The Effect of Study Habits on the Academic Performance

Abstract

The study sought to find the effect of study habits on the academic performance of the second year Bachelor of Elementary Education students. It sought to find the academic performance of the respondents during the first semester, their study habits in terms of time management, learning skills and study skills. The respondents were 29 sophomore Bachelor of Elementary Education students during the first semester 2011-2012. The study made use of available data from the Registrar’s Office and a questionnaire on study habits was answered by the respondents.

The weighted mean was used to determine the academic performance of the students; the cramer’s v coefficient was used to determine the degree of association between academic performance and review periods and the ANOVA (F-test) was utilized to determine the significant difference in the academic performance of the respondents when grouped according to time spent in reviewing for the examinations. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study described the academic performance of the students, 3 were above average, 13 average and 13 below average.

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Overall the academic performance of the students was Average. The study found that the sophomores do not have good time management. Most study a week before the examinations, a few the nights before and fewer still two weeks before examination day.

Background of the Study

How important is study habits to our students nowadays? Does it affect their performance and behavior in school? Will it contribute to their success in the future? Study habits are how a student/learner manages his/her time in such a way that he/she can review and study his/her lessons in school regularly.

Good study habits are the tools to success. Well-developed studies habits make a student perform well in class and will surely reach his/her ambition in life. Nowadays, many children are engaged in computer games, cutting classes, watching television, excessive playing and most of all are engaged in vices such as illegal drugs, gambling and crimes (Losare, 2009). What is the effect of these activities in their studies?

Students do not give so much time and attention in their studies. Palm Beach Community College ( PBCC, 2008 ), recommend that student’s should have at least three hours out of class study for every hour spent in class and a student must have a special place to study.A place where he feels comfortable and he is able to concentrate in his studies. Gates (1981) recommends some tips for effective study habits. One is to develop a routine; there should be a place and time strictly for studying and accomplishing work. Second is to know what is due when, which means you should plan ahead. Third is to read ahead, know your syllabus and do advance reading. Fourth is to have a good sleep because experts say a well rested student will be a productive student.

In the developing countries, professors said that the undergraduate students should be fully equipped with high level of analytical skills, the capacity for critical reasoning, self-reflection and conceptual grasp and ability to learn (Simmons, 2003). Study habits are improving because of the advent and wide use of the internet and multimedia which greatly affects study habit (Liu, 2005). Liu (2005) and Ramirez (2003) report that students print materials from the internet in order to study and read later on. Multi-media are a supplement to textbooks and workbooks. The uses of these materials help students in their studies. The students should be encouraged to spend more time for their assignments and class projects. These will help them improve their study habits and performance. But this does not mean that the student should always be holding his/her book, it is still recommended that there should be breaks between study hours to have time to rest their eyes and mind.

According to Mark Crilly (2000), Successful students are able to balance social activities with good study habits. A diversion from studies will alleviate stress and help prevent from becoming fatigued. He said that a student should take a break for an hour after studies to meet with friends, play cards, and work out at the gym or to gab with new acquaintances. “To develop a healthy social life, develop routine study habits. After supper, lug your books and homework to the library, find a comfortable and quiet niche and study for two or three hours, taking intermittent 10 minutes breaks every forty-five minutes or so.” Making friends with whom you share similar study habits and share a table or a study space with them would be a best way in developing study habits. Undergraduate students should be fully equipped with high level of analytical skills, the capacity for critical reasoning, self-reflection and conceptual grasp and ability to learn. Multi-media is a supplement to textbooks and workbooks.

The uses of these materials help students in their studies. The students should be encouraged to spend more time for their assignments and class projects and not to use the internet simply for games. These will help them improve their study habits and performance. But this does not mean that the student should always be holding his/her book, it is still recommended that there should be breaks between study hours to have time to rest their eyes and mind. According to Marabut (2006), sound study skills and habits are crucial to academic success of a student. Intelligence alone cannot do the job. Good academic skills cannot be developed overnight. These are acquired gradually, so be patient with yourself.

To develop a healthy social life, develop routine study habits. After supper, lug your books and homework to the library, find a comfortable and quiet niche and study for two or three hours, taking intermittent 10 minutes breaks every forty-five minutes or so. Making friends with whom you share similar study habits and share a table or a study space with them would be a best way in developing study habits. There are many students who usually open their notes only before the examinations.

Wilma Werigene M. Villa, (2009) said that the primary objective of education is high educational achievement attained by learners in school and it is the task of the school authorities to work for it as well as the parents. It cannot be achieved in a second. There are many learners who fail in their studies due to their inability to cope with the daily obstacles and demands in school. Many factors are enumerated as causes of failures in school by learners and one of them is study habits. This is the reason why one of the researchers thought of this study because she was given a teaching load where more than one half of the classes are re-takers in that course. She felt concerned of why there is a great number of failures in College Algebra. Is it because of poor study habits?

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to find out the effect of study habits on the academic performance of the second year Bachelor of Elementary Education students. Specifically it seeks to find:
1. What is the academic performance of the respondents during the first semester 2011-2012?
2. What is the study habits of the respondents in terms of:
a. Time Management
b. Learning Skills
c. Study Skills
3.1 Is there an association between academic performance and study habits?
3.2 Is there a significant difference in the academic performance of the students when grouped according to time spent in reviewing for the examinations?

Hypothesis of the Study

1. There is no association between academic performance and study habits. 2. There is no significant difference in the academic performance of the respondents when grouped according to time spent in reviewing for the examinations.

Methodology

The Descriptive-Survey design was used in this study utilizing a questionnaire on study habits administered to the second year BEEd students during the first semester 2011-2012. The questionnaire consisted of 9 items and questions to obtain descriptive data. The cumulative grade point average to represent academicperformance ofthe students was taken from the records submitted to the registrar’s office. The questionnaire contained information or data on the profile of the respondents particularly on gender, time management, learning skills and study skills. Time management refers to how one can budget his/her time for reviewing and preparing for examinations.

Learning skills is described in terms of how much time (in hours), a student spends in studying which will lead to either a good or poor performance. A study skill is shown on how a student studies, where he/she studies, how he/she breaks or rests while studying. The questionnaire was administered to the re-takers in College Algebra (N=20) at the same time and was retrieved on the same day. The questionnaire for the other second year students were given/ administered in their class (N=9) and retrieved on the same day.

The data was tabulated immediately on the next day. The grade point average which represents the academic performance was computed after the teachers have submitted their grading sheets to the registrar. The Cramer’s V coefficient (V) was used to determine the degree of association between the academic performance and review periods of the students. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA – F-test) was used to find the significant difference in the academic performance of students grouped according to time spent in reviewing for the examinations.