Relationships among properties of college students' self-set academic goals and academic achievement

• Published in: Educational psychology (Dorchester-on-Thames) Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 681 - 698
• Main Authors: Acee, Taylor W., Cho, YoonJung, Kim, Jung-In, Weinstein, Claire Ellen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dorchester-on-Thames Routledge 01-10-2012; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; college student achievement; College Students; Correlation; Educational psychology; Educational Research; Goal Orientation; goal properties; Goal setting; goal-setting theory; Grade Point Average; Interrater Reliability; Measures (Individuals); Motivation; Regression (Statistics); Research Methodology; self-determination theory; self-set goals; Student Motivation
• ISSN: 0144-3410; 1469-5820
• DOI: 10.1080/01443410.2012.712795

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among properties of college students' self-set academic goals and academic achievement, using multiple theoretical perspectives. Using a personal goal-based research methodology, college students enrolled in a learning-to-learn course (N = 130) were asked to list 20 of their goals (academic and/or non-academic). For each of their goals, goal specificity, value, expectation of success and autonomous and controlled motivation were measured and then ratings on each goal property were averaged across students' academic goals (24.75% of all goals) to predict students' grade point average (GPA) for the semester. Regression results suggested a positive affect on students' semester GPA for goal specificity and a negative effect for controlled motivation; the model explained 19% of the variation in GPA. This research may help to inform motivation researchers and educational practitioners who assist college students with goal setting.