Study Habits of Bsed Ii-A (Major in English) of San Jose Community College

STUDY HABITS OF BSED II-A (MAJOR IN ENGLISH) OF SAN JOSE

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

A Research Paper/Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Language Research

Niño B. Balicoco

Harlene C. Hernandez

Sheila Mae B. Grapinag

Marvin B. Llaneta

BSED III-C Major in English Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM

Introduction

When a new school year starts, students work diligently to prepare for their first exams. To ensure academic success throughout the entire year, it’s important to ditch bad study habits and establish good ones. No matter what age or academic level, employing effective studying strategies can make all the difference between acing a class, barely passing or, worse, failing miserably. Unfortunately, many of today’s most common study methods can lead to utter disappointment despite best efforts and intentions. In fact, recent research out of the University of Wisconsin-

Madison found that many popular study habits are not beneficial at all and, in some cases, are actually detrimental.

This year, ditch the surprisingly shoddy study habits and, instead utilize proven effective and emerging technology-based strategies as building blocks to get ahead - in school and, ultimately, in life. With this in mind, EdTech authority and academic futurist Ashish Rangnekar, CEO of

BenchPrep (a ground-breaking online/mobile/interactive scholastic prep solution enabling 21st Century high school and college students achieve greater academic success), offers this insight on six unexpectedly bad study habits to avoid and six good-sense study habits sure to keep students on track toward academic success.

“ Ultimately, students should identify their own study preferences - what works for them on a consistent basis—and act accordingly,” Rangnekar notes. “For example, some students study better in the morning or can better focus in smaller chunks of time rather than a marathon session.

Knowing exactly what does and does not work on a personal level, even tracking study patterns and correlating it with related grades, and then proactively creating a study plan and schedule around the proven effective methods, is the most powerful study tool of all."

The extent of students’ learning in academics may be determined by the grades a student earns for a period of learning has been done. It is believed that a grade is a primary indicator of such learning. If a learner earns high grades it is concluded that they may also have learned a lot while low grades indicate lesser learning. However, many experiences and studies found out that there are also several factors that would account for the grades. No single factor can be definitely pointed out as predicting grades. It has been an interplay of so many factors – gender, IQ, study habits, age, year level, parents’ educational attainment, social status, number of siblings, birth order, etc. In fact, almost all of existing environmental and personal factors are variables of academic performance. However, at this point in time, the researchers would like to investigate the possible relationship of study habits and the factors affecting it to the academic achievements of the students of San Jose Community College specifically BSED English majors, second year. Investigation on this area thus becomes a real and compelling motivation for the researchers to conduct this study. B. Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLES DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Independent variables as it influence the dependent variable of this research are on the bases of psychological and educational theories, principles and concepts. Many studies say that learning is better acquired and mastered as soon as the learner attends to it. Gestalt psychology mentions the Law of Proximity referring to the way in which he tends to form groups according tothe way they are spaced, with the nearer once being grouped together (Tria,et. Al., 1998). As applied to learning, this refers to the closeness in space or intime. Furthermore, it explains why it is easier to remember recent events andhence more easily joined with the interest of the present in a common Gestalt (Tria, et. Al., 1998). In application to learning process, immediate and regular study periods and doing school requirements tend to result in a better performance than delayed and erratic study periods do

Diverse study techniques, even for the improvement of memory stress the importance of immediacy in remembering and learning. Thorndikes Law of Exercise further supports this kind of principle asserting that, other things being equal, the more frequent a modifiable connection between a situation and response is used, the stronger is the connection. When a modifiable connection between a situation and a response is not being use over a period of time, the strength of that connection is weakened. A behavior that is stimulated over regular periods will tend to be repeated leading to habit formation. A student who has developed this kind of behavior, in this case, in terms of having regular and scheduled study periods and follows certain methods in studying proves to have better performance.

The study focuses on the factors affecting study habits, influencing the academic performance of the student. In this view, the researchers wanted to study the factors in which affect the study habits.

C. Statement of the Problem This study intended to find out the factors affecting the study habits of the

BSED English major students. It also aimed to answer the following questions:

1) Status

2) What is the respondents’ profile according to:

1.1 Time management

1.2 Study Skills.

3) Did the independent variables significantly influence students’ study habits?

D. Null Hypothesis

Based on the three specific problems which are of concern of this research, problem 1 is hypothesis-free. For problems 2 and 3 however, the following null hypotheses were stated.

Ho: Time management, and study skills do not have a significant influence on study habits.

E. Significance of the Study The researchers believe that students, particularly SJCC students will be benefited from the findings of this study since the study provides basis for awareness and better understanding of how their current study habits affected their academic performance. Likewise, gives them a more focused and clear perspective on how the specific behaviors related to their studies influenced study habits. Consequently, this awareness also gives a much deeper understanding of their selves as students considering that the college life is typically beset of developmental adjustment demands.

School administrator, like subject area coordinators, may also be guided in the formulation of future modification of educational policies, curricula and strategies toward a more effective delivery of learning.

Teachers will also be helped in understanding better the diversity of learning of their students. As such, it is hoped that they could develop more effective methodologies in teaching their subject matter.

Guidance and Counseling Centre will also be help by this study through providing a more focused and factual knowledge on the factors affecting students’ study habits. This increased the understanding of the

Guidance Counselors on the interplay of the variables studied in this research. Such knowledge is hoped to help the Guidance and Counselling practitioners towards the development and implementation of more effective programs in consideration of these variables.

Students will be given information on how study affects their academicperformance. The result of the study will make them aware of the commonstudy habits among their co- education students.

Future Researchers, they may be able to use the result of the study infarther research similar to what the study is.

F. Scope and Delimitations

The scopes of this research are the Education students here in San

Jose Community College (2nd Year BSED Major in English). The limitations of this research are only those students that are currently enrolled at SJCC having the prescribe study load for a given semester.

This study considered only at San Jose Community College and the students of it. This may have an effect on the generalization of the study and its findings. However, its findings, at least some portion and extent of it may still hold true to other schools possessing the same characteristics or adhering to the same educational vision, mission, objectives, and curricula of the studies of San Jose Community College. G. Definition of Terms

Constitutive Definition:

• Factors- one that actively contributes to an accomplishments, results, or process

•Develop- to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of

• Study Habits- manner which you consistently use to study for school or college or even for the next day lesson.

•Students- describe as one who directs zeal at a subject. Student is used for anyone who is learning.

Operational Definition:

•Factors- these refers to anything that affects study habits

•Develop- refers to fast or gradual changes in a range of time

•Study Habits- refers to the ways of studying on a particular subject

• SJCC Students- referring to all officially enrolled students of San Jose

Community College. Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE & STUDIES

According to Palm Beach Community College (PBBC, 2008), they recommend that student’s study should have at least three hours out of class for every hour spent in class. They also said that a student must have a special place to study with plenty of room to work. And students should not be cramped. They presuppose that study time will go better if a learner take a few minutes at the start to straighten things up. A desk and straight- backed chair is usually best. “Don’t get too comfortable--a bed is a place to sleep, not to study” as what they said. A student must have everything close at hand (book, pencils, paper, coffee, dictionary, computer, calculator, tape recorder, etc.) before starting to study. Students are not suggested to spend on time jumping up and down to get things. The PBCC suggests also that distracting noise should be minimized however they said that there are some people need sound and some like silence. In this case, a learner must find what works for him or her. Culprits are family and friends. Consider a "do not disturb" sign and turning on your answering machine is the way also to have better study habits according to the PBBC Frank Pogue (2000) did a research project to determine why students fail. What he founds to be true in that study habits survey was that more than 30 years ago still rings true today--students fail because they do not know how to study .The best advice he can give is to develop sound study skills. He said that a student should make sure that he/she has a good study environment, a good desk, a sturdy chair, good light, comfortable room temperature and a quiet atmosphere. That means he/she should eliminate all external and internal distractions. Second, get a good overview of the assignment before starting the work. Know what skills, facts and ideas that are expected to master and the ground that are expected to cover. Start with most difficult subject first, while the mind is freshest and most receptive. Professors in the developing countries said that the undergraduate students should be fully equip with high level of analytical skills, the capacity for critical reasoning, self-reflection and conceptual grasp and ability to learn autonomously and exercise flexibility of mind (Simmons 2003). Study habits are said to be improving because of the advent and wide use of the Internet, hypertext, and multimedia resources which greatly affects the Study Habits

(Liu, 2005). Karim and Hassan (2006) also note the exponential growth digital information, which changes the way students perceive studying and with printed materials that are to be use in facilitating study. Liu (2005) and

Ramirez (2003) report that student’s print material from the Internet in order to study and read later on. Igun (2005) also found that Nigerians study from materials downloaded from the Internet. Reading is an attempt to absorb the thought of the author and know what the author is conveying

(Leedy 1956). Studying is the interpretation of reading materials. Study habits and skills are particularly important for college students, whose needs include time management, note taking, Internet skill, the elimination of distractions, and assigning a high priority to study.

Fielden (2004) states that good study habits help the student in critical reflection in skills outcomes such as selecting, analyzing, critiquing, and synthesizing. Nneji (2002) states that study habits are learning tendencies that enable students work private. The study conducted by Hope L. Graven

(2008) on the relationship between an individual's amount of caffeine consumption during his/her study session and the individual's study habits showed that the main effect of drinking caffeine on exam preparation was not significant. There were participants, 20 male and 58 female college students (N=78), answered self-ratings on their personal consumption of caffeine as well as their study habits when preparing for a test/exam. It was hypothesized that the more caffeine a student consumes while studying, the more accurately his or her study habits would be labeled as 'unhealthy', as determined by the researchers. Unhealthy study habits were operationally defined as low scores on amount of time per study session, time (in days) when preparation began, and amount of information the participants believed they had retained. High scores on anxiety level were included in

'unhealthy' study habits. A person correlation indicated no relationship between amount of caffeine consumed while studying and the individual's effectiveness of studying and preparation. Marcus Credé and Nathan R.

Kuncel (2008) in their research at the University of Albany said that Study habit, skill, and attitude inventories and constructs were found to rival standardized tests and previous grades as predictors of academic performance, yielding substantial incremental validity in predicting academic performance. The meta-analysis examined the construct validity and predictive validity of 10 study skill constructs for college students. They found that study skill inventories and constructs are largely independent of both high school grades and scores on standardized admissions tests but moderately related to various personality constructs; these results were inconsistent with previous theories. Study motivation and study skills exhibit the strongest relationships with both grade point average and grades in individual classes. They also said that Academic specific anxiety was found to be an important negative predictor of performance. In addition, significant variation in the validity of specific inventories is shown. Scores on traditional study habit and attitude inventories are the most predictive of performance, whereas scores on inventories based on the popular depth-of-processing perspective are shown to be least predictive of the examined criteria.

Overall, study habit and skill measures improve prediction of academic performance more than any other non-cognitive individual difference variable examined to date and should be regarded as the third pillar of academic success. According to the how-to-study.com (2009), students who are very successful in their desired career have good study habits. It is stated in the website that students apply these habits to all of their classes. The website also recommends some tips in improving study habits. The website also suggests that the student should try not to study all the subjects in just a period. The website also added that if you try to do too much studying at one time, you will tire and your studying will not be very effective. Space the work you have to do over shorter periods of time.

Taking short breaks will restore your mental energy.

A study conducted by University of Kentucky was to determine if the college success can be improved with the Student Attitude Inventory (SAI).

The inventory was developed in Britain and contains 47 items which attempt to identify students in higher education on the basis of: (1) motivation (2) study methods, (3) examination technique, and (4) lack of distractions toward academic work. Students in six Kentucky community colleges were asked to express their attitudes toward study habits on the Student Attitude

Inventory. There were 996 students in the sample population (413 males and583 females). A measure of ability (composite American College Test score) and academic performance (cumuli grade-point average) were obtained for each student sampled. The Student Attitude Inventory did contribute a statistically significant amount of variance beyond an ability measure for males and females. (Mark E. Thompson, 2005)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 make sure that he must take a break for an hour after studies to meet with friends, to play some cards, work out at the gym, or to gab with anew acquaintance.

For this way, that student will find concentration when he do study, if he plans a social activity afterwards. He said, “To develop a healthy social life, develop routine study habits. After supper, lug your book sand homework to the library, find a comfortable and quiet niche, and study for two or three hours, taking intermittent 10 minute breaks every 45 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 as what Crilly said.

Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology that will be use in the conduct of this study and will include the discussion of research design, samplings, respondents and data gathering.

A. The Research Design The study will use the descriptive survey design in its attempt to determine, describe and analyze relationships between time management and study skills and the dependent variable which is the study habits. It tries to find out if the independent variables significantly influence the dependent variable.

B. Samplings and Respondents

Education Students who are enrolled during the recent school year at San

Jose Community College specifically the BSED II- Major in English which is comprise of 26 students but only 15 students took the questionnaire. The names of the students of the total population will be arranged alphabetically.

C. Research Settings

The study will be conducted inside the Room 105B at San Jose Community

College.

D. Data Gathering

The researchers will ask permission from the dean of school of education to allow the education student to answer the questionnaire. Answered questionnaires then, will be gather, responses coded and will be subject to the appropriate statistical computation for reliability. E. Instruments Used

Self- developed questionnaire composed of 7 items questions will be use to measure Study Habits of Education Students.

BibliographyBooks

Tulio, D., Foundation of Education 2. Mandaluyong City: Echanis

Press,2008Noll, J., Educational Issues, USA: Mcgraw-Hill Companies,

2006Thomas, G., Education and Theory ( Strangers in Paradigm),New

York:Open University Press, 2007Hargreaves, S., Study Skills for Dyslexic

Students, California: SAGEPublication Inc.,2007Schultz, F., Annual Editions

Education, USA: Mcgraw-Hill Companies,2005Fullan, M., and Germain, C.,

Learning Places, USA: Corwin Press, 2006McGregor, D., Developing Thinking

Developing Learning, England: OpenUniversity Press, 2007Mirasol, G.C.,

Extent of Influence of Study Habits, Attitude and Peer Relationship on

Students’ Academic Performance: St. Michael’s College,Secondary Level,

Philippines: 2002

Internet Links

“ The Ten Study Habits of Successful Students”, February 18,

2009(http://how-to-study.com/study-habits.htm)“Establishing Good Study

Habits”, February 16,

2009(http://www.academictips.org/acad/literature/establishinggoodstudyha bits.html)“Study habits of postgraduate students in selected Nigerian universities”,February 14, 2009: by Igun, Stella E.,Adogbeji,

Oghenevwogaga Benson(http://www.articlearchives.com/education- training/students-student-life/1548550-1.html) http://www.examiner.com/article/study-habits-for-students-bad-ones-to- avoid-good-ones-to-achieve-success

Edpalina, Connie RyanThe researchers

Survey Questionnaire on Study Habits

Name______Course & Year______Date______Age______Gender______

Direction: Please put check (√) on the space that corresponds to what you are actually doing, thinking, and feeling regarding the statement. There are no right and wrong answers to this questionnaire. Rest assured that your answers will be treated in strictest and will be used only for this study.

1. How far in advance do you start studying for finals? One month ____ Two weeks______One week _____ Days before_____ The night before______

2. What time of day do you do the most studying? Morning (6 a.m. to noon _____ Afternoon (noon to 6 p.m.) _____ Evening (6 p.m. to 9 p.m.) _____ Night (9 p.m. to 12 a.m.) _____ Late night (12 a.m. to 6 a.m.) _____

3. On average, how many hours do you study for finals? 20-24 hours ______15-19 hours______10-14 hours ______5-9 hours ______1-4 hours ______

4. What is your favorite way to study? Repeating points out loud _____ Writing index/flash cards, then using them______Writing outlines ______Highlighting text ______Studying in a group______Going to review sessions ______Other, please describe : ______

5. Where is your favorite place to study? Bedroom ______Library ______Coffee shop ______Parents’ home ______Other, please describe: ______

6. What is your favorite study break? Exercise ______Watching TV/movie ____Surfing the Internet ______Napping ______Socializing ______Playing video games______Praying/meditating ______Other, please describe: ______

7. Do you feel increased stress or anxiety leading up to exam time? Yes ____ No _____

Curriculum Vitae

Table of Contents Chapter Page

1 The Problem

Introduction.

......

Conceptual Framework.

......

Schematic Diagram.

......

Statement of the Problem

......

Null Hypothesis

...... 6 Significance of the Study

......

. 6Scope and Limitations

......

. 8Definition of Terms

......

2 Review of Related Literature and Studies......

3 Research Methodology......

17Research Design

......

17Samplings and Respondents

......

17Research Setting

......

18Data Gathering

...... 18Instruments Use

......

Bibliography......

Appendices......

Curriculum Vitae......

27 March , 2014

Teresa G. Bustamante, MAEd. College President San Jose Community College Malilipot, Albay

Madam:

Please be informed that we, BSED- English III-C, will be conducting a research about study habits of BSED-English II-A students of San Jose Community College in partial fulfillment of the requirements in English 112 (Language Research) under Mrs. Nenita Villalon.

In line with this, may we ask from your good office to allow us conduct the interview among the BSED-English II-A students which will be on or before March , 2014.

Rest assured that the data gathered will be treated with confidentiality.

Your approval of this request will be highly appreciated. Thank you.

Very truly yours,

______MARVIN LLANETA BSED III-C

Attested:

______MRS. NENITA VILLALON Instructor

Noted: ______NEMIA BASQUIÑAS, Ed.D Dean, College of Education

Approved: ______TERESA BUSTAMANTE, MA Ed. College President