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Student ID: 011310

Applied Research Methods II Qualitative Methods

“What is the role of procrastination for students?”

Abylaikhan Aldamzharov

Student ID: 011310

Abstract

Procrastination is one of the terms that most people have experienced during their lifetime. It is a problem that especially concerns students, because it affects their grades. According to a research that was done in 1997 stated that procrastination was the main reason for Ph.D. candidates to fail their final assignments. Therefore, this qualitative research was done to find the attitude of students towards procrastination. The research was held in University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus and the qualitative study was based on interviewing students. The entire qualitative study was based on interviewing four extremely procrastinating students and analysing the data obtained from the interviews. Two major insights were emphasised: the role of procrastination and the ways to deal with this bad habit. Both interviews and analysis were discussed.

Background

Research problem

1. What is the role of procrastination for UNMC students?

2. How to decrease procrastination?

Data Collection Method

Semi- structured narrative interviews with three procrastinating students of UNMC were taken. These 4 students were selected after a research that studied procrastination level of students, the grades of participants, the number of resits taken and their reputation in the society.

Each of these interviews lasted from 12 to 20 minutes. Some simple questions were asked in the beginning which afterwards led to express their feelings about the impact of procrastination, ways to deal with this bad habit. Moreover, the participants talked about their attitude towards procrastination after failing their exams, their parents’ opinion about procrastination. Interviewees were also asked a question about whether they would like to change the habit of procrastination to some other bad habit like smoking, aggressiveness or unfriendliness. Eventually, the participants gave some advices on how to try to overcome procrastination based on their experience.

The Role of Researcher

During this research I used my advantage of being the same student as the participants. Moreover, I am also a bit familiar with the term of procrastination and, therefore, I know what questions to ask and how to interpret them in the right way. During the interviews I asked them to lie on the couch, so they could relax and imagine as if they are having a therapy with a psychologist. According to Freud- the father of psychology, people feel a bit uncomfortable when they look straight at each other. Therefore, he asked them to lie back on the couch so they are more relaxed and open to talk. I have also accepted the choice of the participants to remain anonymous, so nobody knows about the bad habit of procrastination. Even though, some people gave some information about their home country and course that they take. In addition, some interviews wanted to have the interview on Russian, so they could fully express their feelings and thought about procrastination..

Data Analyse Approach

Each of three interviews was audio- recorded with a mobile phone, transcribed into a Word- format document and then analysed with the help of computer programme called Nvivo.

Participants

Before selecting any candidates I thought on how to choose the most relevant participants. That’s why I decided to make sure that all of the interviewees finished their Foundation year and graduated to the 1^st course, because these types of candidates seem to be more experienced both life wise and study wise. I have chosen this criteria to make them tell me how hard was to pass Foundation with their high level of procrastination. In addition, I was looking for students who now try to improve in their studies in order to see their attitude towards procrastination at their time of high procrastination and now when they realised that procrastination is a bad friend. There is an interesting fact which shows that males’ procrastination level is much higher than females’, because all of four participants are males. Remember that these four interviewees were not randomly chosen but they were selected after having a test that shows level of procrastination.

Four of three interviewees take a social science discipline (Business, Arts, Psychology and Management). However, one of them does Engineering. All of them had to re-sit their exam papers at least once and their average marks are not above 60%. The ages of participants vary from 19- 21 years, none of them is married, none of them have any disabilities and none of them lives in poverty. Moreover, all of participants apart form one never had any experience studying abroad before coming to Malaysia. Therefore, they have some self-control problem and poor time management. Two of participants were answering on Russian language and the rest were answering in English.

Results

The results of the research are pretty interesting, because all of the participants had their own thoughts and ideas about the procrastination problem. Therefore, this part shows categories which appeared as the outcome from the analysis of the interviews. It is organized in 3 periods: 1) views and attitudes, 2) first experience, 3) the ways to overcome the bad habit.

Views and Attitudes

This period is about the participants’ thoughts about procrastination and what this term means to them. One of participants said that it is just a bad habit which can be overcome with ages. Others say that this habit is one of those that are hard to stop, because a lot of effort has to be used. Despite all of them having different opinions and thoughts, there is one thing that they are sure about. And that is the fact that procrastination affects their study in a bad way. Moreover, students say that due to this problem they have lost the sense of limit. Meaning that they do unnecessary things more than the ones that are really important. For example, some of participants play video games, while others sleep too much and watch movies. All of four interviewed students stated that procrastination only affects their studies, but nothing else. For example, the do not procrastinate when they have some health issues or when they feel hungry.

This section is basically about the attitude of students towards procrastination before their first heavy experience. Here they talk of procrastination as if it is the most fearsome thing ever.

First Experience

This section is about how the participants faced the biggest procrastination in their lives. Two of four of the students said that they started their procrastination path in UNMC. However, the remaining students said that their first procrastination experience was in their home country, but even though the level of procrastination increased as they came to Malaysia. All of participants said that the major reason of their procrastination is freedom. They stated that they don’t feel responsible while their parents are so far away from them. All of the students believe that being out of control at this young age is a very complicated process because a lot of things depend on their personality.

The ways to overcome the bad habit

The last section contains information that the participants gave on how to overcome the procrastination based on their experience. I was very surprised that all of four of the interviewees try to overcome this bad habit of theirs. Each of them gave some good advices on how to become more hardworking and active. They all said that procrastination is a bad very bad habit and to overcome this phenomenon a lot of hard work and dedication have to be put.

By looking at the points described above some theories can be made. First theory is that procrastination negatively affects students’ study. Although it sounds obvious, there are still some people who can study well and procrastinate at the same time. Second theory is that the procrastination depends on person’s personality. As all participants said: ‘’ Procrastination can be overcome only by yourself, nobody but you can help you to understand it’’. Third theory is that most of students lack self-control and discipline. All of four interviewees stated that their procrastination level increased after coming to Malaysia, because there is nobody to control them but after studying the Foundation year the participants do better in terms of decreasing their procrastination level.

Discussion

Procrastination is a very serious problem, especially for students because they have to do their best to get good education and afterwards find a good and highly paid job. Despite the importance of studying for these 4 years, most of students still have a bad habit of procrastination saying that there is still time for them to catch up. Therefore, I decided to know more about this bad habit and listen to students who faced it. Being honest, I also do procrastinate sometimes and then I feel so sorry for myself and I feel that I do not work at my full potential. By choosing this question about procrastination I made a research, recorded some interviews and listened to plenty of advices which were given by participants.

The interviews were pretty interesting for me as an interviewer and the participants enjoined them as well. I was asking them questions that led to new questions and when I heard an interesting answer form participants I asked them about it more. For example, two of interviewees said that they played a computer game called Dota (Defence of the Ancients) and I was really interested in that part and asked him to tell me a bit more about how he started to play.

I also like the fact that all of the interviewees try to overcome procrastination. They all know that this habit will never lead them to good things and they try to do something about it. Some read, books, others keep their parents in mind and motivate themselves.

One more thing that I would like to mention is the type of motivation. All of four participants have intrinsic motivation. Meaning that, all of them get inspiration from themselves and they know that this is the problem which has to be solved on their own. They all say that it does not matter what other people will say about their procrastination problem. However, when their parents remark them, they hear them but not necessarily listen. I really like this because, those four participants understand that they should be responsible for themselves and they understand that one day they will have to take care of their parents.

In conclusion, I would like to mention the most interesting parts of the research. Firstly, it is the fact that all of four interviewees were males which shows that females are more responsible for their studies. Note that, before choosing these four candidates I have distributed a test that identifies the level of procrastination.

Secondly, the role of procrastination for the selected students is negative. In addition, it makes them feel stressed as all four interviewees mentioned that when they think of their procrastination it makes them feel sad.

Lastly, each of four students try to overcome the habit of procrastination. They all have different methods and approaches which they find useful. All of them realise that procrastination is pretty a problem and it has to be solved by prioritising their goals and dreams.

Appendix

References:

American Psychological Association. (2010). The psychology of procrastination: Why people put off important tasks until the last minute. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/04/procrastination.aspx

Kendra Cherry. Why do we procrastinate? Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/the-psychology-of/a/psychology-of-procrastination.htm

Rita Chaney (28^th of August, 2007) The Significance of Lying on the Couch at a Psychoanalysts Office. Retrieved from http://www.sciences360.com/index.php/the-significance-of-lying-on-the-couch-at-a-psychoanalysts-office-2-23533/