘’Class
attendance will exhibit positive relationships with individual difference variables that
reflect students’ level of conscientiousness, motivation, core self-evaluations and
cognitive ability.’’. The professors argue that class attendance mediates positively in
the relationship between student’s characteristics and their grades. The researchers
believe that these characteristics (conscientiousness, motivation, self-evaluation and
cognitive ability) increase the chances of a student attending class, which then leads
to a higher grade (Credé, M., Roch, S.G., Kieszczynka, U.M., 2010).
Mandatory class attendance in higher education has been an issue for quite a long
time. When students have to choose between attending an eight-thirty lecture or
sleeping in, they often choose the latter. Not every student is the same of course, but
generally speaking, the majority of students do not attend class regularly. Some
simply lack the discipline to do so. This will then lead to a large number of students
who fail their class. Therefore, this essay will be arguing that class attendance in
higher education should be mandatory because of the student’s improvement in
academical performance as well as the strengthening of their discipline.
When class attendance is made mandatory, the effect on the student performance is
shown to be positive. According to a study done by Randy Moore at the University of
Minnesota, the effect that class attendance has on academic performance is quite
dramatic. He conducted a study on an introductory science course and compared
two groups of students. One group did not attend class as much (less than 80%) and
the other group attended class regularly (80% and more). When the course had
finished and the students received their grades, he concluded that students who had
attended class less than 80% had received a low grade and students who had
attended 80% or more received a high grade (Moore, 2002). This is a great example
of the positive effect that mandatory class attendance has had on the student’s
academic performance.
Next to the positive effect on the student’s performance, mandatory class attendance
is also a tool which can be used to strengthen the student’s discipline. In an article
written by Crede, Roch and Kieszcynka from the State University of New York at
Albany, three hypotheses are proposed. The second hypothesis reads: ‘’Class
attendance will exhibit positive relationships with individual difference variables that
reflect students’ level of conscientiousness, motivation, core self-evaluations and
cognitive ability.’’. The professors argue that class attendance mediates positively in
the relationship between student’s characteristics and their grades. The researchers
believe that these characteristics (conscientiousness, motivation, self-evaluation and
cognitive ability) increase the chances of a student attending class, which then leads
to a higher grade (Credé, M., Roch, S.G., Kieszczynka, U.M., 2010).
