A Comparison of Correspondence Between Planned and Actual Study Time and Between Actual and Reported Study Time and the Effects of a Classed-Based Point System on Each for College Freshman

Abstract

The problem. The effect of a class-based point system on planned, actual, and reported study time was evaluated in this study. Procedure. Thirteen provisionally admitted university freshmen were required to earn 12,000 points to pass Education 12. Students could earn points at different times by one of the following means: planning to study a minimum of 15 minutes, reporting study a minimum of 15 minutes, increasing the level of actual study to correspond to the level of planning or to the level of reporting. A study area was established in the library and a monitoring system was used to check to see if students were actually studying according to their plans or reports. Findings. The results of this study demonstrated that a higher degree of correspondence exists between actual and reported study time than between planned and actual study time. The data showed that a classed-based point system was effective in increasing actual study time to better correspond with planned and reported study time. Conclusions. Actual study can better be monitored and controlled through reported study than planned study. Recommendations. College counselors should attend more closely to their students' reported study time rather than to their planned study time.