A Plea to Faculty: Rethink Student Writing Assignments

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Academic Integrity

Background:

• Traditional academic settings often require paper submissions.
• The quality of submitted work can vary significantly among students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the detrimental effects of mandatory submission of low-quality academic papers.
• To evaluate the impact on student learning, instructor workload, and overall academic assessment.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of student feedback on assignment requirements.
• Comparative study of grading outcomes for papers of varying quality.
• Survey of instructor perceptions regarding the value of poor paper submissions.

Main Results:

• Mandatory submission of poor papers does not enhance student learning or provide meaningful assessment data.
• Instructors face increased workload without commensurate educational benefit.
• Student motivation and engagement may decrease when low-quality work is accepted.

Conclusions:

• Educational institutions should reconsider policies that mandate the submission of substandard academic work.
• Focus should shift towards formative feedback and improvement rather than mere completion.
• Rethinking assessment strategies can lead to more effective learning outcomes.