Study Habits and Achievement Motivation as Predictors of Academic Achievement among Higher Secondary Students

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effect of Study Habits and Achievement Motivation on the Academic achievement of higher secondary students. It was designed to study the effect of study habits, achievement motivation, and academic achievement, and to find out the predictive relation of study habits and achievement motivation with the academic achievement of the students.
Methodology: A quantitative method was used in this descriptive survey. The schools in this study were randomly selected by 300 students from higher secondary schools under the control of the State Board. The data were collected using standard instruments, “such as the Study Habits Inventory and Achievement Motivation Scale. Students’ annual examination marks from school records were used as indicators of academic achievement. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data.
Major Findings: The findings showed significant positive correlations between study habits and academic achievement, achievement motivation and academic achievement, and study habits and achievement motivation. Based on the results of regression analysis, it was concluded that the model of research activities and achievement motivation contributed towards the explanation of academic achievement by 55%. The best predictor was study habits (β=0.45), followed by achievement motivation (β=0.38). The study also revealed that among the important factors contributing to the good academic achievement of the study population, higher secondary level students, study habits and achievement motivation are important. All of these factors can be supplemented to improve students’ learning outcomes along with academic accomplishments.
Recommendations: It is recommended that schools provide study skill training programmes and activities of which motivation will be one to help students’ orientation to their learning behaviour. Teachers’ academic counselling and emotional assistance for good study skills and motivation should be provided concurrently with the parents and the counsellor.
Future studies should include larger and different samples, as well as other variables such as self-efficacy, parental support, emotional intelligence, and learning environments, to further explore this research. More research based on longitudinal and experimental designs is needed to further elaborate on the determinants of academic achievement.