The Effects of Study Buddies and Study Hours in a First-Year Course on Operating Systems

Abstract

Many university students, especially first-year students, struggle to efficiently manage their study time which results in lower academic achievements. This paper empirically examines the effect that the number of self-preparation hours of students has on their final grade. In addition, the influence of studying with a friend in preparation for tests and exams is analysed, in order to determine if it has any notable impact on students' academic performance. Five tests and exams of a first-year computer science module, namely operating systems, which is considered a difficult subject by students, were analysed for this study. Students were recommended to prepare for a certain number of hours, and before each test students were asked how much they actually studied and whether or not they prepared together with a friend. It was found that students who studied with a friend had a higher pass rate for all the tests compared to those who studied alone. Additionally, academic performance is by-and-large a matter of investing the recommended number of study hours, while in reality most students come to the exams underprepared. Students who passed the course had typically put in more preparation hours than their failing counterparts. Borderline students were also not able to substantially increase their marks with additional preparation.