University Students’ Approaches to Studying and their Academic Achievement

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to examine Mizan-Tepi University Students’ approaches to studying. Questionnaire and interview were used to gather data from a sample of 220 (103 male and 117 female) second year students. Factor analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, ANOVA and regression analysis were used to analyze the quantitative data. Factor analysis indicated three major components (deep, surface and strategic) of the students’ approaches to studying. Cluster analysis revealed four study approach profiles: very poor (very low deep and strategic, and very high surface), poor (low deep and strategic, and high surface), moderate (average deep and strategic, and high surface) and good (very high deep and strategic, and very low surface) quality study approach groups. Most female students were found to adopt very poor quality study approaches. Students in the good quality study approach profile were noted to be the most academically successful. Practical and theoretical implications of the findings were discussed.