ATTITUDES OF POST GRADUATE STUDENTS TOWARDS RESEARCH

International Human Research Journal, {Online Interdisciplinary-Quarterly}, ISSN 2347-7067, Volume-III, Issue-I, Jan-March 2015
w w w . i h r j . o r g Impact Factor: 0.798 Page 1
ATTITUDES OF POST GRADUATE STUDENTS
TOWARDS RESEARCH
Dhrubajyoti Deka1
, Alok Mishra2
and Hrishikesh Patel1
1
Degree College of Physical Education, HVPM, Amravati, India
2
Department of Physical Education, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India
(Online Interdisciplinary human Research Journal Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India)
Journal’s Website: http://www.ihrj.org
ISSN 2347-7067
Correspondence:
Dhrubajyoti Deka
Degree College of Physical Education,
HVPM, Amravati, India

ATTITUDES OF POST GRADUATE STUDENTS
TOWARDS RESEARCH
Dhrubajyoti Deka1
, Alok Mishra2
and Hrishikesh Patel1
1
Degree College of Physical Education, HVPM, Amravati, India
2
Department of Physical Education, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India
Present study was aimed to assess the research attitude of post graduate students
studying in post graduate departments of Degree College of Physical Education run by
Shree Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amravati. Total 75 subjects, out of them 25
subjects from each faculty was selected randomly as sample for the present study. Attitude
towards research scale developed by Dr. Vishal Sood and Prof. Y.K. Sharma (2012) was
administered to assess the research aptitude of post graduate students. Result of study
showed that the post graduate students predominantly showed negative attitude towards
research.
Key wards: post graduate students, research attitude, difficulties in research, research
anxiety
Introduction
Students studding in postgraduate level, typically inclined towards research-related
courses with positive attitudes and feelings. These poor attitudes have been documented in
numerous studies for a number of years in relation to courses in research (Adams &
Holcomb, 1986). One of the main problems of these negative attitudes might be that they
may have found to serve as obstacles to learning (Wise, 1985). These negative attitudes is
associated with poor performance in such courses (Elmore, & Lewis, 1991). Attitudes are
actually mediators between past performance and future achievement (Meece, Wigfield, &
Eccles, 1990).
Many (Dauphinee, Schau, & Stevens, 1997) surveys have been conducted to
measure University students’ attitudes towards research. Attitudes Towards Statistics
comprised of four dimensions, those of affect, cognitive competence, value, and attitudes
about the difficulty of statistics (Schau et al., 1995; Wise, 1985) was designed to measure
two separate domains, student attitudes toward the course they were enrolled in, and
student attitudes toward the usefulness of statistics in their field of study. The Statistical
Anxiety rating Scale (Cruise et al., 1985) was designed to measure the value of statistics,
the interpretation of statistical information, test anxiety, cognitive skills in statistics, fear of
approaching the instructor and fear of statistics. In contrast, such study has done negligible
in the fields of physical education.
Abstract

One of the major goals of the higher education system is to multiply knowledge, skills and
various aspects of human potential. The higher education system is unique in performing
this function. While other systems use knowledge and skill, the higher education system
multiplies these for the use of various institutions and organizations. Multiplication of
talents through excellent education contributes to all three aspects-research, teaching and
application. Out of the three aspects, research is of utmost significance. Thus, issue of
quality in research work is very vital from the viewpoint of social and national
development. But, presently it has been observed that quality of researches at various
degree levels is very low. There is an urgent need for high quality research to provide a
scientific basis for Physical education and sports; however, relatively little is known about
Post Graduate students attitudes towards research. This questionnaire study documents the
attitudes and stated Post Graduate students towards undertaking research.
Method
The data was collected with the help of Attitude Scale Towards Research (Sood and
Sharma; 2012) from the students of Degree College of Physical Education, Shree Hanuman
Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amravati. For the present study total 75 subjects, out of them 25
subjects from each faculty was selected randomly as sample for the present study. Attitude
towards research comprised of four dimension namely General Aspects of Research and
Research Process, Usefulness of Research in Professional Career, Relevance of Research in
personal-Social Life, and Difficulties in Research and Research Anxiety was served in the
present study. Attitude towards research scale developed by Dr. Vishal Sood and Prof.
Y.K. Sharma (2012) was administered to assess the research aptitude of post graduate
students. The items were based on General aspects of research, usefulness of research,
relevance of research, research anxiety etc. the scale comprises 42 items including 26
positive and 16 negative items which are to be rated on five point rating scale.
The Scoring pattern of scale are as:
Name of Item
Strongly
Agree
Agree Undecided Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Positive 5 4 3 2 1
Negative 1 2 3 4 5

Statistical Design
The row data was tabulated for further statistical treatment, hence the descriptive as well as
one way ANOVA to find out the difference in selected variable amongst the selected
subjects.
Results
Table 1 Showing the mean, SD and SE of general aspect of research and research
process
N Mean
Std.
Deviation Std. Error
Management 24 45.0833 6.78820 1.38564
Physical
Education
28 47.9286 5.49699 1.03883
MCA 23 49.9565 4.50735 .93985
Total 75 47.6400 5.93351 .68514
Table 1a Comparison of general aspect of research and research process
Sum of
Squares df
Mean
Square F Sig.
Between
Groups
282.633 2 141.317 4.381 P<0.05
Within Groups 2322.647 72 32.259
Total 2605.280 74
Table 1b Showing the multiple comparison of general aspect of research process and
research process amongst the group
(I) Group (J) Group Mean Difference (I-
J)
Std.
Error Sig.
Managemen
t
Physical
Education
-2.84524 1.57995 .177
MCA -4.87319 1.65731 .012
Physical
Education
Manageme
nt
2.84524 1.57995 .177
MCA -2.02795 1.59833 .417

MCA Manageme
nt
4.87319 1.65731 .012
Physical
Education
2.02795 1.59833 .417
Figure 1 Comparison of general aspect of research and research process
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
MBA MPEd MCA
GeneralAspect of Research and Research Process
a
b
c
Table No. 1 demonstrated the characteristics of general aspect of research
and research process. On the basis of table it is clearly seen that the general
aspect of research and research process of MCA students were highest
(49.96) and management students were lowest (45.08) amongst the studied
groups.
The inferential analysis (ANOVA) revealed statistically (p < 0.05)
significant difference amongst the studied groups i.e. Management,Physical
Education and MCA students (table 1a&b and figure 1).
Table 2 Showing the mean, SD, and SE of usefullness of research in professional
carrier.
N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error
Management 24 27.92 03.61 00.74
Physical
Education
28 28.32 03.12 00.59
MCA 23 27.04 04.14 00.86
Total 75 27.80 03.60 00.42

Table 2a comparison of usefullness of research in professional carrier.
Sum of
Squares df
Mean
Square F Sig.
Between
Groups
21.103 2 10.552 .809 p>0.05
Within Groups 938.897 72 13.040
Total 960.000 74
Figure 2 comparison of usefullness of research in professional carrier.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
MBA MPEd MCA
Table No. 2 demonstrated the characteristics of usefullness of research in
professional carrier. On the basis of table it is clearly seen that the
usefullness of research in professional carrier of physical education students
were highest (28.32) and MCA were lowest (27.04) amongst the studied
groups.
The inferential analysis (ANOVA) revealed statistically (p > 0.05)
insignificant difference amongst the studied groups i.e.
Management,Physical Education and MCA students (table 2a and figure 2).
Table 3 Showing the mean, SD, and SE of relavance of research in personal and
social life.

N Mean
Std.
Management 24 32.4583 9.59157 1.95787
Physical
Education
28 30.3214 5.27084 .99609
MCA 23 28.4783 6.71409 1.39999
Total 75 30.4400 7.39291 .85366
Table 3a Comparison of relavance of research in personal and social life.
Sum of
Squares df
Mean
Square F Sig.
Between
Groups
186.675 2 93.338 1.742 p>0.05
Within Groups 3857.805 72 53.581
Total 4044.480 74
Figure 3 Comparison of relavance of research in personal and social life.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
MBA MPEd MCA
p>0.05,
F = 1.742
Table No. 3 demonstrated the characteristics of relavance of research in
personal and social life. On the basis of table it is clearly seen that the
relavance of research in personal and social life of management students
were highest (32.46) and MCA were lowest (28.48) amongst the studied
groups.

Table 4 Showing the mean, SD, and SE of difficulties in research and anxiety
N Mean
Std.
Management 24 37.5833 3.42518 .69916
Physical
Education
28 36.8214 4.25183 .80352
MCA 23 36.6957 9.36354 1.95243
Total 75 37.0267 6.03811 .69722
Table 4a Camparison of of difficulties in research and anxiety
Sum of
Squares df
Mean
Square F Sig.
Between
Groups
11.137 2 5.568 .149 p>0.05
Within Groups 2686.810 72 37.317
Total 2697.947 74
Figure 4 Comparison of difficulties in research and anxiety
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
MBA MPEd MCA
p> 0.05,
F= 0.149
Table No. 4 demonstrated the characteristics of difficulties in research and
anxiety. On the basis of table it is clearly seen that the difficulties in research
and anxiety of management students were highest (37.58) and MCA were

lowest (36.69) amongst the studied groups.
Table 5 Showing mean, SD, and SE of attitude towards research
N Mean
Std.
Management 24 143.0417 16.73185 3.41537
Physical
Education
28 143.3929 13.56559 2.56365
MCA 23 142.1739 20.82318 4.34193
Total 75 142.9067 16.83238 1.94364
Table 5b Comparison of attitude towards research
Sum of
Squares df
Mean
Square F Sig.
Between
Groups
19.405 2 9.703 .033 p>0.05
Within Groups 20946.941 72 290.930
Total 20966.347 74
Figure 5 Comparison of attitude towards research
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
MBA MPEd MCA
p> 0.05
F= 0.04

Table No. 5 demonstrated the characteristics of attitude towards research. On
the basis of table it is clearly seen that the attitude towards research of
physical education students were highest (143.04) and MCA were lowest
(142.17) amongst the studied groups.
Figure 6 Comparison of all component of attitude towards research between male and
female
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
A B C D E
Male
Female
P>0.05
A- General Aspect of Research and Research Process, B- Usefulness of
Research in Professional Career , C- Relevance of Research in personal and
social life, D- Difficulties In Research and anxiety , E- Pool Item
Figure 6 illustrate the difference between male and female in - General
Aspect of Research and Research Process, Usefulness of Research in
Professional Career, Relevance of Research in personal and social life,
Difficulties In Research and anxiety , and Pool Item. In all dimension of the
research attitude insignificant (p>0.05) difference was witnessed.
Figure 7 Distribution of attitude towards research among all the subjects

Favorable
34
45%
Unfavorable
41
55%
Attitude towards Research
Figure 7 showed that most of the students were found unfavorable attitude
towards research.
Findings and Conclusions
In the present study most of the students were interested in research.
On the basis of above results it could be concluded that:
 Most of the Post Graduate students showed poor attitude towards research.
 In General Aspect of Research and Research Process dimension of research attitude
significant difference was witnessed.
 MCA students showed more favorable attitude towards research while MBA
students showed poor attitude.
 In other dimensions such as Usefulness of Research in Professional Career,
Relevance of Research in personal and social life, and Difficulties in Research and
anxiety of research attitudes scale insignificant difference was witnessed among the
studied groups.
 Insignificant difference is witnessed between Male and Female.
Recommendation
1. The sample size of the study was less to reach any robust conclusion. It is
recommended to spread out the study in large population.
2. This study was conducted under the umbrella of Shree Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak
Mandal only it should be taken out to many places
3. Importance of research should taught to students.
4. Special provision should be given to develop research.
Bibliography

Adams, N. A., & Holcomb, W. R. (1986). Analysis of the relationship between
anxiety about mathematics and performance. Psychological Reports, 59, 943-948
Cruise, R. J., Cash, R. W., & Bolton, D. L. (1985). Development and validation of
an instrument to measure statistical anxiety. American Statistical Association Proceedings
of the Section on Statistics Education, 92-97
Dauphinee, T. L., Schau, C., & Stevens, J. J. (1997). Survey of attitudes toward
statistics: Factor structure and factorial invariance for women and men. Structural Equation
Modeling, 4(2), 129- 141.
Elmore, P. B., & Lewis, E. L. (1991, April). Statistics and computer attitudes and
achievement of students enrolled in applied statistics: Effect of computer laboratory. Paper
presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association,
Chicago, IL
Meece, J. L., Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. S. (1990). Predictors of math anxiety and its
influence on young adolescents’ course enrollment intentions and performance in
mathematics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 60-70.
Schau, C., Stevens, J., Dauphinee, T. L., & Del Vecchio, A. D. (1995). The
development and validation of attitudes towards statistics. Educational and Psychological
Measurement, 55(5), 868-875.
Wise, S. L. (1985) The development and validation of a scale measuring attitudes
toward statistics. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 45, 401-405

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