CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Habit
is a second nature; it is routine of a person what he or she does in every
condition. It cannot be changed; it may be good or bad. It does not get
affected by the changing of place or schedules. A habit is something that is
done on a scheduled, regular, planned basis and that is not relegated to a
second place or optional place in one’s life. It is simply done, no
reservations, no excuses, and no expectations. A study habit is; buying out a
dedicated scheduled and un-interrupted time to apply one’s self to the task of
learning. Without it, one does not grow and becomes self-limiting in life (Gonzalez,
1997). Study habits tell a person that how much he will learn and how far he
wants to go, and how much he wants to earn. These all could be decided with the
help of one’s study habits, throughout the life. The importance of study habits
in student’s life it that plays a major role in their academic achievement,
because without studies no one can be successful. For studying, students should
use different techniques because with these techniques they can ensure good
outcomes. As everybody knows that every student has different study habits.
Some students can study in a crowdie place but some want silent environment for
studies. Although it is good to study in a peaceful environment but some time
students cannot get that environment. In this manner student should have to
adjust themselves in that environment like, in noisy classroom or hostels some
students study in silence but some do not. If they have good study habits, they
can adjust easily. Some students do not have the ability to cope up with the non-suitable
environment. Due to this reason, some students lose their positions. Effective
study habits help students to achieve good results (Sadia, 2005). However, the
study seeks to identify the factors affecting study habit and academic
performance of undergraduate student of National Open University study center.
An
academic performance is something students achieve at school, college or
university in class, in a laboratory, library or field work. An academic
performance such as graduating in one’s class,sometimes a purely quantitative
matter, while having the findings of lengthy, comprehensive research published
by a recognized journal is also a notable academic performance (Ansari 1983).
When
students get admission in a university, they have no idea about studies
requirement. Most of them have old patterns of seeking knowledge at the
beginning, they apply the same old techniques but after some time they realize
that old techniques are no more effective. Gradually they started developing
mature study style. Some students, when enter the higher institution, feel free
themselves from all the worries of studies which affect their studies
negatively. Even they get failed in their tests or exams and there are some
other poor study habits which affect the performance of the students.
Thisincludes a very common mistake which is made by students, and also most
unavoidable from the side of students. When students enter, especially in the
universities, they think of themselves free from every duty of studies. When
students leave their classes without any plan to read up what has been taught,
due to this, their study habits are also affected. They get used to it and lose
their positions. If they want to succeed in their life, they should be active
in their studies, attend all lectures which the teacher delivers in the class.
Study habits are learning tendencies
that enable students to work privately. The term study habit can be as the
students’ way of study whether systematic, efficient or inefficient. Going by
this definition, it literally means that good study habit produces positive
academic performance while inefficient study habit leads to academic failure.
Study habit are measured directly through reports, examination, assessment and
rating. Students’ attitude and study habit towards any subject hasbeen
described as a function of their belief about thesubject and implicit
evaluative responses with thosebeliefs, all of which has direct relationship
with the student academic performance.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In Nigeria, there are so many factors
that influence the ability of students to cultivate effective and efficient
study habit towards better academic performance. Such factors that are capable
of influencing the academic performance of university students are state of
health, motivation, anxiety, their environment, adequacy of infrastructures
like textbooks and well equipped libraries.
Nuthana&Yenagi,(2009) have examined
the causes of poor academic performance among university undergraduates. Some of
these factors identified are intellectual ability, poor study habit,
achievement motivation, lack of vocational goals, low self concept, low
socio-economic status of the family, poor family structure and so on. However,
the researcher is examining the factors affecting study habit and academic
performance of undergraduate students.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
following are the objectives of this study:
1.
To examine the factors affecting study habit and
academic performance of undergraduate students
2.
To
examine the factors affecting academic performance of undergraduate students.
3.
To
determine the relationship between study habit and academic performance of
undergraduate students
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.
What are the factors affecting study habit and
academic performance of undergraduate students?
2.
What
are the factors affecting academic performance of undergraduate students?
3.
What
is the relationship between study habit and academic performance of
undergraduate students?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO:
There is no significant relationship
between study habit and academic performance of undergraduate students.
HA:
There is significant relationship
between study habit and academic performance of undergraduate students.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
following are the significance of this study:
1.
The finding from this study will
educate the stakeholders in the education sector and the general public on the
factors that can influence student’s academic performance with special focus on
study habit and factors that can reshape students study habit towards better
academic performance.
2.
This
research will also serve as a resource base to other scholars and researchers
interested in carrying out further research in this field subsequently, if
applied will go to an extent to provide new explanation to the topic
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This
study on the factors affecting
study habit and academic performance of undergraduate students will cover
various forms of study habits practiced by undergraduate students and its
effect on their academic performance considering factors that can encourage
better study habit.
1.8 LIMITATION OF
STUDY
Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the
researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information
and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time
constraint- The
researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work.
This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
1.9
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Study Habits:Are
mainly external factors that facilitate the study process such as sound study
routines that include how often a student engage in studying sessions, review
the material, self-evaluate, rehears explaining the material, and studying in a
conducive environment (Credé, 2008)
Study Skills:Refers
to the student’s knowledge of appropriate study strategies and methods and the
ability to manage time and other resources to meet the demands of the academic
tasks.
Multicultural Classroom:
Within the framework of this investigation, multicultural classroom refers to
classroom where students and professors are from different cultural
backgrounds.
High Performing Students:
Different education institutions form different standards to measure students’
performance. For the purpose of this investigation, high performing students
are define as those who, based on standards of the institution where this
research took place, reached grades of 90 or above in 100% of the required
courses and in at least 80% of elective courses.