A Survey on Achievement Motivation among University Students

Abstract

Being motivated is a major factor contributing to student excellence in their studies and success in life. Students face various academic pressures from the education system itself or from environmental factors that can impact their level of motivation to achieve excellence. This study explores achievement motivational levels among university students in Malaysia from the four aspects of gender, race, place of residence and academic performance (CGPA). This survey-type study uses a simple random sampling method involving research subjects comprising 200 students (n=200). The research instrument used is the Achievement Motivation Test (AMT) introduced by Abu Bakar Nordin (1995). Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 26 software. An independent sample t-test analysis was used to identify the differences in achievement motivation levels based on the four aspects mentioned. Overall, the study found no difference in the level of student motivation based on gender (t= 0.254, p> 0.05), race (t= 0.922, p> 0.05), place of residence (t= 1.836, p> 0.05), and academic performance (t=1.623, p> 0.05). However, some differences in motivation levels were found between students with low (M = 2.8) and high (M = 3.0) CGPAs. Thus, it can be concluded that motivational levels have a major role in ensuring student success and excellence. This study can form the basis for designing motivational modules or guidelines in public universities and the Ministry of Education for enhancing student achievement.