STUDY HABIT AND TEST ANXIETY AS PREDICTORS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS' ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY IN AWKA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Abstract

The study investigated study habits and test anxiety as predictors of secondary 
school students' achievement in Biology in Awka South Local Government Area. 
Three research questions and a sole hypothesis guided the study. The study adopted 
correlational survey research design. The population of the study comprised all the 
1009 Secondary School 2 Biology students in the 20 public secondary schools in 
Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The sample size was 100 
SS2 Biology students drawn through simple random technique. The instruments 
that were used in collecting data for the study were three: Habits Inventory (SHI) 
developed by Bakare (1977), Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), adapted from 
Spielberger (1980) and Students Biology achievement scores gotten from teachers' 
grade book of sampled schools 2024/2025 session.The instruments were 
standardized. Cronbach Alpha was used to obtain reliability coefficient of the study 
habit inventory and test anxiety which produced 0.81 and 0.82 values respectively. 
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The data collected were analysed using linear and multiple regression. r and R were 
used to answer research questions while p value was used to test the hypothesis. The 
findings showed that there is low positive prediction existing between study habit 
and academic achievement, test anxiety and academic achievement and there is 
joint positive prediction existing between study habit and test anxiety on secondary 
school students academic achievement in Biology in Awka South LGA. Hence, 
there was a significant positive effect for test anxiety (Beta = .244, t = 3.018, p = 
.003), suggesting higher anxiety relates to higher achievement, which is 
counterintuitive but statistically meaningful. Study habit, however, has a non
significant effect (Beta = .134, t = 1.687, p = .093). The constant is substantial 
(23.998), indicating other factors drive performance. Overall, test anxiety emerges 
as a meaningful predictor, while study habit does not. It was recommended among 
others that schools should develop and integrate comprehensive study skills 
programs into their curriculum, teaching students effective note-taking, time 
management, and organization techniques.