COMMONWEALTH ASSOCATION FOR
EDUCATION, ADMINISTRATION AND
MANA
MANAGEMENT
VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2
ISSN NO 2322-0147
OCTOBER
2013
A CORRELATIONAL STUDY OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
AND STUDY HABITS: ISSUES AND CONCERNS
Excellence International Journal of Education and
Research (Multi- subject journal)
Excellence International Journal of Education and Research
VOLUME -1
ISSUE 2
ISSN 2322-0147
A CORRELATIONAL STUDY OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
AND STUDY HABITS: ISSUES AND CONCERNS
Dr. Ehtesham Anwar
Associate Professor
Faculty of Education
Integral University
Lucknow , U.P. (INDIA)
anwar_ehtesham@rediff mail.com
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the degree of relationship between study
habits and academic achievement of senior secondary school students.
The investigator has also sought to compare the influence of good and
poor study habits on the academic performance of the students at senior
secondary level. The study employed a deceptive research of survey type.
A study Habit Inventory (SHI) was employed to determine the study
habits of the students. A reliability coefficient of 0.91 was obtained using
split half method. The population of the study includes all the senior
secondary school students of Lucknow city of U.P. (India). Sample were
selected through purposive random sampling technique. Two hypothesis
were formulated and were tested using Pearson’s correlation and t – test
at 0.05 and 0.01 level of significance. The descriptive analysis revealed
positive relationship between academic achievement and study habits and
the degree of relationship is high. It was also found that the academic
performance of students having good and poor study habits differ
significantly and good study habits result in high academic achievement.
The findings of this study would be of immense help in improving the
study habits of the students at secondary and senior secondary level.
Improvement in student’s academic achievement will further had to
national development as competent manpower will be produced planning
of specific items for study is highly recommended. Necessary study skills
must be taught to our students with a view to improving their academic
performance.
INTRODUCTION
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In all educational institutions, the whole teaching learning process
is directed towards achievement in the academic field as well as in the
sphere of co-curricular activities. The academic achievement is required
to be of greater value and for the attainment of which the students,
teachers and parents strive towards it. But, it is a well known fact that all
the students can never attain the same level of achievement in the
examination and in the recent past it has been realised that the number of
failure is increasing. This has posed a problem before all those concerned
with education and teaching. The large incidence of failure in the
secondary school examination has been of great concern not only to the
parents but also to the educator. With the constitutional provision aimed
at making the elementary education free and compulsory throughout the
country, the scope and responsibility of the education have added new
dimensions and one of the main concern of the educators has been how to
maximize the education of all children with due recognition of individual
difference in ability.
The relationship between study habit and students’ academic
performance has for long receive attention from scholars and educational
agencies. Nuthane & Yenage (2009) has examined the causes of poor
academic performance among university undergraduates. Some of these
factors identified are intellectual ability, poor study habits, achievement
motivation, lack of vocational goals, self concept, low socio- economic
status of the family, poor family structure and so on. In the same vein,
Ichado (1998) also agreed that the environment in which the students
come from can greatly influence their performance academically in the
school. The concept of study habit comprises the concept of study
attitude, study method and study skill. Attitude towards study has great
contribution in academic achievement and good study pattern. Successful
students adopt positive attitude towards study and do not waste time or
energy.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The investigator has sought to examine the relationship between study
habits and academic achievement of senior secondary school students.
He also wanted to compare the academic achievement of students having
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good and poor study habits. The investigator, on the basis of his finding
also aimed at providing few tips and suggestions in order to excel the
academic performance of the leaner.
HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY
1. There is no significant relationship between academic achievement
and study habits of senior secondary school students.
2. There is no significant difference in the academic achievement of
senior secondary school students having good and poor study
habits.
METHOD OF THE STUDY.
The study employed a descriptive research of survey design. The
population consisted of all senior secondary school students of Lucknow
city of UP (India). Sample of 200 senior secondary school students
studying in class XI were selected using purposive random sampling
technique from the 3 senior secondary schools of Lucknow city. A study
Habit Inventory (SHI) to measure the study habits of the students at the
post secondary level was used. The inventory comprises 52 items
pertaining to nine sub components of study habits namely
Comprehension (12 items), concentration (10 items), Task Orientation (9
items), Study Sets (7 items), Interaction (3 items), Drilling (4 items),
Supports (4 items), Recording (2 items) and Language (1 item) which
characterize the basis of study habits. The items have been drafted in
affirmative (34 items) and negative (18 items) forms. The reliability of
the whole inventory was worked out by using split half method. The
reliability coefficient is 0.91 which is fairly high and indicates that the
inventory is reliable. A Likert scale of 1 to 5 of Always, Frequently,
Sometimes, Rarely and Never was used in measuring responses of the
respondents.
The investigator has recorded the marks of each student, obtained in his
or her high school examination (X) to measure the academic
achievement.
Data collected were analysed with simple statistical tools such as
mean, standard deviation and inferential statistics. The hypothesis were
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tested using correlation coefficient and t-test. SPSS package was used to
analyse the data.
RESULTS
Hypothesis :- There is no significant relationship between academic
achievement and study habits of senior secondary school students.
Table :-1
Study Habits
Academic
Achievement
Pearson’s Correlation
Sig. (2 Tailed)
N
Pearson’s Correlation
Sig. (2 Tailed)
N
Study
Habits
1
200
.695
.000
200
Academic
Achievement
.695
.000
200
1
200
This table revealed that the correlation coefficient between study habits
and academic achievement is 0.695. This shows positive correlation
between academic achievement and study habits and the magnitude of the
relationship is high and strong. It means that when there is an increase in
the scores of study habits there will be also an increase in the academic
achievements of the students. Thus, this hypothesis is rejected.
Hypothesis 2 : there is no significant difference in the academic
achievement of senior secondary school students having good and poor
study habits.
Study
Habit
Good
Poor
N
Mean
54
54
72.7046
57.8943
Table 2
S.D.
Std. Error
of mean
7.0453
0.9587
7.2317
0.9841
t- value
(df. 106)
10.780
Significance
Significant
at 0.05 and
0.01 level
The table shows that the number of students having good and poor
study habits is same i.e. 54. This is 27% of the total number of the
students. The mean score of the academic achievement of the students
having good study habits is 72.7046 and that of the students having poor
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study habits is 57.8943. The standard deviation scores are 7.0453 and
7.2317 for the students having good and poor study habits respectively.
The calculated t value is 10.78. The tabulated t value at 106 degree
of freedom is 1.98 at 0.05 level of significance and it is 2.63 at 0.01 level
of significance. Here, the calculated value of t is greater than tabulated
value of t at both the level of significance, so this hypothesis shall also be
rejected. It means that the academic achievements of the students having
good and poor study habits differ significantly and the students having
good study habits achieve higher than the students having poor study
habits.
CONCLUSION
From the analysis it was found that there is significant relationship
between study habits and academic achievement of senior secondary
school students. Thus, it is clear that the study habit has an impact on the
academic achievement. Various factors such as method of study, family
background, socio-economic status and environment etc are the
determinants of study habits i.e. these factors affect study habits, but the
investigator has kept these variables controlled in this study.
It is also found that the academic achievement of the students
having good and poor study habits differ significantly. The result also
shows that the academic achievement of the students having good study
habits is higher as compared to the students having poor study habits.
RECOMMENDATION
This study recommends that the students should be taught the necessary
study skills so that their academic achievement can be greatly improved.
The learners should not try to perform so many learning activities at one
time. Planning of specific times for study is very important. The students,
should not change their study timings. Avoid calls while studying.
Reviewing assignments will help the students in evaluating their work
themselves and then improvement in their academic performance can be
observed soon.
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