Fontana, David Williams, Eira Simon, Allen Ward, Lionel
Verschenen in:
Assessment and evaluation in higher education
Paginering:
Jaargang 11 (1986) nr. 2 pagina's 105-116
Jaar:
1986
Inhoud:
This study investigates higher education students' own attributions of success using free responses, exploring in particular the relative importance of ability and effort-related attributions on the one hand and luck-related attributions on the other. A sample of 150 first year polytechnic degree course students from both Arts and Science faculties was investigated. A rank order of 12 categories was established: study habits, lecture-content, lecturer, social, interest, motivation, ability, domestic security, peers, luck, financial security, health. Among study habits a rank order of 7 categories was also established: reading skills, examination technique, time, note-taking skills, organisation of work, revision, place. Knowledge of, and practice in, study habits, is clearly important, and other implications are the need for further awareness of the lecturer-student relationship and more research into the consistency of student attributions across faculties beyond the first year.