Publication Type

Working Paper

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

12-2020

Abstract

Assessment is used to evaluate student learning and to motivate students to learn. Instructors generally have the option of using individual assessment, team assessment, or a combination of both. Using a principal-agent model, this study analytically examines how individual assessment and team assessment affect students' incentives to learn when their abilities vary. Relative to individual assessment, team assessment imposes more uncertainties on students, but it also encourages strong students to cooperate with weak students to help them learn. Depending on the strengths of these two forces, it can be optimal for the instructor to use individual assessment only or a combination of both individual and team assessment. In addition, this study shows that as the weight applied to the team assessment component increases, students' motivation to learn can increase or decrease, suggesting a non-monotonic relationship. Finally, this study suggests some factors that affect the optimal weight assigned to the team assessment component and the individual assessment component.

Keywords

Individual assessment, team assessment, weight

Discipline

Accounting

Research Areas

Corporate Reporting and Disclosure

First Page

1

Last Page

42

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3759458

Included in

Accounting Commons

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