31st Annual Student Research Conference
Factors Affecting Attendance at Truman State University
Michael E. Clark
Dr. Paul Shapiro, Faculty Mentor
Class attendance has long been correlated with a student’s academic success. There are relatively few studies explaining why students do or do not go to class. In this study I gave a survey to 1724 students at Truman State University inquiring into both the personal and class based factors that influence attendance. It was found that a student’s internal drive to succeed in school is the main factor motivating attendance. The content of the course seldom pushes a student to attend, but can often drive them not to. Finally it was shown that there were many personal factors that significantly negatively impacted a student’s attendance including, fatigue, apathy, and mental illness.
Keywords: Class, Attendance, Motivation, Deterrence
Topic(s):Sociology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 8-5
Location: GEO - SUB
Time: 3:30