The effect of extra credit projects on learning: A research note.

This study explores the effect of extra credit projects (ECPS) on specific (paper) and general (final exam) learning. ECPS involved the demonstration of mastery of a specific course objective, using selected criminological theories to critically evaluate a current journal article. The term paper also required the application of two criminological theories to a problem. Data were drawn from a large (N?=?222) criminology lecture class. The results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that completion of ECPS was positively associated with grades on the term paper but not with generalized learning. The full models explained between 20 and 40% of the variance in outcome measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]