ABSTRACT
Assignments or computations due at the beginning of a class can encourage student preparation for material to be discussed, and also can provide a basis for in-class exercises. Students do not want to be embarrassed during class discussion, so the class format can provide encouragement. If faculty repeat much of a reading during a lecture, students quickly learn that they need not come prepared for class—students can wait for the summary by the instructor. Contemporary society often places significant demands on students' time, so students must balance class preparation with other pressures of life. Students may have fine intentions, but adding incentives to come to class prepared can help. Faculty could devote all their time to intellectual pursuits, and students had no outside involvements that might distract them from their studies.
