i grade your homework is incomplete

Homework Struggles May Not Be a Behavior Problem

Exploring some options to understand and help..

Posted August 2, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• Mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences directly affect children's ability to do homework.
• Understanding what difficulties are getting in the way—beyond the usual explanation of a behavior problem—is key.
• Sleep and mental health needs can take priority over homework completion.

Chelsea was in 10th grade the first time I told her directly to stop doing her homework and get some sleep. I had been working with her since she was in middle school, treating her anxiety disorder. She deeply feared disappointing anyone—especially her teachers—and spent hours trying to finish homework perfectly. The more tired and anxious she got, the harder it got for her to finish the assignments.

One night Chelsea called me in despair, feeling hopeless. She was exhausted and couldn’t think straight. She felt like a failure and that she was a burden to everyone because she couldn’t finish her homework.

She was shocked when I told her that my prescription for her was to go to sleep now—not to figure out how to finish her work. I told her to leave her homework incomplete and go to sleep. We briefly discussed how we would figure it out the next day, with her mom and her teachers. At that moment, it clicked for her that it was futile to keep working—because nothing was getting done.

This was an inflection point for her awareness of when she was emotionally over-cooked and when she needed to stop and take a break or get some sleep. We repeated versions of this phone call several times over the course of her high school and college years, but she got much better at being able to do this for herself most of the time.

When Mental Health Symptoms Interfere with Homework

Kids with mental health or neurodevelopmental challenges often struggle mightily with homework. Challenges can come up in every step of the homework process, including, but not limited to:

• Remembering and tracking assignments and materials
• Getting the mental energy/organization to start homework
• Filtering distractions enough to persist with assignments
• Understanding unspoken or implied parts of the homework
• Remembering to bring finished homework to class
• Being in class long enough to know the material
• Tolerating the fear of not knowing or failing
• Not giving up the assignment because of a panic attack
• Tolerating frustration—such as not understanding—without emotional dysregulation
• Being able to ask for help—from a peer or a teacher and not being afraid to reach out

This list is hardly comprehensive. ADHD , autism spectrum disorder, social anxiety , generalized anxiety, panic disorder, depression , dysregulation, and a range of other neurodevelopmental and mental health challenges cause numerous learning differences and symptoms that can specifically and frequently interfere with getting homework done.

The Usual Diagnosis for Homework Problems is "Not Trying Hard Enough"

Unfortunately, when kids frequently struggle to meet homework demands, teachers and parents typically default to one explanation of the problem: The child is making a choice not to do their homework. That is the default “diagnosis” in classrooms and living rooms. And once this framework is drawn, the student is often seen as not trying hard enough, disrespectful, manipulative, or just plain lazy.

The fundamental disconnect here is that the diagnosis of homework struggles as a behavioral choice is, in fact, only one explanation, while there are so many other diagnoses and differences that impair children's ability to consistently do their homework. If we are trying to create solutions based on only one understanding of the problem, the solutions will not work. More devastatingly, the wrong solutions can worsen the child’s mental health and their long-term engagement with school and learning.

To be clear, we aren’t talking about children who sometimes struggle with or skip homework—kids who can change and adapt their behaviors and patterns in response to the outcomes of that struggle. For this discussion, we are talking about children with mental health and/or neurodevelopmental symptoms and challenges that create chronic difficulties with meeting homework demands.

How Can You Help a Child Who Struggles with Homework?

How can you help your child who is struggling to meet homework demands because of their ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD , school avoidance, or any other neurodevelopmental or mental health differences? Let’s break this down into two broad areas—things you can do at home, and things you can do in communication with the school.

Helping at Home

The following suggestions for managing school demands at home can feel counterintuitive to parents—because we usually focus on helping our kids to complete their tasks. But mental health needs jump the line ahead of task completion. And starting at home will be key to developing an idea of what needs to change at school.

• Set an end time in the evening after which no more homework will be attempted. Kids need time to decompress and they need sleep—and pushing homework too close to or past bedtime doesn’t serve their educational needs. Even if your child hasn’t been able to approach the homework at all, even if they have avoided and argued the whole evening, it is still important for everyone to have a predictable time to shut down the whole process.
• If there are arguments almost every night about homework, if your child isn’t starting homework or finishing it, reframe it from failure into information. It’s data to put into problem-solving. We need to consider other possible explanations besides “behavioral choice” when trying to understand the problem and create effective solutions. What problems are getting in the way of our child’s meeting homework demands that their peers are meeting most of the time?
• Try not to argue about homework. If you can check your own anxiety and frustration, it can be more productive to ally with your child and be curious with them. Kids usually can’t tell you a clear “why” but maybe they can tell you how they are feeling and what they are thinking. And if your child can’t talk about it or just keeps saying “I don't know,” try not to push. Come back another time. Rushing, forcing, yelling, and threatening will predictably not help kids do homework.

Helping at School

The second area to explore when your neurodiverse child struggles frequently with homework is building communication and connections with school and teachers. Some places to focus on include the following.

• Label your child’s diagnoses and break down specific symptoms for the teachers and school team. Nonjudgmental, but specific language is essential for teachers to understand your child’s struggles. Breaking their challenges down into the problems specific to homework can help with building solutions. As your child gets older, help them identify their difficulties and communicate them to teachers.
• Let teachers and the school team know that your child’s mental health needs—including sleep—take priority over finishing homework. If your child is always struggling to complete homework and get enough sleep, or if completing homework is leading to emotional meltdowns every night, adjusting their homework demands will be more successful than continuing to push them into sleep deprivation or meltdowns.
• Request a child study team evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for services under special education law such as an IEP, or accommodations through section 504—and be sure that homework adjustments are included in any plan. Or if such a plan is already in place, be clear that modification of homework expectations needs to be part of it.

The Long-Term Story

I still work with Chelsea and she recently mentioned how those conversations so many years ago are still part of how she approaches work tasks or other demands that are spiking her anxiety when she finds herself in a vortex of distress. She stops what she is doing and prioritizes reducing her anxiety—whether it’s a break during her day or an ending to the task for the evening. She sees that this is crucial to managing her anxiety in her life and still succeeding at what she is doing.

Task completion at all costs is not a solution for kids with emotional needs. Her story (and the story of many of my patients) make this crystal clear.

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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Asking for an Incomplete

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Sometimes you’re nearing the end of a course, but an unexpected situation makes it hard for you to finish on time. Is taking an Incomplete the right answer? Read on for our advice and considerations.

Perhaps you’ve finished everything but that last paper, but you get sick and won’t be able to submit it on time. Or maybe a family emergency means you have to leave town right on the day of your final exam. In situations like these, it’s sometimes possible to take an Incomplete in the course— if  the instructor is willing to grant you one.

For the university's official policy statement on Incompletes, consult the Stanford Bulletin pages linked below. On this page your Academic Advisors explain how Incompletes work, and some important things to keep in mind before asking for one.

Stanford Bulletin: Study Lists Stanford Bulletin: General University Grading Systems

How It Works

You don't so much take an Incomplete as ask for one. The procedure is pretty straightforward: you need to discuss the possibility with your instructor by the last day of class (in general the earlier the better). If your instructor is willing, then the two of you will work out a plan to complete your remaining work in the course.

When you ask for an Incomplete, we recommend that you explain your situation to your instructor and then suggest a feasible, manageable timeline for finishing the rest of your work. Keep in mind that your instructors may have their own logistical considerations and their own departmental rules to follow. For example, just because you would like to take the final exam one week later doesn't mean that the instructor will be able to accommodate you. We strongly suggest that you and your instructor sign an Incomplete agreement form (linked below), to make it clear to both you and the instructor what work remains and your deadline for finishing it.

Instead of submitting a grade for you, at the end of the current quarter the instructor will submit an Incomplete notation on your record. At this point, all you have to do is turn in your remaining work, or take the exam that you missed.  Do NOT enroll in the course for a second time-- this is not the proper way to finish an Incomplete.  Just finish your remaining work. If you can do this by the agreed-upon deadline, the instructor will then change the Incomplete on your record into a grade.

Agreement for Completion of Remaining Work to Resolve an Incomplete Grade

Things to Think About

Check in with your Academic Advisor before asking for an Incomplete.  Your Academic Advisor can help you think through your situation, consider whether an Incomplete is the best course of action, and inform you of any potential repercussions to your academic progress. If you feel intimidated by asking for an Incomplete, your Academic Advisor can coach you on how to write a courteous email request to your professor.

Incompletes aren't an appropriate choice if you're missing a lot of work.  Remember that Incompletes are meant to be granted only in situations where a substantial part of the course work has already been completed. And even if your instructor were willing to grant you an Incomplete when you have a lot of work left, remember that you will have to complete that work by a deadline, and that it will be hanging over your head even as you enter into the next quarter and begin a new set of classes and assignments. You may instead want to consider simply finishing the course as normal and getting whatever grade you receive, but perhaps retaking it fresh in a future quarter when you are better equipped to succeed. (See: Repeating a Course )

Incompletes aren't an appropriate choice early in the quarter.  As above, Incompletes are intended to help students get over a final unexpected hurdle to complete a class for which they have done the majority of the coursework. Generally, it is not possible to request an Incomplete prior to the withdrawal deadline at the end of Week Eight. If you are facing significant challenges prior to the end of Week Eight, withdrawing from the course might be the more appropriate decision. (See: Should I Withdraw from This Course ?)

Don't let unfinished Incompletes pile up.  If you accumulate too many Incompletes, the extra workload can drag you down and cause you to fall behind in your current classes. This situation can easily snowball and make your current quarter unmanageable if you're not careful.

Sign up for fewer units to keep your workload manageable.  If you are working on your Incomplete during the academic year, remember that Incompletes are like invisible extra units added onto your course load. So doing a 15 unit quarter alongside your Incomplete might very well feel like a 20 unit quarter in terms of work!

Reach out to your instructor if you're having trouble.  If you run into problems finishing your Incomplete, your instructor may be able to offer you support, extra resources, or other accommodations. Even if you cannot finish your Incomplete, in certain cases your instructor may still be willing to grant you a grade in the course based on the prior work you completed in the class. We recommend keeping the doors of communication open and seeing what's possible.

Rules and Guidelines

• One year is the maximum time that the university allows for a student to complete an Incomplete. For example, an Incomplete taken in Autumn Quarter this year must be completed by the end of Autumn Quarter next year.
• HOWEVER, your instructor has the right to choose an earlier deadline for your Incomplete if they wish (for example, one week after initial grades are due, one month, one quarter, etc.).
• For Incompletes involving missed exams, instructors will commonly ask the student to take the final exam the next time the course is offered (for example, in the following quarter).
• Until the course is complete there will be an “I” notation recorded in the space usually reserved for a grade. “I” notations are not factored into your GPA calculation, though once they are replaced by a final grade that grade will be included in your GPA.
• You do not earn the units for an Incomplete course until the class is completed successfully. This also means that if you do not meet your  minimum academic progress requirements  because of the Incomplete, you may become a candidate for  academic notice  (or a more elevated status if you are already on notice).
• If the Incomplete is not resolved before the deadline, the Incomplete will revert to either an NP or an NC grade (depending on which grading basis you chose when you originally enrolled in the course).

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Smart Classroom Management

A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1

So for the next two weeks I’m going to outline a homework plan–four strategies this week, four the next–aimed at making homework a simple yet effective process.

Let’s get started.

Homework Strategies 1-4

The key to homework success is to eliminate all the obstacles—and excuses—that get in the way of students getting it done.

Add leverage and some delicately placed peer pressure to the mix, and not getting homework back from every student will be a rare occurrence.

Here is how to do it.

1. Assign what students already know.

Most teachers struggle with homework because they misunderstand the narrow purpose of homework, which is to practice what has already been learned. Meaning, you should only assign homework your students fully understand and are able to do by themselves.

Therefore, the skills needed to complete the evening’s homework must be thoroughly taught during the school day. If your students can’t prove to you that they’re able to do the work without assistance, then you shouldn’t assign it.

It isn’t fair to your students—or their parents—to have to sit at the dinner table trying to figure out what you should have taught them during the day.

2. Don’t involve parents.

Homework is an agreement between you and your students. Parents shouldn’t be involved. If parents want to sit with their child while he or she does the homework, great. But it shouldn’t be an expectation or a requirement of them. Otherwise, you hand students a ready-made excuse for not doing it.

You should tell parents at back-to-school night, “I got it covered. If ever your child doesn’t understand the homework, it’s on me. Just send me a note and I’ll take care of it.”

Holding yourself accountable is not only a reminder that your lessons need to be spot on, but parents will love you for it and be more likely to make sure homework gets done every night. And for negligent parents? It’s best for their children in particular to make homework a teacher/student-only agreement.

3. Review and then ask one important question.

Set aside a few minutes before the end of the school day to review the assigned homework. Have your students pull out the work, allow them to ask final clarifying questions, and have them check to make sure they have the materials they need.

And then ask one important question: “Is there anyone, for any reason, who will not be able to turn in their homework in the morning? I want to know now rather than find out about it in the morning.”

There are two reasons for this question.

First, the more leverage you have with students, and the more they admire and respect you , the more they’ll hate disappointing you. This alone can be a powerful incentive for students to complete homework.

Second, it’s important to eliminate every excuse so that the only answer students can give for not doing it is that they just didn’t care. This sets up the confrontation strategy you’ll be using the next morning.

4. Confront students on the spot.

One of your key routines should be entering the classroom in the morning.

As part of this routine, ask your students to place their homework in the top left-hand (or right-hand) corner of their desk before beginning a daily independent assignment—reading, bellwork , whatever it may be.

During the next five to ten minutes, walk around the room and check homework–don’t collect it. Have a copy of the answers (if applicable) with you and glance at every assignment.

You don’t have to check every answer or read every portion of the assignment. Just enough to know that it was completed as expected. If it’s math, I like to pick out three or four problems that represent the main thrust of the lesson from the day before.

It should take just seconds to check most students.

Remember, homework is the practice of something they already know how to do. Therefore, you shouldn’t find more than a small percentage of wrong answers–if any. If you see more than this, then you know your lesson was less than effective, and you’ll have to reteach

If you find an assignment that is incomplete or not completed at all, confront that student on the spot .

Call them on it.

The day before, you presented a first-class lesson and gave your students every opportunity to buzz through their homework confidently that evening. You did your part, but they didn’t do theirs. It’s an affront to the excellence you strive for as a class, and you deserve an explanation.

It doesn’t matter what he or she says in response to your pointed questions, and there is no reason to humiliate or give the student the third degree. What is important is that you make your students accountable to you, to themselves, and to their classmates.

A gentle explanation of why they don’t have their homework is a strong motivator for even the most jaded students to get their homework completed.

The personal leverage you carry–that critical trusting rapport you have with your students–combined with the always lurking peer pressure is a powerful force. Not using it is like teaching with your hands tied behind your back.

Homework Strategies 5-8

Next week we’ll cover the final four homework strategies . They’re critical to getting homework back every day in a way that is painless for you and meaningful for your students.

I hope you’ll tune in.

If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.

What to read next:

• A Powerful Way To Relieve Stress: Part One
• A Simple Exercise Program For Teachers
• The Best Time To Review Your Classroom Management Plan
• Why Your New Classroom Management Plan Isn't Working
• 27 Things That Make Your Classroom Management Plan Work

21 thoughts on “A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1”

Good stuff, Michael. A lot of teachers I train and coach are surprised (and skeptical) at first when I make the same point you make about NOT involving parents. But it’s right on based on my experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator the past 17 years. More important, it’s validated by Martin Haberman’s 40 years of research on what separates “star” teachers from “quitter/failure” teachers ( http://www.habermanfoundation.org/Book.aspx?sm=c1 )

I love the articles about “homework”. in the past I feel that it is difficuty for collecting homework. I will try your plan next year.

I think you’ll be happy with it, Sendy!

How do you confront students who do not have their homework completed?

You state in your book to let consequences do their job and to never confront students, only tell them the rule broken and consequence.

I want to make sure I do not go against that rule, but also hold students accountable for not completing their work. What should I say to them?

They are two different things. Homework is not part of your classroom management plan.

Hi Michael,

I’m a first-year middle school teacher at a private school with very small class sizes (eight to fourteen students per class). While I love this homework policy, I feel discouraged about confronting middle schoolers publicly regarding incomplete homework. My motive would never be to humiliate my students, yet I can name a few who would go home thinking their lives were over if I did confront them in front of their peers. Do you have any ideas of how to best go about incomplete homework confrontation with middle school students?

The idea isn’t in any way to humiliate students, but to hold them accountable for doing their homework. Parts one and two represent my best recommendation.:)

I believe that Homework is a vital part of students learning.

I’m still a student–in a classroom management class. So I have no experience with this, but I’m having to plan a procedure for my class. What about teacher sitting at desk and calling student one at a time to bring folder while everyone is doing bellwork or whatever their procedure is? That way 1) it would be a long walk for the ones who didn’t do the work :), and 2) it would be more private. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks. 🙂

I’m not sure I understand your question. Would you mind emailing me with more detail? I’m happy to help.

I think what you talked about is great. How do you feel about flipping a lesson? My school is pretty big on it, though I haven’t done it yet. Basically, for homework, the teacher assigns a video or some other kind of media of brand new instruction. Students teach themselves and take a mini quiz at the end to show they understand the new topic. Then the next day in the classroom, the teacher reinforces the lesson and the class period is spent practicing with the teacher present for clarification. I haven’t tried it yet because as a first year teacher I haven’t had enough time to make or find instructional videos and quizzes, and because I’m afraid half of my students will not do their homework and the next day in class I will have to waste the time of the students who did their homework and just reteach what the video taught.

Anyway, this year, I’m trying the “Oops, I forgot my homework” form for students to fill out every time they forget their homework. It keeps them accountable and helps me keep better track of who is missing what. Once they complete it, I cut off the bottom portion of the form and staple it to their assignment. I keep the top copy for my records and for parent/teacher conferences.

Here is an instant digital download of the form. It’s editable in case you need different fields.

Thanks again for your blog. I love the balance you strike between rapport and respect.

Your site is a godsend for a newbie teacher! Thank you for your clear, step-by-step, approach!

I G+ your articles to my PLN all the time.

You’re welcome, TeachNich! And thank you for sharing the articles.

Hi Michael, I’m going into my first year and some people have told me to try and get parents involved as much as I can – even home visits and things like that. But my gut says that negligent parents cannot be influenced by me. Still, do you see any value in having parents initial their student’s planner every night so they stay up to date on homework assignments? I could also write them notes.

Personally, no. I’ll write about this in the future, but when you hold parents accountable for what are student responsibilities, you lighten their load and miss an opportunity to improve independence.

I am teaching at a school where students constantly don’t take work home. I rarely give homework in math but when I do it is usually something small and I still have to chase at least 7 kids down to get their homework. My way of holding them accountable is to record a homework completion grade as part of their overall grade. Is this wrong to do? Do you believe homework should never be graded for a grade and just be for practice?

No, I think marking a completion grade is a good idea.

I’ve been teaching since 2014 and we need to take special care when assigning homework. If the homework assignment is too hard, is perceived as busy work, or takes too long to complete, students might tune out and resist doing it. Never send home any assignment that students cannot do. Homework should be an extension of what students have learned in class. To ensure that homework is clear and appropriate, consider the following tips for assigning homework:

Assign homework in small units. Explain the assignment clearly. Establish a routine at the beginning of the year for how homework will be assigned. Remind students of due dates periodically. And Make sure students and parents have information regarding the policy on missed and late assignments, extra credit, and available adaptations. Establish a set routine at the beginning of the year.

Thanks Nancie L Beckett

Dear Michael,

I love your approach! Do you have any ideas for homework collection for lower grades? K-3 are not so ready for independent work first thing in the morning, so I do not necessarily have time to check then; but it is vitally important to me to teach the integrity of completing work on time.

Also, I used to want parents involved in homework but my thinking has really changed, and your comments confirm it!

Hi Meredith,

I’ll be sure and write about this topic in an upcoming article (or work it into an article). 🙂

Overall, this article provides valuable insights and strategies for teachers to implement in their classrooms. I look forward to reading Part 2 and learning more about how to make homework a simple and effective process. Thanks

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Incompletes

What is an incomplete (i) grade.

An Incomplete Grade ("I") is a non punitive grade given only during the last one-fourth of a term/semester and only if a student (1) is passing the course and (2) has a justifiable and documented reason, beyond the control of the student (such as serious illness or military service), for not completing the work on schedule. The student must arrange with the instructor to finish the course at a later date by completing specific requirements. These requirements must be listed on a Request for Grade of Incomplete form signed by the instructor, student, and department chair; and also entered on the grade roster by the instructor. Grades of "I" assigned to an undergraduate course at the end of the Fall 2007 semester and later,  will default to "F" unless the instructor has designated a different automatic grade. See also Removal of "I" policy.

How to Get an Incomplete (I) Grade

An "I" grade is a non-punitive grade given only during the last one-fourth of a semester and only if a student (1) is passing the course; (2) has justifiable reason why the work cannot be completed on schedule; and (3) arranges with the instructor to finish the course at a later date by completing specific requirements that the instructor must list on the electronic grade roster. All work in the course must be completed within the specified time (not to exceed one year after taking the course.)

How to Remove an Incomplete (I) Grade

A student may remove a grade of “I” within one year by completing the stipulated work.  After completion of the stipulated work the instructor of record records the final grade on a UNT Grade Change Form and obtains the department chair's signature.  The instructor's academic dean completes processing with the Registrar's Office, where the grade point average is adjusted accordingly.  For undergraduate courses taken Fall 2007 or later, if a student does not complete the stipulated work within the time specified, the grade will default to F unless the instructor has designated a different automatic grade. The GPA is adjusted accordingly, and the student will be subject to academic penalty should any exist.

Additional Resources

For more information about Removal of "I" grades, please see the Academics section of the UNT Catalog .

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When to Ask For and How to Resolve an Incomplete Grade

Sometimes you may be doing well in a class, but then something unexpected happens—a car wreck, a sudden hospitalization of you or a loved one, a death in the family— which prevents you from keeping up with the class, finishing your paper, or preparing sufficiently and sitting for the final exam. Rather than withdrawing immediately, communicate with your instructor about your situation, and inquire about taking an Incomplete (I) grade.

Instructors have discretion to grant an Incomplete when asked by a student, if student has completed a majority of the class. If granted you are allowed time extending beyond the end of the current semester to finish and turn in your assignments or sit for your final exam. You will negotiate a specific due or final exam date with your instructors and your instructors file a form with the Office of the Registrar, indicating that they have clarified with you what their expectations for completion are. If you and your instructors do not negotiate a specific other completion date, university administration will flip the “I” to an “F” after one calendar year. Both you and the instructor will get an e-mail notification roughly 60 days before that happens.

Your instructors may advise you to sit through a class again to finish an incomplete. If that is the case, do not re-register for the class ! Tell the instructor of the class you are completing an incomplete, and they can add you to their course site manually. If you register in the class again, Bursar will bill you for it again.

Incompletes count like Ws and Fs in your Financial Aid and scholarship completion rate calculations, until they turn to a final, passing grade. If you are sitting through the class a second time to finish an incomplete, it will not count toward current semester enrollment for determination of full time status. Students participating in employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement programs may not be able to seek reimbursement until the Incomplete is resolved into a grade deemed sufficient by the employer plan.

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What you need to know

Undergraduate students.

If you receive an I grade, the completion date for outstanding work is normally Add Date of the next regular term (fall or spring), unless your instructor has set an earlier or later date for pedagogical reasons or extenuating circumstances. Read more about the resolution of incompletes from the Committee on Academic Performance (CAP).

• Instructors are required to submit a separate form to the Registrar’s Office for each incomplete grade reported as part of the grade submission process.
• On the form, your instructor provides a default grade and the date by which you must complete the outstanding work. This default grade represents what you would have earned, using appropriately low scores for the missing work.
• The I grade remains on your internal grade report and external transcript with the final or default grade, as appropriate, next to it (e.g., I/B).
• If you do not complete the subject by Add Date of the next regular term, the default grade will be posted to your record unless you and your instructor have explicitly agreed on a later deadline.
• After you complete the missing work, your instructor will submit a final grade, replacing the default grade on your record.
• Incompletes must be resolved prior to graduation; you cannot receive an I grade in the semester in which you graduate.

graduate students

If you receive an I grade, you must complete any outstanding work by Add Date of the next regular term (fall or spring) unless you receive the explicit approval of the faculty member in charge of the class to do otherwise.

• Once the work has been completed, the internal grade report and external transcript will show the final grade next to the I grade (e.g., I/B).
• Certain departments will not allow you to graduate with an unresolved incomplete on your record. Check with your program office for departmental rules on incompletes.

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What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

• How long will it take to complete?
• Have all learners been considered?
• Will an assignment encourage future success?
• Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
• Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

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The Blue Jay

Why it is NEVER a good idea to turn in late work

Courtney McQuay , Staff Writer | October 19, 2016

It is not uncommon for students to be overwhelmed by the amount of work assigned to them in their classes. Having too much work can make them stressed and more likely to procrastinate. That big pile of homework seems intimidating, but your grade is in jeopardy if you let it sit there. Students often feel that it is okay to do a little bit of their work at a time and take a break in-between assignments, except for when those breaks last longer than it takes for you to complete the assignment. This mindset can end in work not being completed by its deadline, while the student’s workload does not decrease. It does not work like that. Sometimes students feel that it’s okay to turn in an assignment late since one late assignment won’t affect their grade all that much.

But that’s where they’re wrong. One assignment might not impact a grade that much, but when the student turns in the work late, it really impacts the teacher. Instead of having your paper to grade at the same time as everyone else, a teacher must now grade your paper separately, well after they’ve read everyone else’s, and must now go back through the requirements of the assignment and must look back through the answer key, instead of knowing exactly what they are looking for when they grade everybody else’s work at the same time. This causes it to take much longer to grade the assignment than when the assignment is turned in on time, plus most teachers deduct points for being late.

“There comes a point when an assignment loses its value.” says Mrs. Hartman, an English teacher, “it’s not worth turning in.”

Assignments have deadlines for a reason. To get you to do it. If you learn and get into the habit of good time management, then you are set for life past high school. No boss will want an employee that constantly misses a deadline. Plus, missing deadlines puts stress on you, especially if you didn’t do that speech due today. When you turn work in on time, that means you also have less work to do later instead of it piling up. Your grade is also saved. You might actually get a hundred on that assignment.

“Turning in something undone is better than not turning it in.” says Mrs. Hartman, “partial credit is better than no credit. If it’s late, the most you can get is a 60%. That’s the English department’s late work policy.”

Missing due dates in school can impact your learning too. If you don’t do the work, then you won’t understand what is going on in class. If your class is having a discussion over last night’s assignment and you didn’t do it, then you won’t have a clue what’s going on. If the teacher calls on you to summarize what the assignment was over and you didn’t do it, then it can be quite embarrassing for you, and distract the rest of the class.

“Assignments won’t get graded as quickly.” Says Mrs. Hartman, “If you aren’t worried about your grade then I won’t be.”

Turning in work on time also shows that your responsible and well organized. You’re more likely to get a good reputation if you turn in things before their deadline. If you plan how to do your assignments so that they are turned in on time, then you will likely be able to actually do it. Don’t ever leave assignments unfinished and thinking that you will just “do them later” because there likely won’t be a later and you will forget about them. Set reminders if you need to about due dates, and bring the completed assignment to class on that day it’s due.

Do not think that this means that you won’t ever have time for yourself. Finishing things early just lets you relax later knowing that you have everything done. Always schedule time for you to relax between assignments, just remember that you have to come back to them later.“It becomes a cycle.” Says Mrs. Hartman, “college doesn’t accept late work. It’s better to figure it out now, not later.”

“It becomes a cycle.” Says Mrs. Hartman, “college doesn’t accept late work. It’s better to figure it out now, not later.”

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Courtney McQuay is a senior. She considers Junction City, Kansas, her home. Courtney enjoys drawing and writing in her free time. She would like to become...

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What Does it Meant to Take an Incomplete in College?

What to do when unexpected events interrupt your class schedule

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Even if you're the most conscientious student, situations can come up that may temporarily interfere with your college life . Something like a family emergency or a personal illness or injury can quickly put you behind on your coursework. It's in situations like these that you may need to request an incomplete. Don't worry: It's something that happens at institutions of higher learning everywhere, and most have a policy in place to deal with student emergencies .

What Does Getting an Incomplete Really Mean?

The language at your school may vary, but whether it's called "taking an incomplete," "asking for an incomplete," "being granted an incomplete," or simply "getting an incomplete," an incomplete buys you extra time to finish your coursework should an unexpected life event come up.

Taking an incomplete in a college course is exactly just what it sounds like:

• Your participation in the class is incomplete.
• You were unable to finish the required coursework by the time the semester or quarter concluded.

Even if your request for an incomplete is granted and you are given an extension on your deadlines, you will be required to finish your work prior to whatever new deadline you've been given in order to pass the course and get credit. That said, an incomplete is a useful option to pursue because it can keep you from having to withdraw from or fail a class.

However, if you simply decided that you disliked a class and didn't turn in your final paper, that's a different situation. Since you had no intention of finishing the required coursework, you'd most likely get an "F" for the class and receive no course credit.

When Is an Incomplete Acceptable?

Although you might think that the term "incomplete" has negative connotations, taking an incomplete in college doesn't necessarily indicate any kind of mistake or poor judgment on the part of a student. In fact, incompletes can be incredibly helpful for those who find themselves in unexpected, difficult, or unavoidable situations.

Students take incompletes for all kinds of reasons. In general, if circumstances beyond your control prevent you from completing your coursework, you may be eligible to apply for an incomplete. For example, if you came down with a severe illness or were in an accident that required hospitalization or a long recovery period, the registrar and your professor would likely grant you an incomplete.

On the other hand, if you simply wanted to take a three-week trip to France with your family before the semester officially ended, that likely would not qualify you for an incomplete. As much as you may have wanted to travel with your family, it would not be strictly necessary for you to join them. (In medicine, the analogy would be having cosmetic surgery versus an appendectomy. As much as a nose job might improve your appearance, it's strictly elective. The appendectomy, however, is usually a life-saving procedure.)

How to Ask for an Incomplete

Similar to a withdrawal , the registrar's office needs to grant you an official incomplete. You will, however, need to coordinate your request with several parties. Since incompletes are granted only in unusual circumstances, you'll likely need to discuss your situation with your professor (or professors), your academic adviser, and possibly an administrator such as the dean of students .

You Can Complete the Coursework

In contrast to a withdrawal (or a failing grade), incompletes can be changed on your transcript once the required coursework is completed. You will usually be given a certain amount of time to finish the course requirements, at which point you will receive a grade just as if you'd never stopped and restarted the class.

Should you need to take more than one incomplete during a semester, make sure you're clear on what you need to do to finish each class as well as the deadline requirements. An incomplete can help you deal with an unexpected situation, but the ultimate goal is to allow you to finish your coursework in a way that best supports your academic goals.

• Should I Withdraw from a Class?
• What to Do If You're Failing a Class
• How to Withdraw from a Class
• Leave of Absence From College, Explanation and Benefits
• What Is a College Transcript?
• How to Ask for an Extension on a College Paper
• How Does a 'College Unit' Work?
• How to Pass a College Class
• Conversation Topics for College Office Hours
• Withdrawing From College
• What to Do If You Fail a Class in College
• What to Do If You Miss Class in College
• What Courses Are Required for Pre-Med Students?
• College Student Guide to Thanksgiving Break
• 8 Tips for Students Starting College
• Should I Drop a Class?

• Grade Calculators

Final Grade Calculator

Enter Final Info

My final exam is worth:

I want (at least) this in the class:

Enter Class Grades

Calculator Instructions

• In the top part of the form, enter how much your final exam is worth and the grade that you would like to get in the class. For example, your final test might be worth 20% of your overall grade and you want to get at least a 93% in the class. You would enter these numbers into the form.
• In the bottom half of the form, enter a description (optional) of the classwork, the grade received for that classwork, and the weight of the classwork. Most class grades are made up of several components such as homework assignments, tests, exams, quizzes, class participation, attendance, etc. For example, a class exam might be worth 10% of your grade and you received a 95% on the test. You would enter those values into the form.
• If you need more than four rows, press the "Add Row" button to add an additional line. You can add as many rows as you need.
• Once you have finished entering your grades, press the "Calculate" button and the grade you need on the final exam will be displayed.

Final Grade Formula

final grade = ((g wanted x w total ) - gw) / w final

w total = w 1 + w 2 + w 3 + ... + w final

w 1 = weight of assignment #1

w final = weight of final exam

gw = g 1 x w 1 + g 2 x w 2 + g 3 x w 3 + ...

g 1 = grade for assignment #1

g wanted = grade wanted in the class

Example Calculation

Let's say your class has the following grading plan.

Now let's assume you received the following grades on your classwork.

Finally, let's assume that you want to get a 90% in the class. To determine what you need to get on your final exam in order to get a 90% in the class, let's do some math using the formula above.

First add the weight of all the class assignments together including your final:

w total = 10% + 10% + 20% + 20% + 20% = 100%

Next, multiple the grade you received on each assignment by the weight of the assignment.

gw = (91% x 10%) + (85% x 10%) + (75% x 20%) + (95% x 20%) + (97% x 20%) = 7100%

Now, calculate what you need on the final exam:

final exam grade = ((90% x 100%) - 7100%) / 20% = 95%

This is how you manually calculate your final grade. Of course, you can make your life a little easier using the calculator above!

What if my class grade is based on points rather than percentages?

Let's assume you have the following class syllabus that is based on points.

Let's assume you received the following grades.

To enter these grades in the calculator above, you first need to calculate your grade percentage for each assignment using the following formula:

grade percentage = points earned / possible points x 100

So taking your mid-term test grade as an example, we get the following:

mid-term test = 190 points earned / 200 possible points x 100 = 95%

In the weight column of the calculator, you would enter the possible points for each assignment.

Assuming you wanted to get at least a 90% in the class and your final exam is worth 250 points (i.e.the weight), you would enter the following information into the calculator.

In this example, you would need to get a 93.6% on your final in order to get a 90% in the class.

You Might Like These Too

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What is an Incomplete Grade? by Anastassia B. '16

ABCDF....I? How to use MIT's grading system in dire situations

September 7, 2013

• in Academics & Research ,
• How to MIT ,
• How to School

ABCDF….I? How to use MIT’s grading system in dire situations

You may be wondering how , with all students being varying shades of brilliant, MIT handles grades.

On a 0% – 100% scale? Maybe “A” for effort! A smiley sticker chart? Or is it a Downward Logarithmic Spiral of Doom?

Never fear! It’s similar to what a lot of us used in high school, namely, the ABCDF system, except with a few additions. Below is a screenshot of how your MIT grade report looks like online.

Note: Your grade report is slightly different from your transcript. The grade report is for internal advising use only, and may have +/- modifiers, dropped/listener subjects, academic warnings that do not show up in the transcript you send externally.

( Here is a list of all the letters/symbols that may appear on an internal grade report. )

You’ll notice the usage of STP freshman fall. Rather than standing for Standard Temperature and Pressure, S refers to transfer credits, T is a temporary placeholder for a class still in transit, and P means pass. These do not weigh into your GPA.

Spring semester was a little bit different. Unless you gain ‘sophomore standing’, there is a credit limit of 57 units. I used that opportunity to explore Course 1 in a Pass/Fail 9-unit Civil and Environmental Engineering Lab. 9 units is an overestimate of the time commitment of this class, which had a weekly 1 hour lecture and a 2 hour lab, basic readings and homework, and really awesome field trips to places like a wind turbine blade testing facility, Cape Cod, and even the ever-exotic Charles River. Although interesting, this class helped me realize that Course 1 wasn’t my destiny.

SO WHAT IS THE BOXED I/A-?

Short Answer

An Incomplete grade is an option in certain situations where a student was unable to complete a course by the end of the semester. An I is stamped onto the report, and the student is given the opportunity to turn in late work by an assigned date. Upon completion of the course, the grade changes to I/X, where X is the official grade which weighs into your GPA.

Long Answer with Backstory

D-Lab is one of MIT’s most amazing ways to get involved with international development.

Last semester was the first time that D-Lab: Education was being offered, and I signed up right away, having been interested in educational reform since high school. It was my first project-oriented class, and I was really excited. Little did I know the depth I was getting into.

Me and my teammate, Beibei (Wellesely ’16), were introduced to our partners:

• The Advent School, Reggio Emilia approach. A 9 student, first-grade, afterschool class with the theme “Travelling Across Borders.” Boston, USA.
• The Avani School, developing Montessori approach. An 8 student school in the voluntary Avani community . Uttarakhand, India.

The more we learned about each partner, the closer and more understanding our project became. We started the design process with introductions, a lot of questioning, and very thorough needs finding for the Avani school. Meanwhile, we were learning from and teaching lessons to our local classroom.

I was visiting the Advent classroom every Tuesday and becoming really close to the students, whether I was teaching about global geology through soil painting, or letting them design and build foreign architectures from recycled materials. Simultaneously, through many emails and Skype sessions, I was starting to understand the Avani community and its needs. We began the prototyping process for our project.

Everything was going really well… except for time.

Since this was the first time this course was taught, the instructors were open to its direction and very facilitative with deadlines and expectations. Although our project was complete and we had presented it at the MIT Museum along with all other D-Lab classes, there was a deadline for the Final Project Report and separate Final Reflection which was already pushed for us to be right before finals. You can imagine that this can be a stressful time. My partner had started to help with the report, but the Wellesley term finished and she had to fly to China. When I realized the high quality (polished.pdf) and length (30 pages?!) of the other reports turned in, it was much more than I could produce, alone, in the hours I had. I discussed the situation with my instructors and was faced with the choice of either trying to do it all (these two reports alone were about 25% of my entire grade) and get a final grade based on that, or choose to get an Incomplete and submit everything within two weeks (but after finals).

I had put a lot of time and effort into D-Lab throughout the semester and wanted to put my all into the remaining portion. I chose the latter option. Had I not, I would have been disappointed in the final outcome of something that had grown quite important to me.

And so my summer break began with nonstop-motivated-work. After a few days I had written the most outstanding* papers I’d ever accomplished.

*in both senses: very great and very late

For me, an incomplete grade was a blessing. What is an incomplete grade? Sometimes, it’s an opportunity to do your very best.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, incomplete vs withdrawal on transcript.

Hey everyone, quick question. What is the difference between getting an 'incomplete' and a 'withdrawal' on your transcript? How could each affect college admissions for high school students?

Hey! An "incomplete" and a "withdrawal" are two different notations that can appear on a high school transcript, and they have different implications in terms of college admissions.

An "incomplete" typically means that a student has not yet finished all the required coursework or assignments for a particular class due to extenuating circumstances, like illness or a family emergency. In many cases, an incomplete may be replaced with a final grade once the student completes the remaining work. It's important for students with incompletes on their transcripts to communicate any extenuating circumstances to colleges in their applications, usually through the "additional information" section or a counselor's recommendation letter.

On the other hand, a "withdrawal" (often noted as "W" on a transcript) signifies that a student has chosen to drop a course after the add/drop period, meaning that they have not completed the class. This could happen for a variety of reasons such as a scheduling conflict, a realization of a poor fit, or personal reasons.

In terms of college admissions, here's how each can impact:

1. Incomplete - An incomplete could potentially raise questions for the admissions committee about your academic performance, especially if it's in a core subject. However, if the circumstances are well-explained and resolved (i.e., the missing work is eventually completed, and the final grade is updated on the transcript), then it should not have a major negative impact.

2. Withdrawal - A single withdrawal might not have a significant effect on your application, but multiple withdrawals could raise concerns about your ability to handle a rigorous academic workload or your commitment to certain courses. Colleges may be more understanding if a withdrawal is due to extenuating circumstances or if you chose to drop a course to focus on other priorities, like a particularly demanding extracurricular activity. However, multiple withdrawals without a clear explanation may create a negative impression.

In conclusion, both "incomplete" and "withdrawal" notations will be considered by college admissions officers, but providing context and resolving any incompletes will help mitigate potential concerns. In general, having a strong overall academic record and demonstrating your resilience and ability to bounce back from challenges will help overshadow any minor setbacks on your transcript.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Use this calculator to find out the grade of a course based on weighted averages. This calculator accepts both numerical as well as letter grades. It also can calculate the grade needed for the remaining assignments in order to get a desired grade for an ongoing course.

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Use this calculator to find out the grade needed on the final exam in order to get a desired grade in a course. It accepts letter grades, percentage grades, and other numerical inputs.

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The calculators above use the following letter grades and their typical corresponding numerical equivalents based on grade points.

Brief history of different grading systems

In 1785, students at Yale were ranked based on "optimi" being the highest rank, followed by second optimi, inferiore (lower), and pejores (worse). At William and Mary, students were ranked as either No. 1, or No. 2, where No. 1 represented students that were first in their class, while No. 2 represented those who were "orderly, correct and attentive." Meanwhile at Harvard, students were graded based on a numerical system from 1-200 (except for math and philosophy where 1-100 was used). Later, shortly after 1883, Harvard used a system of "Classes" where students were either Class I, II, III, IV, or V, with V representing a failing grade. All of these examples show the subjective, arbitrary, and inconsistent nature with which different institutions graded their students, demonstrating the need for a more standardized, albeit equally arbitrary grading system.

In 1887, Mount Holyoke College became the first college to use letter grades similar to those commonly used today. The college used a grading scale with the letters A, B, C, D, and E, where E represented a failing grade. This grading system however, was far stricter than those commonly used today, with a failing grade being defined as anything below 75%. The college later re-defined their grading system, adding the letter F for a failing grade (still below 75%). This system of using a letter grading scale became increasingly popular within colleges and high schools, eventually leading to the letter grading systems typically used today. However, there is still significant variation regarding what may constitute an A, or whether a system uses plusses or minuses (i.e. A+ or B-), among other differences.

An alternative to the letter grading system

Letter grades provide an easy means to generalize a student's performance. They can be more effective than qualitative evaluations in situations where "right" or "wrong" answers can be easily quantified, such as an algebra exam, but alone may not provide a student with enough feedback in regards to an assessment like a written paper (which is much more subjective).

Although a written analysis of each individual student's work may be a more effective form of feedback, there exists the argument that students and parents are unlikely to read the feedback, and that teachers do not have the time to write such an analysis. There is precedence for this type of evaluation system however, in Saint Ann's School in New York City, an arts-oriented private school that does not have a letter grading system. Instead, teachers write anecdotal reports for each student. This method of evaluation focuses on promoting learning and improvement, rather than the pursuit of a certain letter grade in a course. For better or for worse however, these types of programs constitute a minority in the United States, and though the experience may be better for the student, most institutions still use a fairly standard letter grading system that students will have to adjust to. The time investment that this type of evaluation method requires of teachers/professors is likely not viable on university campuses with hundreds of students per course. As such, although there are other high schools such as Sanborn High School that approach grading in a more qualitative way, it remains to be seen whether such grading methods can be scalable. Until then, more generalized forms of grading like the letter grading system are unlikely to be entirely replaced. However, many educators already try to create an environment that limits the role that grades play in motivating students. One could argue that a combination of these two systems would likely be the most realistic, and effective way to provide a more standardized evaluation of students, while promoting learning.

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The Ethicist

Can i use a.i. to grade my students’ papers.

The magazine’s Ethicist columnist on artificial intelligence platforms, and whether it’s hypocritical for teachers to use these tools while forbidding students from doing the same.

By Kwame Anthony Appiah

I am a junior-high-school English teacher. In the past school year, there has been a significant increase in students’ cheating on writing assignments by using artificial intelligence. Our department feels that 13-year-old students will only become better writers if they practice and learn from the successes and challenges that come with that.

Recently our department tasked students with writing an argumentative essay, an assignment we supported by breaking down the process into multiple steps. The exercise took several days of class time and homework to complete. All of our students signed a contract agreeing not to use A.I. assistance, and parents promised to support the agreement by monitoring their children when they worked at home. Yet many students still used A.I.

Some of our staff members uploaded their grading rubric into an A.I.-assisted platform, and students uploaded their essays for assessment. The program admittedly has some strengths. Most notable, it gives students writing feedback and the opportunity to edit their work before final submission. The papers are graded within minutes, and the teachers are able to transfer the A.I. grade into their roll book.

I find this to be hypocritical. I spend many hours grading my students’ essays. It’s tedious work, but I feel that it’s my responsibility — if a student makes an effort to complete the task, they should have my undivided attention during the assessment process.

Here’s where I struggle: Should I embrace new technology and use A.I.-assisted grading to save time and my sanity even though I forbid my students from using it? Is it unethical for teachers to ask students not to use A.I. to assist their writing but then allow an A.I. platform to grade their work? — Name Withheld

From the Ethicist:

You have a sound rationale for discouraging your students from using A.I. to draft their essays. As with many other skills, writing well and thinking clearly will improve through practice. By contrast, you already know how to grade papers; you don’t need the practice.

What matters is whether an A.I.-assisted platform can reliably appraise and diagnose your students’ writing, providing the explanation and guidance these students need to improve. In theory, such tools — and I see that there are several on the market, including from major educational publishers — have certain advantages. The hope is that they can grade without inconsistency, without getting tired, without being affected by the expectations that surely affect those of us who hand-grade student work.

I notice you haven’t raised concerns about whether the platform provides reliable assessments; you’ll have to decide if it does. (If it isn’t quite up to snuff, it might become so in a year or two, so your question will persist.) Provided the platform does a decent job of assessment, though, I don’t see why you must do it all yourself. You should review the A.I.-annotated versions of your students’ writing, check that you agree with the output, and make notes of issues to bring up in class. But time saved in evaluating the papers might be better spent on other things — and by “better,” I mean better for the students. There are pedagogical functions, after all, that only you can perform.

In sum: It’s not hypocritical to use A.I. yourself in a way that serves your students well, even as you insist that they don’t use it in a way that serves them badly.

Readers Respond

The previous question was from a reader who asked about professional boundaries. He wrote: “I am a retired, married male psychiatrist. A divorced female former patient of mine contacted me recently, 45 years after her treatment ended. Would it be OK to correspond with her by email? Or is this a case of ‘once a patient, always a patient?’”

In his response, the Ethicist noted: “The relevant professional associations tend to have strictures that are specifically about sexual relationships with former patients. … In light of the potential for exploitation within the therapist-patient relationship, these rules are meant to maintain clear boundaries, protect patient welfare, uphold the integrity of the profession and eliminate any gray areas that could lead to ethical breaches. But though you do mention her marital status, and yours, you’re just asking about emailing her — about establishing friendly relations. The question for you is whether she might be harmed by this, whether whatever knowledge or trust gained from your professional relationship would shadow a personal one. Yes, almost half a century has elapsed since your professional relationship, but you still have to be confident that a correspondence with her clears this bar. If it does, you may email with a clear conscience.” ( Reread the full question and answer here. )

As always, I agree with the Ethicist. I would add that the letter writer’s former patient doesn’t realize that the therapist is actually two different people — the professional and the regular person underneath. Therapists portray their professional selves to their clients. The former client may be disappointed upon meeting the therapist outside of the professional context. Additionally, the feelings she has toward the therapist may be based on transference, and they would need to address that. — Annemarie

I am a clinical psychologist. While the Ethicist’s description of professional ethical boundaries is correct, there is more to the story, and I disagree with his conclusion. A very big question here is why this former patient contacted him after 45 years. That is a question that is best explored and answered within the context of a therapeutic relationship. He would be well- advised to respond in a kind and thoughtful way to convey the clear message that he is not available for ongoing communication, and he should suggest that she consult with another therapist if she feels that would be helpful. — Margaret

In my case, it was the therapist who reached out to me, seeking to establish a friendship several years after our sessions ended. I was surprised, but he shared that he had since experienced a similar personal tragedy to one I had explored with him in sessions. Since it had been several years since we saw each other professionally, I responded. There was never any hint of romantic or sexual interest. Still, as he continued to reach out to me, clearly desiring a friendship, it never felt right to me. It did feel unprofessional, as his knowledge of me was borne out of a relationship meant to be professional, never personal, as warmly as we might have felt during our sessions. I ended up being disappointed in him for seeking out my friendship. — Liam

I am a (semi)retired psychiatrist who has been practicing since 1974. In my opinion, “once a patient, always a patient” is correct. Establishing any type of personal relationship with a former patient could undo progress the patient may have made in treatment, and is a slippery slope toward blatantly unethical behavior. As psychiatrists, our responsibility is to work with patients in confronting and resolving issues that are preventing them from having a reality-based perception of their life. With such an outlook, they are more capable of establishing satisfying relationships with others. An ethical psychiatrist is not in the business of providing such satisfaction to his or her patients. — Roger

I think there is a difference between being friendly and being friends with a former client. As someone who used to attend therapy with a therapist I think dearly of, she made it clear to me that it was OK to send her emails with life updates after our therapeutic relationship ended. But beyond that, I think it would be inappropriate and uncomfortable to pursue a friendship with her, and vice versa, because of the patient-provider relationship that we previously had and the power dynamic that existed between us. The letter writer didn’t share the content of the email his former patient sent to him, but if it’s just a friendly life update, I think it’s fine to write back and thank her for sharing. Beyond that, I feel like it would be unprofessional to meet or pursue a deeper relationship. — Meghan

Kwame Anthony Appiah is The New York Times Magazine’s Ethicist columnist and teaches philosophy at N.Y.U. His books include “Cosmopolitanism,” “The Honor Code” and “The Lies That Bind: Rethinking Identity.” To submit a query: Send an email to [email protected]. More about Kwame Anthony Appiah

More From Forbes

Understanding how ai fits into your finance function.

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Omar Choucair , CFO, Trintech, has spent 20+ years leading financial and administrative organizations for public and private companies.

Chief financial officers face a multitude of challenges, from managing complex financial data to navigating regulatory requirements. Amid this backdrop, artificial intelligence presents a transformative opportunity for CFOs to revolutionize their operations and drive efficiency within the office of finance.

Big tech companies such as Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta are investing billions of dollars into AI because these tools have the potential to streamline processes and unlock valuable insights from vast amounts of financial data, which can ultimately enhance decision making.

However, a strategic approach is essential for CFOs to fully harness the power of AI. CFOs must prioritize understanding their organizations’ specific needs and pain points. After identifying the areas where automation and AI can make the greatest impact and generate ROI, CFOs can develop a tailored AI strategy aligned with their business objectives.

Determine AI’s Place In Your Organization

While there’s no question that hype around AI is warranted, knowing how and where to invest in it is increasingly complex. For example, should the focus be on making your consumer-facing product smarter and faster, or is it more important to focus on internal operations, where AI can quickly analyze all your data and help build more agile and effective marketing campaigns?

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It will be critical to monitor which vendors are developing relevant AI solutions and which are simply looking to ride the bandwagon with superficial or incomplete AI solutions. Vendors developing relevant AI solutions will prioritize data governance, regulatory compliance and ethical considerations in their product development. A strategic AI vendor will showcase their expertise through case studies highlighting their experience and prominent partnerships or clients.

In contrast, early stage vendors often lack a solid track record and could overstate benefits without the research or methodology to support them. Companies looking to invest in AI solutions should thoroughly research vendors to ensure they choose trusted partners who prioritize these critical aspects.

CFOs will need to make sure their finance and accounting teams know what AI can and can’t do and how to distinguish between contenders and pretenders.

Collaboration between finance and technology teams is crucial. CFOs will need to work closely with chief information officers and chief technology officers to evaluate AI solutions and determine the most suitable options for their organization. This key partnership ensures that any applications are not only technically feasible but also are aligned with broader IT strategies and infrastructure capabilities.

Additionally, the importance of data quality and integrity in driving successful AI implementations will be a priority. Clean, accurate data is the foundation for AI-driven insights and ultimate decision making. Accordingly, investing in data management practices, such as data cleansing, normalization and governance, is essential to ensure the reliability and relevance of AI outputs.

At Trintech, our team has found that AI could revolutionize every aspect of our product operation. In particular, we have identified three areas where we believe that harnessing the power of AI can revolutionize the financial close. This includes transforming system configurations to elevate customer engagement, optimizing operations to be more efficient while still maintaining rigorous compliance requirements and enhancing data collection and analysis operations to unlock patterns and build predictive analytics.

We have also established a Center of Excellence to help our team research and quickly develop AI solutions that best align with our business model. While CFOs will need to decide how much of an investment in research makes sense for their organization, doing your homework now can have a huge impact on rolling out successful AI initiatives down the road.

Prioritize Skill Development And Be Willing To Experiment

CFOs should foster a culture of continuous learning and skill development within the finance team. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into finance operations, employees must acquire new skill sets and competencies, such as data analysis and AI model interpretation. Investing now in training programs and professional development initiatives enables finance professionals to adapt to the evolving technological landscape and maximize the value of AI tools.

Additionally, CFOs will need to embrace agility and experimentation in their AI initiatives. The rapid pace of technological innovation means that new AI capabilities and applications are constantly emerging. CFOs should remain open to exploring novel use cases and experimenting with different AI tools and techniques to uncover untapped opportunities for efficiency gains and competitive advantage.

Commit To Responsible AI Adoption

As AI continues to reshape the financial landscape, it will also be crucial for CFOs to prioritize data governance, regulatory compliance and ethical considerations when implementing these powerful technologies. With the increasing scrutiny on AI adoption and the sensitive nature of financial data, organizations must develop responsible AI practices that mitigate potential risks and maintain the trust of their clients and stakeholders. CFOs should ensure that their AI architectures are designed to keep each customer’s data secure and isolated, preventing any intermingling of sensitive information between clients.

A commitment to responsible AI adoption not only protects clients’ intellectual property but also enables companies to deliver innovative solutions that drive meaningful value without compromising integrity.

Don’t Forget To Measure Its Impact

CFOs should measure and evaluate the impact of AI implementations on key performance indicators and business outcomes. Establishing a clear set of KPIs to measure the impact of AI implementations is critical.

At Trintech, our Innovation Lab is dedicated to testing and measuring how different AI technologies integrate into our solutions. Specifically, we focus on KPIs such as ROI, productivity improvements and efficiency gains in the financial close process. Additionally, we measure key risk categories to ensure AI implementations meet the high standards and compliance expectations of CFOs and the office of finance. Before implementing any solution, we review it for transparency (understanding how inputs lead to outputs), reliability (validation of data by third-party applications) and bias (ensuring results are not influenced by biased data inputs).

By establishing metrics to assess the effectiveness and ROI of AI initiatives, CFOs can demonstrate the value of AI-driven innovation to senior leadership and stakeholders. Moreover, ongoing performance monitoring enables CFOs to identify areas for optimization and refinement, ensuring that AI continues to drive tangible business benefits over time.

In our experience, most CFOs have realized that AI represents a powerful opportunity to enhance efficiency and drive strategic value within the office of finance. While it can be tempting to jump full steam ahead into the latest trend, they will need to fully vet all the long-term implications of any integrations. By adopting a strategic approach grounded in understanding, collaboration, data integrity, ethics, learning, agility and measurement, CFOs can harness the full potential of AI to position their organizations for long-term success.

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