Students in an introductory biology course who were given open-book exams during the semester earned significantly higher grades on these exams, but significantly lower grades on the closed-book final exam, than students who took in-class, closed-book exams throughout the semester. Exam format was also associated with changes in academic behavior;…

Psychiatric outpatient clinics report that between 20 and 57% of their potential clients fail to return after the first visit. To examine the effectiveness of videotaped, systematic client preparation on dropout rate in short-term psychotherapy, 66 adult, beginning psychotherapy clients were randomly assigned either to a control or experimental…

This study was designed to investigate the effect that marriage appears to have on college attendance of a group of college-motivated youth during the academic year following their high school graduation. A total of 28,800 National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test participants were selected to compose 72 subsamples formed on the basis of race (black…

Offers 50 basic steps to help administrators and teachers improve student attendance. (MD)

How a "no excuse necessary" policy has sharply cut absenteeism in a Michigan high school. (Author)

A study of adult learners enrolled in the Chinese University of Hong Kong extramural courses determined that degree of course understanding, need-fulfillment, approachability of the instructor, and amount of informal and formal interaction were all positively and significantly related to attendance rate. (Author/AG)

Statistics in this article demonstrate that the costs associated with job disrupting behavior are high and that these costs should be reduced at an early stage before the accumulation of the large dollar losses associated with chronic emotional disorder. (Editor/SB)

Compares differences in the attachment behavior of infants from middle-class homes who were in day care full-time, part-time, or not at all. Results of a strange-situation procedure in a laboratory setting suggested that the length of daily separation appears to be an important determinant of day care effects on infant/mother attachment.…

Reports the prevalence of persistent absence from schools in Sheffield over a three-year period. The schools studied were all in relatively disadvantaged areas and absence increased sharply in the students' final year. While persistent absentees are high risk for delinquency, most were not known to the police as offenders. (JOW)

Summarizes data from a survey of people at the 1979 national convention of the International Reading Association to determine what topics, meetings, and formats they attended. (JT)

An evaluation of the effects on attendance of Project Invest, a program providing career education to special education students, was undertaken with 20 students participating in the project and a control group of 20 nonparticipating students. Results showed a significant increase in attendance among the experimental Ss. (PHR)

Grade related contingencies such as tests resulted in high student attendance in class, but frequent quizzing resulted in lower attendance at nontest sessions. (Editor)

Presents results of a study about first-year college students skipping class. Lists nine variables studied for their effects on missing or attending class. Reports that disliking a class, spending little time studying, and being female relate positively to missing class. Suggests that knowledge of the relationships between such variables and…

Argues that schools should develop and implement a comprehensive attendance policy that encourages students to have good attendance. Discusses eight questions for principals that may help determine whether their schools have a serious problem. Outlines practical suggestions for improving attendance in schools. (HB)

College alumni directors are finding that alumni want more than parties at their reunions and are overcoming attendance slumps with creative, substantive programing. Ideas include faculty seminars on topics of current interest, sometimes integrated with professional continuing education, alumni panel discussions, involving the family, involving…