ARTICLE INFO

Article Type

Original Research

Authors

Dehghani   GH.A. (* )
Soltanalgharaei   Kh. (1 )






(* ) Student & Cultural Vice-Chancellor, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
(1 ) Educational Sciences Department, Educational Sciences & Psychology School, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran

Correspondence

Address: Student & Cultural Vice- Chancellor, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Golgasht St., Tabriz, Iran
Phone: +984113363767
Fax: +984113355950
ali_1018@yahoo.com

Article History

Received:  September  21, 2013
Accepted:  November 9, 2013
ePublished:  March 17, 2014

BRIEF TEXT


Academic performance is affected by some factors, such as study skills [1]. Skilled readers are aware of the studying strategies and using them for various aims [2, 3]. … [4] Many students have little information about study skills at the beginning of the university [3], which might cause several problems [5]. Method of studying must be selected through combination of various studying methods [6]. Facing with various learning duties, learners use specific methods [7].

… [8-19] Studies have shown that learning and study skills are not sufficient In Iran. More than two-thirds of students do not have enough study skills [20]. Only 8% of nursing students have good study skills [21], and most of the medical students have improper performance in time management, concentration during studying, study speed, taking notes, study habits and comprehension [22]. In contrast, successful students used more effective study methods [23]. Studies have shown that most of the medical students have weak or medium study skills, and their main problem is related to time management [24, 25].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of study skills among graduate students of medical sciences and its relation with exam preparation.

The method is descriptive cross-sectional.

The study was performed on the second year graduate students during second semester of 2012-13 academic years at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

140 second year graduate students were selected using census method. Finally, 122 questionnaires were evaluated.

The questionnaire contained demographic characteristics part and the part with 15 questions including "rarely" (zero scores), "sometimes" (1 score) and "often" (2 scores) options. The latter measured ‘time management’, ‘concentration’, ‘taking note in the classroom’, ‘reading ability’ and ‘taking part in the exam’ sub-skills. Each sub-skill consisted of 3 questions. Therefore, the score of each sub-skill was from zero to 6 and the total score of the questionnaire was from zero to 30. Each sub-skill was divided into weak (0-3), medium (3.1-4.5) and good (4.6-6) categories. Total score was divided into weak (0-15), medium (16-22) and good (22-30) categories. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by 10 experts of the university. Reliability of the questionnaire was reported was obtained 0.82 at the primary operation, and after data collection was reported 0.70; also, at the primary study it was obtained 0.75 using Cronbach's alpha coefficient method. Data were analyzed by SPSS 18 software using Pearson's correlation coefficient (to evaluate the correlation between study skills with age, marital status and grade point average), Independent-T (to evaluate the difference between genders), ANOVA (to evaluate the correlation between study skills and the exam preparation method) and Post hoc Tukey (to determine significant differences) tests.

ANOVA test results showed a significant difference between the mean score of the students’ skill and the exam preparation time, in concentration and taking part in the exam domains. The Post hoc Tukey test results showed that, in all domains, the students of the first group (studying during semester) had a better situation than the students of the second group (studying during the exam break), as well as the students of the second group, who had a better situation than the students of the third group (studying just before the exam). In concentration and taking part in the exam domains, the difference between the first group and the third group was significant, as well as the difference between the second group and the third group. There was a correlation between total score of skill and students’ total grade point average in concentration and taking note sub-skills. No significant correlation was observed between total score of study skills and students’ marital status and age, at any sub-skills.

Results are consistent with the findings of the studies of other medical universities in Iran [20, 21, 24, 26]. Taking notes and time management domains have the highest and the lowest average study skills, respectively, which is consistent with the results of the study done by Derossis et al. [27]. The results of the present study are consistent with those studies which have shown that the main problem in the students’ study skills is in the time management domain [6, 20, 24, 25, 28]. … [29-36]

Different instruments and different personal characters, relating to any discipline, might affect the results of studies, so it is suggested that similar studies to be conducted among all the medical students in the country.

The present study is limited to the graduate students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

59% of the students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences have weak and medium study skills. The highest weakness is in time management, and the highest ability is in taking notes.

The researchers feel grateful towards all the colleagues and students who took part in this study.

Non-declared

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TABLES and CHARTS

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