Abstract:
Academic Performance reflects how students manage their studies. It
plays a major role in university education. Identification of the reasons
for academic success would directly help improve undergraduates’
academic performance. The general objective of this study was to
examine the factors influencing the academic performance of
undergraduates at the University of Peradeniya. Multi-stage stratified
random sampling method was used. The sample consisted of 610 final
year undergraduates from six faculties viz: Agriculture, Arts, Science,
Management, Engineering, and Allied Health Sciences. The study was
conducted using a deductive approach and quantitative analysis was
employed in a cross-sectional survey. Twenty independent variables were identified after an extensive literature review process. The
conceptual framework was developed using empirical findings under
four major categories such as socio-demographic factors,
psychological factors, educational factors, and lifestyle factors. The
dependent variable of the study was academic performance. Primary
data was collected using self-administered questionnaires and analyzed
using descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics such as independent
sample t-test, ANOVA, Chi-square test, Correlations, and Regression
tests were conducted. Academic performance had a significant
relationship (p<.005) with gender, age, academic stress, academic
satisfaction, English language proficiency, father’s educational level,
self-study, library usage, involvement in extracurricular activities, and
classroom interactions of undergraduates. However, they did not have
a substantial impact on academic performance of undergraduates.
There were no significant relationships (p>.005) between academic
performance with respect to the relationship status, impact of social
media, and expenditure on education of undergraduates.
