Principal Component Analysis for Investigating the Relationship between the Semester Results and Academic Performance of Students in a Polytechnic in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

Factor analysis permits the ability to simplify a set of complex variables using statistical procedures to explore the underlying dimensions that explain the relationships between the multiple variables. This paper therefore used factor analysis to investigate the relationship between the semester results and academic performance of students at a centre for continuing education and training in a Polytechnic in Niger State, Nigeria using principal component method after collecting data from 57 students. The findings of this study revealed that there is weak linear relationship between the variables. From the total variance explained table, 4 factors were extracted which accounted for 60.7% and the remaining factors only accounted for 39.3% of variation. Data obtained observed that Component 1 loads high on BAM225=0.625, Component 2 loaded as high as 0.549 for STP213, while Component 3 loaded for GNS201= 0.681 and Component 4 loads on GLTVII = 0.586. The results could signify the existence of these factors significantly contributing to the academic performance of students in polytechnic.