INFLUENCE OF STUDY HABITS AND PRACTICE ON EXAMINATION PERFORMANCE AMOUNT STUDENTS

1.1 Introduction

The study habit of Nigerian students says that their study habit is poor because they read with only one aim in view that of passing examination, and not for pleasure. This shows that Nigerian students do not read for the purpose of pleasure but rather for examination purposes. School children read so as to pass examinations and to do assignment and that they read in classrooms and parlour of their respective houses and the major problems affecting reading culture include lack of library period in their school time table and lack of library in homes (Saka, 2012).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Study habit has been defined and explained in different ways by many scholars. The ideas that feature in all the works could give a summary which will make one define study habit as a constant or consistent pattern of study which individual has adopted over a long period of time. Study habit can also mean consistent, systematic and conscious tasks aimed at acquiring specific knowledge items meant to achieve certain goals.

The type of study habits that an individual adopts will determine the study skills such would possess. Therefore it is necessary to say that study habits can be a desirable one (good) and undesirable (poor) one. Desirable study habits include giving prompt attention to assignment and homework, making up for lessons missed in school, giving adequate attention to class room - activities, spending extra time at home to go through class activities, seeking teachers assistance when necessary, having high concentration level when reading and making use of textbooks and other learning materials to Support classroom works while studying.

Studying as an intellectual activity is undertaken in literate society for obtaining information, acquiring and expanding knowledge. It is an important activity in the life of an individual because it motivates the individual interest towards the achievement of more knowledge. It also affords the individual to derive pleasure and entertainment in sharing from the experiences of others communicated through prints or test materials. It is also a process by which printed words are assimilated, interpreted and transmitted into spoken words to understand the meaning and apply it on a daily basis.

A student’s ability to further his education after Secondary School depends on the extent of interest he has developed in reading over the years. Yusuf (2015) observed that reading is critical for children’s success in and outside school. In the views of Ogbonna (2014) reading literally refers to the ability to recognize and understand characters or speak words that may be printed or written on paper and other formats of recording human knowledge. It is the ability to obtain meaning from words. Consequently, a person who can easily read and write is said to be a literate person.

Reading is a receptive skill like listening and vocalizing what was stimulated, it also productive when it is done aloud. However, it is a mental process involving the interpretation of signs perceived through the sense organs. The study habit of school children in Nigeria is rather poor and this affect to a great extent the academic performance of school children. Poor study habit is believed to be one of the causes of poor performance in secondary schools in Nigeria today. There is however no generally accepted definition of academic performance because of the multifaceted domains of learning, Be that as it may, every academic pursuit should have some aims and objective which it sets out to achieve. At the completion of such programme, an evaluation is carried out to measure how far the participants benefitted from the programme or the extent to which the desired skills has been acquired by the learners. This evaluation is usually based on the set goals and objective of the academic institution that designed the programme. The outcome of this assessment is academic performance.

Therefore, in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Influence of Study Habits and Practice on Examination Performance Amount Students.

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1.3 Statement of Problem

Investigation revealed that poor study habits means sub-standard study habits. Good Study habits are the only ways, which through academic excellence could be attained. There is no short cut to academic success than to study hard and appropriately. Most Students in Nigeria today are found guilty of poor Study habits. They do not study enough to make them achieve remarkable academic success in life.

Various forms of examination malpractice, which are thriving in all facets of our educational system, are fast eroding the spirit of good study habits. Students do not bother to study hard a-gain as the alternative means to academic success, which is examination malpractice, is fast gaining ground in Nigeria.

Poor study habits are problems that portend great danger to the development of this nation. If poor study habits persist it simply means the future leaders of this great country will be half-baked and mediocre. It is an indisputable fact that a nation filled with mediocre cannot develop economically, socially, politically and in other areas of human endeavors properly.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Influence of Study Habits and Practice on Examination Performance Amount Students in Some Selected Secondary Schools in Doma L.G.A. of Nasarawa State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To find out the causes of poor study habits among students.
2. To investigate the effect of poor study habits and its consequences on the academic performance of a child.
3. To ascertain the various factors that has contributed to poor study habits and their effects on academic performance.
4. To suggest lasting solution for the problems of the existing research work

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does lack of qualified teachers affects reading efficiency?
• Does lack of relevant textbooks in school library affect reading efficiency?
• Does ill-health affect efficiency in reading?
• Does bad method of teaching cause poor study habits?
• Are there factors that have contributed to poor study habits and their effects on academic performance?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

• H₀1: There is no significant difference in the study habit of male and female students
• H₀2: There is no significant relationship between student study habits and student academic performance
• H₀3: There will be no significant difference between the study habits of students in public and private schools.

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1.7 Significance of Study

This study is significant because good education is the bedrock of any success. An educated mind is the enlightened mind. We cannot fold our hand and allow the educational standard in our nation to come to zero level, because there would not be any nation called Nigeria again. Other significance of this study includes:

1. It will expose to the authority, parents and students factors that are responsible for steady increase in poor study habits.
2. It will show the effects of Poor academic achievement on the overall development of individual and nation at large.
3. It was also meant to create platform upon which to make necessary corrections and adjustments in the educational policy and their implementation.
4. It will show the effects of poor study habits on academic performance.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The study focuses on the Influence of Study Habits and Practice on Examination Performance Amount Students in Some Selected Secondary Schools in Doma L.G.A. of Nasarawa State.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. 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).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Reading: It is the ability to attach meaning to printed symbols.

Skills: The ability to do something well

Student: A person usually under the age of 16 who students in secondary school.