READING HABITS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined reading habits and academic performance of business education students in University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Three research hypotheses were formulated to guide the conduct of the study. Descriptive survey design of correlational type was adopted for this study. The target population of the study comprised 454 business education students as at the period of this study. Using convenience sampling technique, 196 out of 454 business education students were sampled for this study. A questionnaire titled “Reading Habit and Students’ Academic Performance Questionnaire” (RHSAPQ) was used to obtain data from the students For the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s alpha measure of internal consistency was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire and a coefficient of 0.87 was generated indicating that the questionnaire is reliable. Inferential statistics of Pearson product-moment correlation was used to test the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS). The study found out that there is significance relationship between reading habit and students’ academic performance; there is a significant relationship between peer group influence and reading habit and there is significant relationship between students’ reading time and academic performance of business education students in University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that schools should always provide adequate reading facilities needed by students and orientation should be given to students on the important of self-awareness to ascertain the study time that is suitable for them.