ADIGRAT UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE

EFFECTS OF STUDENTS READING HABIT ON THEIR ACADEMIC

ACHIEVEMENT OF AGAZI COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL
IN FOCUS

BY: FIYORI WGEBRIEL

ADVISOR: NIGUSE DEST (MA)

APRIL, 2015
ADIGRAT, ETHIOPIA

Introduction
1.1.

Background of the Study

Reading study habit plays indispensable role for academic performance, those every parent
and teacher would desire their children to be avid and excited readers. Therefore, it is essential
to create captivating, inviting and comfortable environment for the students that inspire them
to them cultivate good study habits. Library, more than any other place, provides ideal
environment and vital information resources for students to develop and sustain good study
habits necessary for excellent performance in academic works. Thus, it is imperative for the
students to cultivate good study habits that will equip them for excellent performance in their
academic work through the use of a school library. A habit is a settled or regular tendency or
practice, especially one that is hard to give up (Jato, 2004).
Reading habits are well-planned and deliberate pattern of study which has attained a form of
consistency on the part of students toward understanding academic subjects and passing at
examinations. Reading habits determine the academic achievements of students to a great
extent. Both reading and academic achievements are interrelated and dependent on each other.
Students often come from different environments and localities with different levels of
academic achievement. Therefore, they differ in the pattern of reading habits. While some
students have good reading habits, others tend to exhibit poor reading habits. Academic
achievement means how much knowledge the individual has acquired from the school
(Owusu-Acheaw, 2004).
Thus the achievement of quality basic education calls for the development of good reading
habits of both young and adult learners. Reading is a key to a wealth of experience that links
people in a way far beyond distance or time. Reading is important for students in general in
order to cope with new knowledge in a changing world that of the technological age. The
ability to read is at the heart of self education and lifelong learning. Reading is a very
important issue which is not only about enjoyment but a necessity; the basic tool of education.
Reading makes way for a better understanding of ones own experiences and it can be an
exciting voyage to self discovery. It is the art of interpreting printed and written words, the

most effective process of conscious learning which influences the extent and accuracy of
information, as well as the attitudes, morals, beliefs, judgment and action of readers
(Panigrahi and Panda, 1996). Similarly Palani (2012) also noted reading habit is an essential
and important aspect for creating a literate society in this world. It shapes the personality of
individuals and it helps them to develop proper thinking methods, and creates new ideas.
However, the developments in the Mass Media such as adio, recorded music, film and
television had continued to influence interest in reading books, magazines and journals,
among others.
Hence the rational of this research will be to fill the gap in this case and to assess effects of
students study habit on their academic achievement.

1.2.

Statement of the Problem

The problem most students have that contributes to their poor performance in tests and
examinations is lack of proper reading habits. For a good performance, there is the need for
the student to form good reading and study habits. At present, due to the influence of the
mass media, people do not show much interest in reading books; magazines and journals,
among others (Palani, 2012). Even the examination malpractices may be traceable to the
prevalent poor reading interests and habits among the wide spectrum of students. Today, many
students prefer to watch movies and other shows on the television, listening to audio-CDs,
watching video-CDs, among others (Issa, 2012).
Many parents and teachers complain about students of our generation who have not developed
reading habits among themselves. The net result is poor performance of many students in final
examinations. One of the many issues confronting students nowadays is perhaps, not their
inability to read but their lack of interest.
Furthermore, it is common to observe that specially students in urban areas including Adigrat
town being concentrating on television; phone calls and social medias like facebook than
having regular time to study, note-taking, time management for regular assignment and tests.
Poor performance of students in school leads to poor study habit and this in turn direct to poor
tests result and may not be able to realize their full potential.

From the assertion above, the study will be conducted to assess effects of Students reading
habit on their academic achievement of Agazi comprehensive secondary school in focus.

1.3.

Research Questions
And to this end the researcher stated the following leading question to be answered at the end
of the research.
1. How does study habit affects students academic achievement?
2. What kind of materials do students read when they visit the library?
3. Is there a relationship between (Students) study habits and academic achievement?

1.4.

Objectives of the Study

1.4.1. The General Objective

The main objective of this study will be to assess effects of Students reading habit on their
academic achievement.
1.4.2. The Specific Objectives
The specific objectives are as follows:
1. To assess the effect of study habits on students performance
2. To examine the material students read when they visit the library
3. To ascertain the relationship between study habit and academic achievement

1.5.

Significance of the Study

The study may add knowledge on understanding the effects of Students reading habit on their
academic achievement and help the students the way it bring positive outcome. The data to be
obtained in this study can be used by parents and teachers as well school administration as a
tool that enable them make better decision while designing curriculum. Furthermore, this
research can be utilized as baseline in future related researches.

1.6.

Delimitation of the Study

Since this study will be the first work of the researcher, it will be difficult to deal both in
breadth and depth and hence the study will be restricted in assessing the effects of Students
reading habit on their academic achievement. And due to the shortage of time and financial

budget, the study will be limited to students of grade nine sections A and B at Agazi
comprehensive secondary school at Adigrat town.

1.7.

Limitation of the Study

While conducting this study, the researcher may face such as constraints of time, shortage of
resources that are critically important for gathering the necessary information, limited ability
of the researcher in conducting the research and the behavior of the students that are taken as a
sample were bad and careless to fill the questionnaire properly.

Research Methodology
3.1. Research design
A research is a process which consists of a series of interlinked activities moving from the
beginning to the end. The output of these series of the activities will highly influenced by the
research methodology. Hence the researcher will use descriptive design to assess effects of
students reading habit on their academic achievement.

3.2.

Data gathering tools

In order to get the required information both primary and secondary data will be used for the
study. Primary data will be collected directly from the respondents through
A.

Interview- -. The researcher will use an interview for principals and vice
principals. This interview will include structural and unstructured questions,
because the researcher expects that, there will be deep information from the

respondents with the presence of such interview

B. Questionnaire will be another tool to collect information. Here it will provide
both open-ended and close indeed questions distributing to the students to
receive the desired information.
For secondary data collection pertaining effects of students reading habit on their academic
achievement such as mark lists will be gathered from the school..

3.3. The Sources of Data

In order to acquire necessary information, the researcher will employed both primary and
secondary sources of data. The primary sources of data will be obtained from students,
teachers, principals and vice principals. of the school through questionnaires. In addition
interview will be conducted with principals and vice principals.
Secondary sources of data will be from related institutions such as the school and education
bureau.

3.4. Target groups/population

The target population of the study will be the students, teachers, principals and vice
principal Agazi comprehensive secondary school.

3.5. Sampling size and techniques

The sample size will depend on the existing students in grade 9 section A and B of Agazi
comprehensive secondary school with their respective teacher as well principal and vice
principals. According to Belle (2008) the sample size must be an optimal size; that it
should not be either too large or too small. And the sample size should be based on the
rule thumb for easily determining the representativeness of the research sample.
Hence the researcher will take 50 students as sample size for the study out of total 110
grade 9 students in the school. 12 teachers also will be selected randomly from 20
teachers presently giving teaching at grade 9 of the school. Moreover the existing 1
principal and 2 vice principals will be included in the sample.
Considering the time and resources allocated for the study, simple random sampling will
be applied in which each farmer will be chosen randomly and entirely by chance.

3.6. Methods of data analysis

The quantitative data gathered from questionnaire will be analyzed and interpreted using
tables calculating percentages and frequencies. Also the data gathered through interview
will be analyzed and interpreted qualitatively through description analysis.

3.7. Ethical consideration

To conduct this study, the researcher will put the following activities in consideration.
Keep the willingness of the participant, keep the right of the participant, and give them
freedom to write what they want based on the questions.

References
1. Belle, Van G. (2008) Statistical Rules of Thumb, 2nd Ed. New York: Wiley.
2. Jato, Michael (2004). Study habits, use of school libraries and students academic
performance in selected secondary schools in Ondo West Local Government Area of
Ondo State,Ondo: Adeyemi College of Education.
1. Issa, A. O (2012) Reading Interest and Habits of the Federal Polytechnic Students.
International Journal of Learning & Development.Vol.2, No.1, pp 470-486.
2. Owusu-Acheaw, Micheal (2004).Reading Habits among Students and its Effect on
Academic Performance: A Study of Students of Koforidua Polytechnic, Koforidua:
Koforidua Polytechnic.
3. Palani, K. K. (2012) Promising Reading Habits and Creating Literate Social.
International Reference Research Journal Vol. III Issue 2(1) pp 91.
4. Panigrahi, C. & Panda, K.C. (1996). Reading interests and information sources of school
going children: A case study of two English medium schools of Rourkela, India. Malaysia.
Journal of Library and Information Science 1 (1), pp. 57- 65.

Adigrat University
Department of English Language
The purpose of this questionnaire is to collect data for academic research work. It is a part of
study aimed at assessing effect of students reading habits on their academic achievement Agazi
complementary secondary school.
Hence your genuine responses in the following questions could help in successful accomplishing
the study. Certainly, your responses will be kept confidential.
Thank you advance
Instruction: Put tick mark ( ) to the possible alternative answer of the following questions.
1. How did you read any given passage in front of your classmates?
A. Perfectly
B. medium
C. Poorly
2. Dos your English teacher motivates you to read well?
A. Yes

B. No

3. If your answer for question number 2 is yes, why?

4. How do you read any reading materials?
A. Word by word
B. phrase by phrase C. grasp of the passage
5. What makes you poor in reading achievement?
1. Background knowledge B. Carelessness C. confidence
6. Do you have a good habit in reading
A. Yes
B. No
7. How read any text in front of your classmates?
A. Yes
B. No
8. How do you read a given text?
A. Loudly B. Silently C. Medium
9. How students can be good readers?
A. Through practice B. Through asking their readers
C. reading alone
10. What do you feel while reading?
A. Confidence enough
B, shy
C. nothing

Interview for principals and vice principals

1. Do you integrate reading with large skills why?
2. How do you improve your reading has a crucial effects on your academic?
3. Do you think reading has a crucial effect on your academic achievement?

4. What kind of strategies are you going to use while reading?

5. At which condition you become serious while reading?
6. How can you lead your performance well in reading?
7. Does reading fits with your academic achievement>? How?