STUDY SKILLS AS DETERMINANTS OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study skills as determinants of secondary school students’ achievement in Biology in Anambra State of Nigeria was investigated. The research was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses tested at .05 alpha level. A correlation research design was adopted for the research. A sample size of 400 senior secondary school two (SS2) students offering Biology was drawn from the population of 2,927 SS2 students in the 49 coeducational public secondary schools in Nnewi Education zone of Anambra State using multi-stage sampling procedure. The instruments for data collection were Study Skills Questionnaire" (SSQ) and a proforma for recording the students’ first term result on Biology for 2023/2024 session which represent their achievement scores in Biology. The SSQ was validated by three experts from Faculty of Education in Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The reliability of SSQ was determined using Cronbach's alpha technique, with coefficient of 0.89. Data collection involved the direct administration of the questionnaire to respondents by the researchers and four research assistants (SS2 Biology teachers). The collected data were analyzed using simple and multiple regressions with the aid of SPSS, version 26. The findings revealed that; study skills are not significant determinants of secondary school students' academic achievement in Biology, study skills do not significantly predict male or female students' achievement in Biology. It was concluded that other factors beyond study skills may have a more substantial impact on students’ academic achievement in Biology. The study recommends that group guidance should be organized in schools by professional counsellors in order to create awareness on how students can develop effective study skills and other skills which can lead to a better academic achievement in Biology.