Using performance bonuses to decrease procrastination

Abstract

A common problem amongst college students is procrastination. Students tend to wait until the last minute to work on projects, especially if the project is longer than a day or two in duration. By procrastinating, students often end up rushing at the end to complete the project, resulting in the student not obtaining the optimal educational benefit from the assignment. This syndrome also leads to long lines outside of the office door on the day or two before an assignment is due, as the students are frantically trying to complete an assignment and have questions that they cannot answer. Those who are able to work effectively under pressure complete the assignment, while those who do not either turn in substandard work or submit late assignments. The late assignments receive reduced credit and impact the delivery of the next assignment. These late assignments also defer grades being returned to other students, as it is difficult for fair and equitable grading to be ensured unless the majority of assignments are graded at the same time. In the construction industry, it is common for contractors to be assigned a performance bonus. Contracts that are finished early receive an incentive, typically in the form of an extra payment, while jobs which are finished late are penalized. In academics, it is common for a penalty to be assessed on late assignments. However, grading has not provided an incentive for students to finish their assignments early. This article analyzes the results of applying such an incentive system to engineering assignments. Through a small study, it will analyze whether performance bonuses reduce tardiness in assignment submissions as well as whether a performance bonus improves student learning through better achievement of course outcomes. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2010.