EFFECTS OF UNDERGRADUATE PRELIMINARY COURSES (EDU 301 AND ELA 399) ON STUDENTS’ FINAL YEAR RESEARCH PROJECT

This research study investigated the effects of undergraduate preliminary courses (Edu 301 and Ela 399) on students’ final year research project. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprises of final year (project) students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko. The instruments titled: Questionnaire on Effects of Undergraduate Preliminary Courses (Edu 301 and Ela 399) on Students’ Final Year Research Project among University Students was used for the collection of data. Accidental sampling technique was adopted in selecting one hundred and twenty (120) students from department of Arts Education in Adekunle Ajasin University. Simple percentage and frequency count was used to answer the research questions. The findings of the research indicated that Students with good academic ability write their final year research project better than students with poor academic ability and that subsequent academic grade (in various courses) affects the writing of final year research project. It was also discovered that adequate knowledge and understanding of research project aids proper and excellent writing of research project and that preliminary courses help student to carry out a well-structured review of literature and also help student to be familiar with the theoretical aspect of project writing. The study concludes that there are effects that undergraduates’ preliminary courses (Edu 301 and Ela 399) have on the execution of final year research projects in tertiary institutions in Akoko south west local government area of Ondo state, Adekunle Ajasin university as a case study. This is to ascertain that, undergraduates’ preliminary course affects students’ final year project in different ways, ranging from poor academic ability and subsequent academic grade, adequate knowledge and understanding of research project through preliminary courses aids proper and excellent writing of research project, its didactic nature, students’ involvement in the project. Based on the conclusion drawn, the study recommends that lecturers should pay attention to arears like data analysis, literature reviews and statistic data analysis so that students can get better knowledge of research and that course developers and lecturers should try as much as possible to equip their scheme of work with as much relevant research topics as possible to encourage the minimizing the gap of preliminary ineffectiveness in the area of explication and range of research related topics covered.