One email to students: Can a light touch intervention make a difference?

In this research, the authors aim to identify the effects of personalized instructor feedback on performance in introductory college courses. They conduct a field experiment in which poorly performing students in large lectures are randomized to receive individualized email communication about their course performance with reminders of out-of-class resources. Half of the treated students receive an email from the professor and half from their teaching assistant. The data show that neither treatment measurably increases course performance relative to students who received no email. Results related to email communication and office hour attendance suggest that students may increase help-seeking behavior but are limited by statistical imprecision.