The effects of more informative grading on student outcomes

Matthew Collins, Jonas Lundstedt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

More granular grading scales provide a more accurate assessment of achievement and thus provide students with more informative feedback on their performance. Using Swedish administrative data and exploiting a natural experiment, we identify the effects of moving from a system with three passing grades to one with five passing grades. Students receiving more informative grades are less likely to graduate from high school, from academic high school tracks, and from STEM and art high school tracks. Affected students are also less likely to enrol in STEM courses at university. The evidence suggests discouragement as a likely mechanism, with students revising their self-belief downward when receiving more informative feedback.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)514-549
Number of pages36
JournalJournal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Volume218
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024 Feb

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Learning

Free keywords

  • Education outcomes
  • Feedback
  • Grading
  • HBSC
  • Natural experiment

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