09F+grp+1

GROUP 1: PLEASE SEE THE "DISCUSSION" TAB FOR COMMENTS & QUESTIONS.

Group 1 Enterprises, LLC. Delaware Corporate Center 123 Main Street Wilmington, DE 19808 Phone: 302-555-1234

November 3, 2009

Mr. Havidán Rodríguez Office of the Deputy Provost 116 Hullihen Hall Newark, DE 19716 Phone: 302-831-2147

Dear Mr. Rodríguez:

In response to University of Delaware's RFP No. 20091030, Group 1 Enterprises, LLC. is submitting this proposal to resolve the issue of low Friday class attendance.

Group 1 Enterprises, LLC. has worked with numerous public and private universities as well as large corporations to quickly establish lasting solutions. The following proposal contains our understanding of the background information regarding the RFP, our objective, the procedure we will follow, our record of service, an estimated budget, and a tentative schedule.

We trust that you will see the value in selecting Group 1 Enterprises, LLC. to research and find a solution to the matter of attendance.

Sincerely,

Erin am Ende Lead Research Analyst


 * Proposal:**

Group 1 Enterprises, LLC. proposes to research and find a solution to the issue of low attendance to Friday classes at University of Delaware that will: · Boost class attendance · Establish resources that support educational efforts (focused on Freshmen and Sophomores) · Raise and bolster University of Delaware's collective GPA


 * Background of the problem:**

Research shows that there is a strong correlation between class attendance and grades received. The more classes a student misses, the more their grades will suffer (Lai, & Chan, 2000). This is why it is so important to boost class attendance at the University of Delaware, particularly for Friday classes. Friday classes suffer the most from poor attendance. Provost Tom Apple explains that this is due to light workloads on Fridays and heavy partying on Thursday nights. Apple proposed Saturday classes as a solution. All classes would meet two days a week for a longer period, placing more pressure on students to attend (Zaman, 2009). This proposal was met with a great deal of opposition from both students and faculty. On October 5, 2009, the Faculty Senate met to discuss the proposal. Only one member supported Saturday classes and 300 were against the proposal (Koren, 2009). Our team proposes that we can come up with a better idea that the Faculty Senate can agree upon as the solution to this Friday attendance dilemma.


 * Objectives:**

By researching and understanding the issues surrounding poor class attendance on Fridays, we will supply a solution that the Faculty Senate can support. Our objective is to increase Friday class attendance levels with a solution that will be met with much less opposition than the proposed addition of Saturday classes.


 * Procedure:**

We will perform the following services: >> - discuss what would constitute satisfactory attendance levels for Friday classes >> - review any historical trends on attendance >> - an overview of our findings >> - our recommended course of action
 * 1) Meet with you to:
 * 1) Establish methods for contacting recent and former students as well as faculty.  
 * 2) Conduct a survey of both faculty and students. The survey will deal primarily with perceptions of the importance of attendance, and the reaction of students/faculty towards options that might counteract the drop in Friday attendance.
 * 3) Analyze the data.
 * 4) Present the following for your review and approval:
 * 1) Follow up on the results (3 months after implementation of the selected program) to determine its effectiveness.


 * Record of Service:**

We have been in business for over 20 years, and with our work primarily focused on educational institutions. During that time we have successfully resolved hundreds of concerns by institutions similar to yours. We offer a highly experienced staff that specializes in survey construction and analysis. Our team is the benchmark in this industry since our initial consultation and brainstorming session are built into our overhead. The university will bear no cost for these beginning steps.


 * Budget:**

With four dedicated professionals we delegate each task to the team member with the related expertise to produce the best results while reducing cost to our client. Once you select our services, we will offer you the following contract options:
 * 1) **//Lump Sum (LS)//**: The university will know the exact cost at the start of the project.
 * 2) **//Time Spent (TS)//**: Flexible contract that adapts the university's needs and budget.
 * 3) **//Not-to-Exceed (NTE)//**: A hybrid contract that gives the institution a benchmark with both flexibility and a maximum fee.

Given the timeline of five weeks, we estimate a total cost NTE $200,000. This contract proposal includes $50,000 for our company's expedited services, $100,000 for plan implementation, and $50,000 to buffer adaptation to the University of Delaware's unique conditions. The implementation cost is derived from a comparable public university. We are able to tailor the budget to your specific needs and aim to keep costs low by utilizing existing infrastructure, current faculty, the student body, and grants. We understand the university's infrastructure to consist of the following: grant writing, web-casting, ample band-width & server capacity, Sakai online, and six-day work weeks for Physical Plant.

At the time of this proposal, the director of the Budget Office was not available to begin establishing the potential costs to the university resulting to changes in current class schedules and format.


 * Schedule: **

Upon selection we will send the finalized schedule for your review and approval. To hit our target date of December 9, 2009, we propose the following timeline:
 * 11/3 – 11/9: Preliminary meeting, primary data collection, and development of survey.
 * 11/10 – 11/16: Distribute survey and deploy viral campaign to receive responses.
 * 11/17 – 11/24: Collect surveys and analyze data.
 * 11/25 – 12/2: Process data and cultivate solution proposals.
 * 12/2 – 12/8: Review proposals with elected committees.
 * 12/9: Present final report.

=**References**=

Koren, M. (2009, October 6). Saturday class proposal likely dismissed, apple says. //The Review.// Lai, P., & Chan, K. C. (2000). Should class attendance be mandatory. //Atlantic Economic Journal//, Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6413/is_3_28/ai_n28799265/ Zaman, A. (2009, September 29). Provost proposes saturday classes. //The Review//.

Here are my comments on the proposal


 * Report**

Group 1 Enterprises, LLC. Delaware Corporate Center 123 Main Street Wilmington, DE 19808 Phone: 302-555-1234

November 20, 2009

Mr. Havidán Rodríguez Office of the Deputy Provost 116 Hullihen Hall Newark, DE 19716 Phone: 302-831-2147

Dear Mr. Rodríguez:

I have enclosed Group 1 Enterprises, LLC's report on resolving the issue of low class attendance on Friday's at the University of Delaware.

The report includes both our primary and secondary research procedures, as well as Group 1 Enterprises, LLC's analysis of each step in the process. Also provided are our team's results on our student-based questionnaire, faculty interviews, and our conclusions from the responses.

Furthermore, the report details the recommended methods and tactics that should be used in order to properly address this on-going issue at the University.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Erin am Ende Lead Research Analyst

**Table of Contents**

 * Executive Summary
 * Introduction
 * Procedure and Results
 * Secondary Research
 * Primary Research
 * Analysis of Survey
 * Conclusion and Recommendations
 * Appendix A: Survey Results
 * Appendix B: Survey Graphs
 * Sources


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Executive Summary **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Background **: Group 1 Enterprises has engaged in primary and secondary research to find a solution to the issue of Friday classes having low attendance rates at the University of Delaware (UD). Using the journal database, PSYCinfo, we reviewed numerous research studies. We also conducted our own primary research. Our survey received feedback from 30 UD students regarding what would cause them to attend class and responses from a faculty member at UD and Mississippi State University (MSU) to understand other aspects of the issue.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Results: ** Data from our distributed surveys and research from the PSYCinfo database suggest students are 83% to 90% more likely to attend class when exams or other graded assignments are scheduled. Tests may improve attendance by 35%. Unannounced quizzes are another tool to encourage consistent attendance.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Conclusions: ** Establishing Friday as the primary testing day will improve attendance. Among students surveyed, testing is 10% more effective than a mandatory attendance policy at getting students into the classroom. Additional improvements to attendance (and grades), as indicated by studies from the PSYCinfo database and MSU, can be accomplished by establishing an attendance policy that incorporates academic reward for attendance, unannounced quizzes for grades and extra-credit, and absence-based accountability from peers.

**Introduction**
Research shows that there is a strong correlation between class attendance and grades received. The more classes students miss, the more their grades will suffer (Lai, & Chan, 2000). This is why it is so important to boost class attendance at the University of Delaware, particularly for Friday classes. Friday classes suffer the most from poor attendance. Because of this, our team decided to uncover the forces behind it. We conducted a survey of the university's student body, interviewed a faculty member, reviewed precedent studies, and interviewed a staff member of a comparable university. Paramount to our success are the students. With their responses to our team's survey, we obtained answers needed to begin our thorough analysis of this persistent attendance issue. After reviewing the participating students' answers, we were able to begin configuring certain methods and tactics to help increase Friday's class attendance. Hopefully, in the near future, our proposed solutions will be in motion, ultimately increasing attendance and, perhaps more importantly, increasing student retention.

** Procedure and Results **

 * Secondary Research **

Much research has been done on the issue of class attendance among college students. We used the online journal article database, PSYCinfo, to research what different factors positively or negatively affect attendance among college students.

We hypothesized that the availability of lecture notes outside of class could lead to lower class attendance; however, according to several studies this was not the case. One study from Central Connecticut State University, found that the number of absences and grades were not affected by whether or not notes were posted on WebCT (Bowman, 2009). A University of Cincinnati study found that not only was attendance not affected, but grades were higher among students who had unlimited access to lecture notes (Hove, & Corcoran, 2008). Another study, from the University of Windsor, found that attendance was actually even higher when lecture slides were posted before the scheduled class session (Babb, & Ross, 2009). These findings underscore the importance of providing more resources to students that are readily available.

Beyond the availability of notes and lectures, additional studies point to the importance of attendance. In a study done by the University of Maryland, a mandatory attendance policy coupled with the act of recording attendance increased both attendance levels and class performance (Shimoff, & Catania, 2001). At Salem state college, they implemented an attendance award program for 16 different college classes where students received extra credit for attending class regularly. This resulted in higher attendance levels among these students then among the students in the 16 classes with a neutral attendance policy (Hansen, 1990).

We also searched for research on the level of absenteeism on class days with exams and other graded work. A Stanford University study found that attendance levels averaged 90% on exam days, but only 55% on days when there were no exams (Hovel, Williams, & Semb, 1979). Another study by the University of Nebraska showed that students were more likely to attend and study more for classes that gave unannounced quizzes (Kouyoumdjian, 2004). The University of the Pacific found that students were 10% more likely to show up to classes that gave extra-credit quizzes (Wilder, Flood, & Stromsnes, 2001). <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;"> To curb attendance problems, a comparable school implemented a new program. Mississippi State University knows that “cutting class can damage or derail a college career” so it set out to increase attendance while also improving student retention and raising the graduation rate (Schneider, 2002). Considering MSU was “one of eight selections” for the Noel-Levitz “15th annual Retention Excellence Award”, they appear to be headed in the right direction (Geuder, 2003). The program has had 5 more years to adapt and grow since its nomination (Geuder, 2008). In fact, the “Pathfinder” program is set up so that a student who misses class more than the allowed two will be “identified for an ever-so-gentle chat with school personnel” (Schneider, 2002). The professor who championed this program, David McMillen, pointed to two primary advantages of using residence life staff to serve as the point of contact for students who exceed their allowed absences. First, if a Resident Assistant talks to a student, there is an air of mentorship from a peer rather than perceived chastisement from a parent figure (McMillen, 2009). After all, a student away from home doesn’t want to “return to in loco parentis, the model of the 1960s, when colleges acted ‘in place of the parent’ in overseeing student life” (Schneider, 2002). Second, the student body dissipates costs the university would otherwise have to bear while it fosters mentorship (McMillen, 2009).

Ty Abernathy, the other staff member overseeing Pathfinder, clarifies that they will “contact students throughout the semester,” but they are “particularly interested in the first weeks of each semester when habits are being formed” (Geuder, 2006). Five years from the time Pathfinder was implemented, the percentage of freshmen without attendance problems jumped from 75% to 90% (Geuder, 2003). In fact, according to an annual study, the brightest students’ grades are not immune from the effects of skipping class. McMillen illustrated that, in 2005, the students would average a “1.64 grade-point average with absences and a 2.86 grade point with none" (Geuder, 2006). While it may take extra time for faculty to note student absence, the payback appears to exceed the time invested.


 * Primary Research **

After we finished our secondary research, we went straight to the students to learn what methods would be effective in increasing overall class attendance on Fridays. We developed a qualitative questionnaire with nine questions. We felt that by leaving the questions open-ended we did not limit students’ answers to our own pre-conceived ideas. Also, this allowed students to elaborate on the reasoning behind their answers. By doing so, we were introduced to several ideas not previously considered.

This survey was created using a free account on the website Surveymonkey.com. Username: engl312_group1 Password: engl312 Survey Web Address: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=jD pAfHQrrZk_2b1tHd1t2uxg_3d_3d

An event invite was created on the online social networking medium, Facebook. Information about the study and a link to the survey was sent out to 166 University of Delaware students. These students, found on Facebook, had public profiles that we could view. They also allowed event invites from users other than their friends. Of the 166 students selected, we had 30 respondents. After the survey was closed, each of the questions’ answers was analyzed. Similar answers were combined together in categories and the answers were mapped out on bar graphs. In Appendix A, you can read the survey questions accompanied by each student’s answer. In Appendix B, you can view the first eight questions of the survey in bar graph form. The last question was not graphed because it simply asked students for additional comments. <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;"> Interviewing a University of Delaware statistics professor revealed that Friday’s attendance may not be solely influenced by Thursday social life. In fact, what was observed is a correlation between tests and absences. While students were more likely to show up for a test or in-class assignment, attendance would sometimes drop after a test. The teacher’s theory is that students either:

Would student attendance improve the most by scheduling the majority of tests on Friday? Considering that students are more likely to be present for a Friday class if there is a test that day, yet are more likely to skip class the day following a test, this seems likely. Having the weekend after a test may provide a buffer to keep attendance high throughout the week. <span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">
 * 1) Were exhausted from cramming the night before the assignment/test, or
 * 2) Believed that nothing important would be covered in class the next day (Anonymous, 2009).

Perhaps consistent attendance has more factors than Fridays and tests. David McMillen, professor of sociology at Mississippi State University, instituted the “Pathfinder” program ten years ago. Now, with a decade of data, a shift is evident. McMillen reports that student retention has improved by 11% at a negligible cost of $100,000. The Pathfinder budget pays half of two teachers’ salaries along with additional expenses. Rather than investing large sums of money into activities that gets students in the door, he sees academic resources and accountability as the linchpin to student success and happiness. He then points out that recruiting is staggeringly expensive compared to retaining current students (McMillen, 2009). According to MSU's Social Science Research Center, i n some cases universities may be able to obtain grants to partially fund the initiative (White, 2009). It is no wonder why professor McMillen practically laughs at the small price tag of the program. After all, if students don’t earn solid grades, no amount of campus activities will keep them there.


 * Analysis of Survey **

// **Note:** On some of the questions students offered more than one response. This is why it may appear that on some questions we surveyed more students. We divided each response into each individual answer. //

Many students that filled out the survey claim to have good attendance records. Of the 30, about 37% (11 students) stated that they only miss 1-4% of their Friday classes. This still leaves a high percentage of students that miss more, however. Of the 30, about 37% (11 students) claim to miss between 5% and 19% of their Friday classes. Twenty percent of the respondents (7 students) say that they miss between 20% and 60% of their Friday classes. Two students did not estimate a percentage.

When students were asked the reasons why attendance was so low on Fridays, the answers varied, but there were many common themes. Thirty percent (18 students) agreed with Provost Tom Apple, that late Thursday night partying was the culprit for causing students to miss class. Another 30% (10 students) cited that many students desire to start the weekend early, especially when they have travel plans. Ten percent of respondents (3 students) claimed that it is because at the end of the week, students feel overworked from a heavy course load.



We then wanted to know what our respondents believed would boost attendance. Several students even gave multiple suggestions. Forty percent (12 students) said that students are more likely to attend class on days when exams, quizzes, presentations, and other graded work are given. About 47% (14 students) responded that mandatory attendance policies should be implemented to increase turnout. Ten percent of respondents (3 students) stated that a more ideal time slot for class, preferably in the afternoon, would cause more students to attend. About 7% (2 students) answered that extra credit would increase attendance.

Students were also asked if the notes from lecture were available to them outside of class. Sixty percent (18 students) responded that lecture notes were available even to those who did not attend class. Many said that their professors post the powerpoint slides online or they can just ask a classmate. About 27% (8 students) said that the notes were only sometimes available and it depended on which class they were taking. Only about 13% (4 students) <span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msobidithemefont: minor-latin;">responded that the notes were not available outside of class.

In the next section of the questionnaire, we began pitching our own ideas on how to solve the Friday class attendance dilemma. When students were asked if they were more likely to show up to class on the days that exams when exams are held, an overwhelming 83% (25 students) said that they would not want to miss these classes. Another 13% (4 students) responded that they always attend class regardless of whether or not there is an exam. Only one student answered “no.” These are results are not surprising considering that according to the UD Student Handbook, exams cannot be made-up unless the student has a valid UD excuse.

Mandatory attendance policies were the most popular recommendation when students were previously asked what action should be taken to boost attendance. When we asked if students were more likely to attend class when they were made accountable for attendance, about 73% of respondents (22 students) said that this would make them more likely to attend. About 13% (4 students) said that they attend class regardless and only 10% (3 students) said that a mandatory attendance policy would not cause them to attend Friday classes more regularly. Two of the responses were very interesting to note. One respondent claimed that s/he is more likely to drop a class that has a mandatory attendance policy. Another said that s/he still misses classes with mandatory attendance because s/he will just deal with the lower grade.

We also asked if participation points received for attending class would cause them to attend more regularly. Seventy percent (21 students) said “Yes.” Another 17% (5 students) said that they would attend class regardless. About 13 percent (4 students) answered “No.”

After students finished answering the first eight questions, we wanted to know if they had any additional comments. Most did not. Some reiterated their responses to other questions. One suggested that freshman-only dorms be eliminated so that freshman are mixed in with upperclassmen and, hopefully, gain a higher maturity level because of it. It was also mentioned that the University should be less strict with courses requirements, because many students miss classes that are not integral to their major. Many classes that University of Delaware students take are just to fill group requirements. We found this suggestion to be in poor judgment especially because a class that is a elective for one may be required for another. Looser overall requirements contradict the majority of our research that calls for strict attendance policies to maintain attendance. Another student suggested that classes only be scheduled on Mondays through Thursdays. Lastly, several students agreed that Provost Tom Apple’s plan for Saturday classes was not the right solution.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Conclusions & Recommendations **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">

In conclusion, our research indicates that the University of Delaware not only has the opportunity to accomplish their goal of improving Friday attendance, but to also accomplish the following:

·Raise students’ grades, ·Increase student retention, ·Potentially reduce recruitment expenses, ·Increase graduation rates, ·Foster a greater sense of community, ·Create more stable class environments for students & professors, and ·Reduce student-parent strain caused by grades.

Addressing the primary purpose of this report, research revealed the main cause of low Friday class attendance is the tendency of students to attend parties on Thursday night. A secondary cause of absenteeism is that students want to start the weekend early. Additionally, but to lesser degree, some students cited feeling overworked as the driving reason behind lack of attendance for Friday classes. Since surveys indicated few students feel over-worked and most students are more likely to attend class when a test is scheduled, Friday testing is a simple solution to Friday attendance. Interestingly, more students would feel compelled to attend class due to a test than a mandatory attendance policy (83% vs. 73%, <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">respectively <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">). Rather than taking the two leading factors head-on, the simpler solution to start with is simply side-step them and revise school policies beginning with establishing Friday as the primary testing day.

Additionally, forms of accountability for attendance have had notable success in multiple universities. Options for attendance policies include attendance -based grades, attendance -based incentives (like extra-credit), and lower allowable absence thresholds. Lower thresholds may be more effective if they initiate an additional measure of accountability such as personal contact from a mentor/peer.

Furthermore, university staff must focus on the beginning weeks of every semester, especially for underclassmen. With the implementations of a program comparable to “Pathfinder”, an emphasis must be placed on consistently marking and reporting attendance. Since the University of Delaware’s Faculty Senate currently leaves the “responsibility for defining attendance expectations. . . to the individual faculty member,” there is a lack of consistency and predictability by the student body and a <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">revision is needed.

In summary <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">, considering all the opportunities at stake, we recommend swift implementation of our proposed solution. First we urge the establishment of Friday as the primary testing day. Second, it is important to have the Faculty Senate vote to approve a standard attendance policy. We recommend mandatory attendance for at least the first two years and blending the accountability based strategies. Third, the school needs to appoint staff and deploy the “Pathfinder” program (or equivalent). Fourth, take an inventory of the student body to improve academic resource visibility and availability and then implement the changes. Finally, we urge the university to establish and evaluate the priorities involved in resource allocation – comparing recruitment to retention.

**References**
Anonymous (2009, November 17). Personal INTERVIEW. Babb, K. A., & Ross, C. (2009). The Timing of online lecture slide availability and its effect on attendance, participation, and exam performance. //Computers & Education//, 52(4), 868-881. Bowman, L. L. (2009). Does Posting powerpoint presentations on webct affect class performance or attendance?. //Journal of Instructional Psychology//, 36(2), 104-107. <span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Geuder, Maridith (2003). MSU Pathfinder program honored for innovative student support. Geuder, Maridith (2006). MSU 'Pathfinder' program creating path to student success. Geuder, Maridith (2008). Now 10, MSU 'Pathfinder' program celebrates continued success. Hansen, T. L. (1990). A Positive reinforcement program for controlling student absenteeism.. //College Student Journal//, 24(3), 307-312. Hove, M. C., & Corcoran, K. J. (2008). If You post it, will they come? lecture availability in introductory psychology. //Teaching of Psychology//, 35(2), 91-95. Hovel, M. F., Williams, R. L., & Semb, G. (1979). Analysis of undergraduates' attendance at class meetings with and without grade-related contingencies: a contrast effect. //Journal of Educational Research//, 73(1), 50-53. Kouyoumdjian, H. (2004). Influence of unannounced quizzes and cumulative exam on attendance and study behavior. //Teaching of Psychology//, 31(2), 110-111. Lai, P., & Chan, K. C. (2000). Should class attendance be mandatory. //Atlantic Economic Journal//, Retrieved from [] McMillen, David (2009, November 30). Personal INTERVIEW. Schneider, Karen N. (2002). This may be college, but we're still taking attendance. //Christian Science Monitor//. Shimoff, E., & Catania, A. C. (2001). Effects of recording attendance on grades in introductory psychology. //Teaching of Psychology//, 28(3), 192-195. Wilder, D. A., Flood, W. A., & Stromsnes, W. (2001). The use of Random extra credit quizzes to increase student attendance. //Journal of Instructional Psychology//, 28(2), 117-120. White, Carol (2009, November 30). Personal INTERVIEW.

Appendix

 * Survey Questions**

The questions of the survey are as follows: 1. Are you a student or recent graduate of University of Delaware? 2. What estimated percentage of Friday classes do you miss within one semester? 3. Why do you think attendance is low for classes scheduled on Fridays at University of Delaware? 4. What action do you think would cause more students to attend their Friday classes regularly? 5. Is the material that is missed Friday available through other means (online, classmates, etc.)? 6. Are you more likely to attend class on days when exams are held? 7. Are you more likely to regularly attend a class when attendance is mandatory? (Example: You are only allowed 3 absences for a class in a semester before your final grade is reduced) 8. If you were to receive participation points (which factor into a small percentage of your final grade) for days that you attended class, would you be more likely to attend that class regularly? 9. Are there any additional comments that you would like to make?

INSERT SURVEY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS INSERT SURVEY GRAPHS