The impact of grades on student motivation
Abstract
Although research has explored how in-class pedagogical practices and narrative feedback affect student engagement and motivation, questions remain on the impact of grading systems (i.e. multi-interval grades vs pass/fail and narrative evaluation) on academic motivation. Here, we compared the motivation of students who received multi-interval grades to students who were evaluated with a pass/fail and end of course narrative evaluation. In addition, we compared academic motivation at institutions with different grading systems. Grades did not enhance academic motivation. Instead, grades enhanced anxiety and avoidance of challenging courses. In contrast, narrative evaluations supported basic psychological needs and enhanced motivation by providing actionable feedback, promoting trust between instructors and students and cooperation amongst students. Even when accounting for potential confounding factors, students in universities that used narrative evaluations experienced higher intrinsic and autonomous motivation compared to students who received multi-interval grades. Given the potential for grades to thwart basic psychological needs and academic motivation, institutions should re-evaluate when and in which programs grades may be appropriate or necessary.
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Grades induce stress and anxiety.
“induce stress and anxiety (Chamberlin, Yasué, and Chiang 2018;Khanna 2015)”
From Does gradeless learning affect students’ academic performance? A study of effects over time (2024) · cites this paper as Chamberlin, Yasué, and Chiang 2018
Students' motivation to complete the program changes when completion is tied to a grade or placement in an advanced course.
“Finally, students' motivation to complete the program changes when completion is tied to a grade or placement in an advanced course (Chamberlin et al., 2023;Demszky et al., 2024;Rodríguez Rincón et al., 2024).”
From Methodological Choices When Assessing Summer Bridge Programs in STEM Majors: A Scoping Review (2026) · cites this paper as Chamberlin et al., 2023
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“Participants at Narrative and Hybrid-University exemplified the ‘high-quality’ academic motivation, with high autonomous motivation and low controlled motivation that is predictive of optimal learning (Ratelle et al., 2007; Vansteenkiste et al., 2009).”
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Pervasive negative effects of rewards on intrinsic motivation: The myth continues
Cameron, J., Banko, K. M., & Pierce, W. D. (2001) · The Behavior Analyst · doi:10.1007/bf03392017 · Cited by 574 · see citing works
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“Even among high-performing students, concerns such as entrance into graduate schools and the need to ‘competently’ protect feelings of self-worth led students to avoid challenging courses, teachers or careers (Crocker et al., 2003; Pekrun et al., 2006; Smyth et al., 2015).”
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“Experiments demonstrated that awarding grades can reduce autonomous motivation by thwarting autonomy (Butler and Nisan, 1986; Pulfrey et al., 2013; Ryan and Weinstein, 2009).”
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“In addition, although multi-interval grades are ubiquitous across most institutions, there is a paucity of research on the impact of grades on motivation in universities (notable exception: Pulfrey et al., 2011).”
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Does gradeless learning affect students’ academic performance? A study of effects over time
Kjærgaard, A., Buhl-Wiggers, J., & Mikkelsen, E. N. (2024) · Studies in Higher Education · doi:10.1080/03075079.2023.2233007 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“…(Brilleslyper et al. 2012; Knowlton 2010; Lynch and Hennessy 2017), create unhealthy competition (Tannock 2017), induce stress and anxiety (Chamberlin, Yasué, and Chiang 2018; Khanna 2015), and to direct attention and e ff orts towards memorization and surface learning rather than deep…”
BackgroundKjærgaard, A., Mikkelsen, E. N., & Buhl-Wiggers, J. (2023) · Management Learning · doi:10.1177/13505076221101146 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Methodological Choices When Assessing Summer Bridge Programs in STEM Majors: A Scoping Review
Caballero Díaz, D., Amin, A., Musa, P., & Leung, V. (2026) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci16020220
- Authors
- Chamberlin, K., Yasué, M., & Chiang, I.-C. A.
- Affiliations
- Quest University Canada (CA)
- Independent Researcher, Canada
- Corresponding author
- Yasué, Maï
- Venue
- Active Learning in Higher Education
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-12-25
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 109-124
- ISSN
- 1469-7874 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2625
- OpenAlex
- W2906409082
- Cited by
- 149
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 52 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9
- FWCI
- 12.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Active Learning in Higher Education (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Quest University Canada Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works Committee (Summer Fellowship Program 2016)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Student Assessment and Feedback
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Keywords
- grading system, academic motivation, narrative assessment, pass/fail grading, basic psychological needs, intrinsic motivation, autonomous motivation, student anxiety, feedback, higher education
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