The idea that student attendance and performance are linked seems rather self-evident. If a student attends class regularly they are exposed to content, methods, and other material that enable them to learn more and better – to develop skills, understand applications, and make connections. Furthermore, attending class affords the student the opportunity to ask questions and explore material in an environment in which they can get answers, receive meaningful feedback, and engage in active learning experiences that enhance their educational experience. This seems obvious to educators, and the anecdotal evidence is strongly suggestive of this being the case. However, nothing is quite as compelling as research-derived evidence. This paper intends to examine the idea that there is a connection between student attendance and performance, with a focus on the post-secondary, or college, level. This paper posits that the connection is a positive one.
Tsui-Fang and Jennjou (2006) studied the relationship between class attendance and exam performance, rather than overall performance, but their study has bearing on this paper’s examination. They acknowledge that a number of factors have influence on a student’s academic performance, including socio-demographic factors, the student’s efforts, and the professors’ performances, to name a few (Tsui-Fang & Jennjou, 2006). But they highlight the fact that student’s efforts in the form of attendance have received a great deal of attention, especially in light of the fact that lectures and classroom discussions tend to be the norm (Tsui-Fang & Jennjou, 2006). Since one’s presence is required to hear and comprehend the lecture and to participate in classroom discussion, it follows that being present in class enables one to hear and comprehend the lecture and to participate in classroom discussions. These exposures, in turn, provide the student with the necessary tools and skills to engage with the content, which, in turn, should enhance their performance in homework, classwork, and exams. Tsui-Fang and Jennjou (2006) observe that “absenteeism is rampant in undergraduate courses at major American universities” (p. 937); consequently, this fact has prompted many researchers to examine student exam performance in the context of attendance. If one does not attend class, one does not get the necessary exposure or experience to perform well, in basic classwork or on exams. Tsui-Fang and Jennjou (2006) conclude from their literature review and from their own study that there is a positive correlation between attendance and exam performance – students who attended more lectures performed better than their classmates who attended fewer. So their research suggests that there is a relationship between attendance and performance, and that it is a positive one.
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"Student Attendance and Performance at the Post-Secondary Level".
But one case study alone is not sufficient proof, and Tsui-Fang and Jennjou’s approach is just one perspective. Westerman, Perez-Batres, Coffey, and Pouder (2011) use agency theory to explore the relationship between attendance and performance. They assert that student and instructor must work together to promote the student’s success, and part of that working together involves identifying successful behaviors, which include attending class (Westerman, Perez-Batres, Coffey, & Pouder, 2011). They also looked at the effect of attendance in high performers as compared to low performers to add another dimension to the study – to determine if consistent attendance was influential across the board, regardless of student capability.
As part of their study of agency theory in this context, they note that professors are responsible for helping students prepare for societal roles (Westerman, Perez-Batres, Coffey, & Pouder, 2011). This adds another dimension to the importance of class attendance and performance. It’s not just about immediate performance on homework or quizzes; it’s also about helping students develop behaviors and skills that will extend beyond the classroom. This suggests that classroom success will correlate to real world success, making attendance a key element in this matrix. Westerman et al. found – as the literature suggested they would, as they hypothesized they would, and as Tsui-Fang and Jennjou (2006) found – that there is a relationship between class attendance and academic performance. Furthermore, they found that low performers who were frequently absent performed worse than low performers who were not frequently absent; high performers performed well regardless of degree of absenteeism (Westerman et al., 2011). These findings suggest that students who are academically gifted may have compensatory skills that mean that attendance isn’t as important as it would be for low performers who likely lack those skills.
Lyubartseva and Mallik (2012) also studied this relationship as well; they concluded that attendance was an indicator of student engagement, which is a significant element in learning. They draw a connection between attendance and the intentions or efforts and motivation of the students (Lyubartseva & Mallik, 2012) – that is to say, if a student is invested in a course, they will attend class and therefore benefit from the advantages of participation and engagement. Lyubartseva and Mallik (2012) also noted that when attendance was tied explicitly to points or grades, attendance was better, so they recommended that such a policy should be universally tried. They observed that absenteeism in undergraduates may be connected to difficulty adapting to college life, so offering support (including peer support) may increase attendance, thereby positively affecting performance (Lyubartseva & Mallik, 2012). Finally, they do comment that attending class does not guarantee a high grade in a course, so they acknowledge, like Tsui-Fang and Jennjou, that there are a number of factors that influence academic performance. But they do conclude – somewhat obviously – that there is a correlation between attendance and performance.
What can be concluded from all these studies and their observations? That while there are a number of factors that will influence student academic performance, attendance is perhaps one of the most important. Furthermore, there is a definitely relationship between attendance and performance. Basically: the more often a student attends class, the better they are likely to perform. The reason attendance is so important and has such bearing on performance has to do with exposure to the material, skills, and applications. It also has to do with the benefits of overall student engagement. Furthermore, the opportunities afforded by participation – which can only be exploited by being in class – cannot be underrated.
The benefits of professors encouraging attendance – in addition to students assuming responsibility for their own attendance – must also be acknowledged. If professors demonstrate the importance of attendance by attaching points or grades, they will send a clear message to their students. Moreover, by clarifying to students how assuming responsibility for attendance and making the connection between attendance and positive performance explicit, professors can establish a behavior that is clearly part of the learning experience, per agency theory. In addition to all that, instructors have a responsibility to make the connection between classroom behaviors like attendance and participation and how those activities will translate to real world contexts (such as showing up to meetings or work on time, and how that relates to positive performance appraisals) explicit to students; this is part of their function as instructors. Preparation should go beyond the course material/content.
It’s clear from the literature and the conclusions that can be drawn from comparing these studies that there is a definite relationship between attendance and performance, and it’s a positive one: if one attends class, one will likely perform better.
- Lyubartseva, G., & Mallik, U. (2012). Attendance and student performance in undergraduate chemistry courses. Education, 133(1), 31-34.
- Tsui-Fang, L., & Jennjou, C. (2006). Cumulative class attendance and exam performance. Applied Economics Letters, 13(13), 937-942.
- Westerman, J. W., Perez-Batres, L. A., Coffey, B. S., & Pouder, R. W. (2011). The relationship between undergraduate attendance and performance revisited: Alignment of student and instructor goals. Decision Sciences Journal Of Innovative Education, 9(1), 49-67.
