Title:
EFFECT OF STUDY HABITS ON PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING IN AWKA EDUCATION ZONE, ANAMBRA STATE

Authors:
Prof. Okoye, K. R. E.and Godwin-Maduike, Chinwe .C ,Nigeria

Abstract:
The study examined effect of study habit on academic performance of Financial Accounting students in public secondary schools in Awka education zone, Anambra State. Three research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested. Correlation survey research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 123 class three (SSS 3) Financial Accounting students. A sample size of 93 Financial Accounting students was selected based on a normal confidence level of 0.05 using Taro Yamane’s formula with proportionate sampling technique of 76 percentage. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire. The instrument was validated by three experts. A pilot test was used to establish the reliability of the instrument and data collected were analyzed using Cronbach alpha and obtained an overall coefficient value of 0.84. The data was analyzed using percentages and multiple correlation analysis. The findings revealed that 39% of the respondents spent a maximum of 40 minutes in studying while 15% of the respondents spent a maximum of 3hours in studying at any given time. Also 41% of the respondents studied best when they are alone, while 26% of the respondent studied best when they are with friends. Further analysis showed that 16.1% of the respondents were influenced by peer group, while 10.7% and 9.6% of the respondents were influenced by the absence of good library usage and lack of motivation from either the classroom teacher or parents. Based on the findings, it was concluded that study habit is the behavioural styles that are systematically formed by students towards learning and academic performance in Financial Accounting. It was therefore recommended among others, that school authorities should enforce reading culture or “prep time” into the curricular and equip the school with reading desk, efficient power supply and facilities that will motivate the students to form good study habits.