In contrast to a decrease in stress and anxiety, other students reported an increase with the specifications grading system. Many of the concerns raised by students were related to the pass/fail nature of specifications grading, and some students equated not passing an assignment on the first attempt to failing despite the fact that they were able to try again without a grade penalty. Some students felt that the expectations to pass an assignment were too high . Many students did not like the absence of partial credit and felt that they should receive some credit for the work they submitted rather than not earning any credit for an assignment that did not meet the passing threshold . Students expressed stress and anxiety about how one mistake could make the difference between passing and not passing an assignment and consequently affect their grade in the course . Elkins acknowledges that not earning credit for the work they submitted can be a "harsh reality for students who are used to earning at least partial credit no matter how low their level of work ." Other instructors identified similar perceptions in which students appeared to believe that needing to revise an assignment was equivalent to "receiving an F ", "a demoralizing '0' rather than an opportunity for improvement" , or would "result in the assignment somehow being worth 'less' ". Blodgett shared a student quote that highlights this demoralization: "Making a great deal of effort and then getting a 0 for an assignment made me wonder why bother at all ." Noell et al. and Hunter et al. found that students are not accustomed to having opportunities to revise work, so it is useful in these situations to give reminders that not being assessed as passing on the first attempt is not a sign of failure and that revision opportunities are built into the course .