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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

“No thief, however skilful, can rob one of knowledge, and that is why

knowledge is the best and safest treasure to acquire.” L. Frank Baum. As time

passed, drastic changes had been done in the structure of the country's education

system. This proves how people value knowledge and how education is a primary

concern. One way to acquire knowledge is to devote time and attention to study or

learn a given subject. From merely learning how to read and write to acquiring

knowledge about the composition of the Earth, it continues to develop and intensify

through time.

Thus, students create techniques in order to cope up with the increasing

load. Study technique is the practice of how one does the process of acquiring

knowledge on an academic subject as a regular tendency. This is an approach

applied to learning. Consequently, it makes a student's habit, skill and attitude.

These are fundamental to academic competence–either making or breaking a

student. Whereas effective study techniques are associated with positive

outcomes. While, ineffective ones are correlated to negative outcomes.

Being in an environment that’s mostly comprised of students and books,

The researchers noticed that each of the students have a different process to

undergo through when studying in order to store information effectively or else, the

student will have difficulties in retaining what he reviewed. Moreover, the

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researchers observed a difference between studying on a daily basis and studying

for the upcoming examinations. Noticeably, there are a lot of study guides that

could possibly help a student on a daily basis. Contrariwise, there are few studies

relating to strategies used when preparing for examinations.

According to Dunlosky et al. (2013), many students are being left behind by

an educational system that some people believe is in crisis. Improving educational

outcomes will require efforts on many fronts, but a central premise of this

monograph is that one part of a solution involves helping students to better

regulate their learning through the use of effective learning techniques.

Taking consideration these present issues and the researchers keen

observation that each of the students have study techniques differing in frequency,

study time, study method, study break and days of studying prior to quarterly

assessment, the researchers developed an interest to study each of it and what’s

the most used or effective way of studying. The researchers came up to a

hypothesis that a student’s study technique will affect his/her performance during

the days of examinations which will eventually incline to a student's better

academic performance.

Providing the fact that students review more intensively for quarterly

assessment, especially the top students, the researchers aim to find the most

plausible and evidence-based study technique of the top students and utilize it to

help the students who are struggling to study effectively improve their examination

performance leading to academic excellence. Also, the researchers found it

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essential to raise awareness upon students about the value of practicing the right

strategy to study. This is fundamental in making decisions that are essential to a

student’s everyday life. Having good study habits are also a factor to lead to the

highway of being able to achieve the goals of a student and generally, of a young

adult’s, as well. Lastly, the results of this study can serve as an avenue to

recommend a study technique suitable for the Junior High School students which

can also contribute to the present knowledge and understanding of the teachers,

parents, administrators of the school and the community on the study techniques

of these students.

Conceptual Framework

Figure 1. The Research Paradigm

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Analysis on the
Study
Techniques for
Quarterly Study
Examination of Techniques
the Top Junior
High School
Students of
SFILBHSI - Main
Campus

The variables included are based on the relevance of this study. The

demographic profile, procedure of studying and subject priority of the respondents

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will be determined through a survey questionnaire. The data gathered will be used

to recommend the most plausible study technique suited for them.

Based on the article of Bangongon (2009) convene on the study techniques

of a student, there are six (6) factors that affect the academic performance of

students. These are as follows:

1. Frequency.

Study techniques depend on how a student spend most of his time

reviewing a certain subject within a specific time oftenly. (Are You Studying Too

Much, 2019) It completely depends on what you want to complete and achieve as

well as at which stage of life you are at. (Tiwari, 2018)

2. Time of the day.

Many students claim to be most productive at night; however, most people

are actually more focused and productive earlier in the day (i.e. morning,

afternoon, and early evening) (How to Study Efficiently and Effectively, SFU,

2017).

3. How far in advance.

Lots of people usually say that the ideal duration to study for an exam is a

week or 2 weeks before an exam. The amount of time you should be spending to

review for an exam will differ based on what exam you’re having, your style of

studying and how competent you are at the subject tested on the exam. (Ong,

2016)
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4. Method of studying.

For better or worse, studying is part of everyday life. It is also a technique

that requires patience, practice, and trial and error. (Ceivea, 2018) It’s best to try

diverse methods in order to know which ones suit you the best whether it may be

through writing materials, verbal encoding, auditory encoding, study groups or

visual aids. (Jollivet, 2017)

5. Place to study.

Most students tend to find it easy to get distracted and to procrastinate when they

study at home. Studying outside of home is often more effective. Some students

find they focus best with a bit of noise in the background, in which case a coffee

shop or a group study area of the library. (How to Study Efficiently and Effectively,

SFU, 2017)

6. Study break.

A study conducted in 2006 suggested that ‘overlearning' was not an

effective strategy for long-term retention of information. As well as, Cepeda et al.

(2006) suggested that break-time is a crucial component of any serious study

session, it's important to note that there are both effective and ineffective ways to

reboot. (The Science of Taking a Break, 2019)

It's important to make sure students take proper study breaks. These breaks

help maintain top study performance and can actually increase focus, reduce
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stress, and help students better retain information they learn. (Oxford Learning,

2016)

Statement of the Problem

In this study, the researchers purposefully aim to analyze the study

techniques of the Top Junior High School students of SFILBHSI Main Campus.

The following questions will be answered in details:

1. What is the demographic profile of the student-respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2 Grade Level?

2. What is the student-respondents’ procedure of studying in terms of:

2.1 Frequency;

2.2 Time of the day;

2.3 How far in advance;

2.4 Method of studying;

2.5 Place to study;

2.6 Study break?

3. What subject do the student-respondents spend most and least of his/her

study time? Why?

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This research will focus on the student’s study techniques and utilize as

respondents the Top Junior High School students of Saint Francis Institute,

Learning and Business High School Inc. - Main Campus S.Y 2019-2020.
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Significance of the Study

This study aims to establish clear and meaningful results about the study

techniques of Junior High School Students.

The following sectors will be the immediate beneficiary of the study:

Students. The findings of this study would benefit the students, especially

the nontop students, by providing them several techniques that will help them to

improve their way of studying. Thus, it could serve as a guide to know the most

effective study technique that they can use.

Teachers and Students’ Family. By providing information about the

effective study techniques, the teachers and the students’ family would fully

understand the students’ efforts and differences in learning. Moreover, it could be

utilized as a basis to suggest a plausible study technique for their students and

children, respectively who are struggling to cope with their studies.

The School Administration. The data gathered would be useful in

formulating new strategies or programs in school activities which include the

students’ correspondence in. It can also be utilized to improve their study

approach.

Saint Francis Institute Learning and Business High School Inc. This

study could serve as a springboard to guide the students in the school into

considering the different study techniques while implementing the most used as a

suggestion to improve the performance of the institution’s students.

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Community. The youth plays a major role in the developing community.

The information that will be gathered can serve as a reference to further enhance

knowledge by implementing the effective study techniques of the students.

Moreover, they can also help in.

Future Researchers. The study may be used as a reference data in

conducting study-related topics and research alike.

Definition of Terms

For purposes of clarity, the researchers used the following terms as herein

defined operationally.

Academic Performance. A term used for students based on how well they

are doing in their studies and classes.

Education. The knowledge, skill, value and understanding gained and

learned from attending a school or a school-like environment.

Frequency. The number of occurrences studying is done and repeated in

the same sequence or period of time.

Study Techniques. The practice or way of doing something to learn and/or

memorize facts and acquire knowledge.

Study Skills. The set of strategies developed by the students in studying.

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Top Student. A student that acquires an average of 90% in all quarterly

periods without attaining a 79.4% in any quarter and in all subjects both major and

minor and has at least 85% in the GMRC/Values Education grade.

Quarterly Examination. It measures a student’s learning at the end of the

quarter which consists of 100 items. These may be in the form of objective tests,

performance-based assessment, or a combination thereof. It comprises 20% of a

student’s subject grade.