Homework is a concept that everyone can identify with. Some cringe when they hear the word, while others stand tall. Either way, homework is life changing for all students. It can help them succeed, or it can hinder them from achieving academic success. Is homework worth it? Is it worth the stress and anxiety most students have to feel to be considered accomplished? The topic of whether homework is a useful tool in learning or a burden on the home life has been debated since the 1800s. While some studies show benefit, many others show the unfavorable effects that added stress and lack of time can bring upon students. According to Harris Cooper “homework is typically defined as any tasks assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-school hours" [Coo89]. Non-school hours, from most students’ standpoints, are those in which they are thought to be completed with daily learning of academics. Learning, however, cannot stop at academics; other skills must be learned in order for a student to be successful in life. Cosden, et al. stated that “how children and adolescents spend their time after school is a critical determinant of both school and societal outcomes” [Cos04]. Jordan and Nettles, based on their analysis of data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988, offer a model showing that “the investments students make during their off hours in themselves and in their community affects their investment in schooling and, consequently, their performance in school” (qtd. in Cosden et al. 220). Although some research suggests that homework may benefit some students under certain conditions, others show that homework can actually be detrimental to learning. According to the Center for Public Education, there are positive and negative effects of homework that can be grouped into categories. “Theoretical benefits include instant achievement and learning, lasting academic benefits, nonacademic benefits, and benefits to parents and families. Theoretical disadvantages include loss of interest in school due to burnout, lac