Much research documents that motivation is a major factor in student success. However, although students often know what they should do (attend class, do extra credit, and get help), many of them don't. Thaler and Sunstein's popular book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness (2008) might offer a solution. As the title suggests, the authors didn't envision the book as a teaching guide, but we think it has a lot to say about how we can influence our students to make good educational choices both in and out of the classroom.
