Structural Modeling of Institutional Variables and Undergraduates’ Attitude towards Research: Implications for Supervising and Assessing Students’ Research Projects

Abstract

The aim of the study was to develop a causal model that explains undergraduates’ attitude towards research projects in the context of institutional variables which have been previously shown to collectively influence students’ attitude towards research. The data for the study were gathered from a random sample of 492 undergraduates from the University of Calabar, Nigeria. The Determinant of Students’ Attitude towards Research Projects Questionnaire (DSATRP), a 58-item instrument with a split half reliability index of 0.68, was the main instrument used for collecting data. Our causal model could explain students’ attitude towards research projects. Peer influence and facilities for research were the major exogenous variables while students’ perception of their supervisors’ commitment to research supervision was a critical variable that influences their attitude towards research projects. We suggest that research supervisors be firm and discreet in the supervision and assessment of research works from students if useful findings are to be obtained from their research projects.

Key words: Research, projects, attitude, students.