1. Social Psychology Research Report
“I’m fine, ALONE”
Liew Yong Sheng
Nicolas Wong Xiao Ern
Goh Jeng Jhieh
Liu Wei Cheng
Stefan Loke
Kishant Kumar
Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus
School of Architecture, Building and Design
Foundation in Natural and Built Environment 04/13
Lecturer: Ms Chia
2. I’m Fine, ALONE
Table of Content
1. Abstract
1
2. Introduction
2
3. Method of Research
3
4. Data Collection
5
5. Discussion
8
6. References
10
7. Appendixes
15
8. Appreciation
16
3. I’m Fine, ALONE
Abstract
Despite scientist proved that studying or teamwork in group have greater efficiency in the
learning process, students themselves may prefer to learn alone. In this research report, the
research should reveal not only the preference of the students in Taylor’s Lakeside University
but also their justification of their preference. The research will use survey forms as a method
of questionnaire. 22 questions were designed to understand the reason behind their opinion in
preferring to study alone. 79 forms were printed out and volunteers were told to fill up the
forms. After the procedure the forms were collected to be analysed. The data shows that
student preferred to study alone more while there are more student preferring to work in
groups. The discussion analyses the justification of student’s preference to study or work
alone. By the end of the research, we found that despite how beneficial study or work in
group, students still prefers to study or work alone because risk in wasting time and several
others unfavourable factor in efficient studying will occur and suffer a greater loss.
4. I’m Fine, ALONE
Introduction
Modern education encourages learning through groups of their (the students) own through
assignments or examination. Whether or not students are reluctant or passionate enough, they
will have to go through group discussion at least once. Studies such as Jacobs School of
Engineering in California of San Diego have proven that studying in groups have a higher
rate of efficiency.
However, despite the fact that studying in group studies or teamwork have a higher rate of
efficiency. A new question was created from that research itself. Though group studies or
teamwork proves greater efficiency in learning, the students themselves do not necessary
know this fact thus it all boils down to the preference of the students themselves. Students
have their different opinions after going through years of experience in group studies or
teamwork. For this reason, they have different justification and reason for their preferences.
Due to the fact that we, Taylor’s Lakeside University students, have experienced a great
amount of teamwork in our course (Foundation in Natural Built Environment) believed that
the students in Taylor’s University may prefer to study alone rather than studying in groups.
With great curiosity, we decided to research on the preference of the studying or working in
groups or solo along with the student’s justification to further justifies the reason of their
preference.
5. I’m Fine, ALONE
Method
Hypothesis:
People tend to find peer group as a factor of distraction in the academic world and thus
prefers to study or work alone.
Independent Variable:
Gender
Dependent Variable:
Percentage of preference
Extraneous Variable:
Non-student volunteers
Materials:
79 set of 5-paged forms
Volunteers:
79 Taylor’s University Students
6. I’m Fine, ALONE
Procedure
The research will use Quantitative and Qualitative method. Quantitative method will be used
to evaluate the level of distraction by using scales whereas Qualitative method will be used to
describe the types of peer group the volunteer have through description. A survey form was
used to carry out the experiment. The questionnaire are to be performed in Taylor’s
University to decrease chances of extraneous variable which may affect result.
The survey form was divided into five sections to break down the analysis. The survey form
begins with a demographic to understand the participants themselves such as age and the
school of which they are currently studying. The survey continues with descriptive questions
to understand the type of peer group the volunteer is working or studying with and their usual
working or studying habits. The second section also serves as a demographic for the
volunteer’s peer group.
The third section begins with a brief of a scale of 1 to 5 (Strongly Disagree to Strongly
Agree) and continues with question with scales 1 to 5. The questions are designed to
investigate the cause of distraction during a group work or study. The survey form continues
to the fourth section. The fourth section were tasked to understand the justification of the
volunteer’s preference. The form ends with the fifth section which is to know the preference
of the student to prove the hypothesis. The survey form was checked and corrected by our
lecturer for any mistake.
Survey forms were printed and were passed around the school campus for students to fill up.
The survey forms were filled up by the students and were collected for analysis.
7. I’m Fine, ALONE
Data Collection
We found 79 volunteers to fill up the form. Among the 79 volunteers there are 45 males and
34 females. In percentage, females took up 43% of the entire volunteer while the other 57%
are males which, in this research are more dominant.
Percentage of Male and Female
Male
Female
8. I’m Fine, ALONE
For the sake of being fair to both gender, the percentage of preference were divided by their
own gender multiplied by one hundred percent. Thus the formula of the calculating ther
percentage of preferences are as below.
X 100% = Percentage of Preference to study alone in Male
Strongly
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
Agree
Male
2.22%
13.33%
20.00%
31.11%
33.33%
Female
0.00%
0.00%
33.33%
42.42%
24.24%
Percentage of Preference in Studying Alone Among Male and Female
Percentage of Preference in Studying Alone Among Male and
Female
45.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
20.00%
15.00%
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Male
Female
Agree
Strongly Agree
10. I’m Fine, ALONE
DISCUSSION
As seen in the above data collection, we can see that male have a total of 15.57% of males
prefers to study in group while none of the female prefer to study in groups. A total of
53.33% from both male and female find that studying alone or studying in groups doesn’t
really matter to them. Finally, there are more female preferring studying alone than male
preferring the option. Though, there is a need to mention that male have higher percentage in
intense disagreement.
Meanwhile, in the percentage of preference in working alone, we have female preferring to
work in groups while the percentage of male preferring in working in group decreases. The
total amount of neutral thoughts are higher in both male and female in this case. What’s
amazing is that the amount of students, in both sex, preferring to work alone decreases
tremendously.
With the result calculated, we further study the justification of why students chose what they
have preferred. 21.5% of student often study with their peers while 30.4% find themselves
studying alone most of the time. There are, however, 48.1% of student find themselves in
both condition occasionally. Approximately 31.6% of student themselves are the factor of
distraction during a group study while 21.6% respond that they are not responsible. There are
32.9% student find that they were distracted by their friends while only 15.2% disagrees.
Interestingly, student tends to follow their friends for a break in the midst of studying or
working. This fact was supported by 64.6% of student agreeing this problem with only 13.9%
disagreeing that they will be distracted by that factor.
Despite how researcher have already proven that studying in group are more efficient. There
are only 31.6% who find that they feel smarter after a group study with a 27.9% of student
disagreeing the fact that they feel smarter after a group study. However, it is undeniable that
11. through conversation or exchange in knowledge allows student to feel that they know their
friends better. 64.6% of student feel the bond strengthen while only 11.4% disagrees. Few of
the student felt that they were plagiarized while 32.9% do not agree that they were
I’m Fine, ALONE
plagiarized while 48.1% of student, however, are neutral about this. There are 44.3% feels
that studying in group motivates study while only 22.8% disagrees with this.
From this, we know that student prefer to study alone because the percentage of being
distracted was higher. Despite how beneficial group study may be, they feel that running a
risk of wasting time is a greater loss than the benefit of group study.
Regarding teamwork, however, about 54.4% of student have homework involving a lot of
teamwork. An average percentage of 31.6% find themselves doing all the work while the
other 31.6% do not agree with the statement and 36.8% find that teamwork are not always
unfair. The question regarding if they feel that problem solved are easier obtained a
dominating percentage of 62.0% with only 19% disagreeing with the question. Only 39.3% of
students find that teamwork actually boost their creativity while 22.8% find that teamwork do
not.
Finally, we can conclude that a few more students agrees that working in group are more
beneficial but the majority still sides with working alone because they fear the risk of
hogging all the work alone and large usage of time.
In conclusion, students prefer to work and study alone despite how beneficial group study or
work is due to the greater loss when the risk hits the jackpot.
12. I’m Fine, ALONE
References
1. Chelsea (15th February 2013) Benefits of Studying Solo, Retrieved from
http://www.rhl.org/blog/blog/classes/the-advantages-to-studying-solo/1819/
2. Delith Nath.T (7th December 2012) Study Alone or With Our Friend: Which Is
Better? (forum) Retrieved from, http://www.indiastudychannel.com/experts/28455Study-alone-or-study-with-our-friend-Which-better.aspx
3. Flavia.Im (27th August 2010) What Are The Advantage and Disadvantage of Studying
Alone? (forum) Retrieved from, http://www.englishexperts.com.br/forum/what-arethe-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-studying-alone-t11418.html
4. Kreiter. M (6th February 2013) Benefits of Studying With Friends, Retrieved from,
http://ticker.baruchconnect.com/article/the-benefits-of-studying-with-friends/
5. Martin.M (23rd September 2013) Studying with Friends Prove Effective, Retrieved
from http://www.cbhscircuit.com/?p=4249
6. Student Learning Center Flinders University (September 2006) Studying Alone (pdf
file), Retrieved from
http://www.flinders.edu.au/slc_files/Documents/Brochures/study_alone.pdf
13. APPRECIATION
To end this report, I would like to first show my appreciation to my lecturer Ms Chia for
guiding us throughout the assignment. Without the help of our lecturer, we would have been
left astray in the midst of confusion.
The next, I would like to thank my group mates, Liu Wei Cheng for coming up with the
brilliant idea. Kishant Kumar for being a responsible leader and for carrying out the actions
accordingly and systematically. Nicolas Wong and Goh Jeng Jhieh for distributing the form
to the students in Taylor’s Lakeside University. Liew Yong Sheng for designing the survey
form and writing the report and finally Stefan Loke for being supportive when needed.
