In this article, the authors describe a field experiment in the classroom where principles of micro-economics students are randomly assigned into homework-required and not-required groups. The authors find that homework plays an important role in student learning, especially so for students who initially perform poorly in the course. Students in…

Describes a two-stage experiment where students play the role of farmers who must select one of four markets (corn, wheat, rice, or soybeans). Demonstrates the process leading to equilibrium in a multimarket setting. Includes an appendix with the farmer profit chart and homework exercises. (CMK)

Explores the effectiveness of an alternative grading scheme for college economics. This method consists of giving frequent homework but only grading one or two problems from each assignment. Initial studies suggest that selective grading has little or no adverse effect on the quality of the students' coursework. (MJP)

Discusses problems of sample selection in explaining student performance in economics classes. Reports on a study of student performance correlated with class attendance, course dropouts, and homework. Concludes that any researcher gathering data about instructional effectiveness must account for students who drop the class. (CFR)