ERIC Number: EJ833355
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Apr
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0361-476X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
A Longitudinal Study of Achievement Goals for College in General: Predicting Cumulative GPA and Diversity in Course Selection
Durik, Amanda M.; Lovejoy, Chelsea M.; Johnson, Sara J.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, v34 n2 p113-119 Apr 2009
This correlational longitudinal study examined how college students' achievement goals for college in general predicted overall grade point average and diversity in course selection. During their first semester of college, students (N = 214) reported their performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and mastery-approach goals for college and completed a measure of achievement motivation. Two years later, students' transcripts were obtained to determine each participant's cumulative GPA and the diversity in their course selections. Regression analyses showed that, controlling for high school ability and achievement motivation, performance-approach goals positively predicted overall college performance, p less than 0.01, performance-avoidance goals negatively predicted performance, p less than 0.05, and mastery goals did not predict performance. Moreover, participants' scores on workmastery negatively predicted diversity in course selections, p less than 0.01, whereas mastery goals did not uniquely predict course diversity. The results are discussed in terms of the generalizability of goal effects across learning contexts at the college level. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Grade Point Average, Course Selection (Students), Academic Achievement, Achievement Need, Student Motivation, Program Effectiveness, Longitudinal Studies, Correlation, College Students, Goal Orientation, Prediction, Mastery Learning, Measures (Individuals), Regression (Statistics), Generalization
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A