Music and Study HabitsBy: Dan McLoughlinGerry MonahanCraig SantoskiCortny Sasserson

Overview Background Research Plan Data Collection Data Summary Analysis Conclusions Recommendations

Background

Statement of Problem: There are many study strategies available to college students. However, some are more successful than others.

Purpose of Study: To evaluate if the majority of students perceive music as a stress reliever and focus tool, or a distraction.

Significance: As college students, we spend a great deal of time on academics. Successful study habits would be beneficial to our future.

External Research We found three studies dealing with music and

Academia.

The first study, titled: Stress Study and Music, discusses how musical elements of tone, tempo, lyric and volume stimulate creativity and focus.

The second study, titled: Effects of Music on

the Mind and Brain, discussed music’s positive affect on learning and mood.

External Research (cont.)

The third study titled: The Effects of Music Type on Cognitive Processes, tested the effects of music on college students using Classical music, Modern rock, and a control group of students that did not listen to music. This is closely related to our research because it deals

specifically with college students.

Research PlanningHypothesis: Listening to music has a positive

effect on the level of focus that undergraduate college students experience while studying

Research Questions:1. What proportion of (sample) students do

not listen to music while studying? 2. Are students who listen to music when they

study more focused?

Research Questions (cont.)3. Are most students with quantitatively higher

GPAs listening to music while they study? 4. Are there more females than males who listen to

music while studying? 5. How often do students get distracted while they

are studying? 6. Which type of music is most listened to by

students when studying?7. Are certain study locations quieter than others?

Data Collection

Method 1: ObservationTarget Audience: Students studying in Basement, 1st, 2nd floor of the library Student Center computer lounge Stark 1st floor lounge

Method 2: Paper SurveyTarget Audience: First year students in Evans Upperclassmen in towers

Observation Criterion1. How focused does the participant appear to be? 2. Are there distractions in the studying

environment? 3. Are they listening to music? (Y or N)4. Method of Study

1. Group2. Individual

5. Participant Gender1. Male 2. Female

6. Study Location

Survey Questions1. Age  2. Sex:M F 

3. Class: F So Jr. Sr. Other

4. What is your cumulative GPA?(4.0-3.5) (3.49-3.0) (2.99-2.5) (2.49-2.0) (1.99-1.5) (1.49-0.1)

5. About how many hours a week do you study?6. Do you listen to music while you study?7. If so, how often do you listen to music when you

study?Never Sometimes Half of the time Often Always

8. What type of music do you listen to when you study?9. What is your favorite type of music?10. Rate the level of distraction that you usually

experience in your study area. (1 silent, 5 rowdy) 1 2 3 4 5

Data Summary 10 observations in each location. 55 total observations obtained. 29 paper surveys returned. 84 total responses to study

1st floor lib22%

2nd floor lib18%

lib basement22%

SLC20%

SUB Comp11%

SUB Comp.7%

Locations of Data Collection

n y0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Observation and Survey Results

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.50

2

4

6

8

10

12

GPA vs. Music

ny

GPA

Mu

sic

1 2 3 4 50

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Level of Noise Distraction in Study Area

ny

classical17%

country7%

NA17%

pop7%punk

7%

rap21%

rock3%

ska3%

soft rock14%

top 403%

Genre of Preferred Study Music

n y0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Males vs. Females

fm

Analysis

Due to the fact that our data collection focuses primarily on qualitative data as opposed to quantitative data, we can not perform tests for probability or accurately represent measures of center.

In an effort to clearly analyze the data, we have done multiple proportion tests to determine the relationship between music and studying habits.

sample proportion 0.50%population proportion 51%

std error 0.05454356sample size 84

Do most students listen to music while they study?NULL: p = 51% Most college students do not listen to music while they study.

ALTERNATIVE: p <> 751% Most college students listen to music while they study.

one-tailed or two-tailed? 2

test statistic (obs) -9.26critical measure 1.96

obs > critical? yes

p-value 0.00000a-level 5%

p-value < a-level? yes

Reject the Null: most college students listen to music while they study

HYPOTHESIS TESTS

1 Sample Proportion

2 Sample Proportion

taken from observations

x-value sample 1 15 x-value sample 2 15

for the proportion proportion 1 75.0% proportion 2 42.9%pooled proportion 0.545 sample size 1 20 sample size 2 35

Listen do not listen

std error 0.140

Are students who listen to music when they study more focused?NULL: p1 => p2 College student who do not listen to music are more focused.ALTERNATIVE: p1 < p2 College students who listen to music are more focused.

one-tailed or two tailed? 1enter 1 or 2 above

test statistic (obs) 2.303 critical measure 1.645

|obs| > critical?? yes

p-value 1%a-level 5% ←enter alpha level here

p-value < a-level?? yes

Reject the Null: College students who listen to music are more focused

HYPOTHESIS TESTS

1 Sample Proportionfrom survey

sample proportion 54%population proportion 51%

std error 0.10204166sample size 24

Do more students listen to upbeat or relaxed music when they study?

NULL: p = 51% Most college students listen to upbeat music while they study.

ALTERNATIVE: p <> 51% Most college students do not listen to upbeat music while they study.

one-tailed or two-tailed? 1

test statistic (obs) 0.31critical measure 1.64

obs > critical? no

p-value 0.37815a-level 5%

p-value < a-level? no

Accept the null: most college students listen to upbeat music while they study

HYPOTHESIS TESTS

2 Sample Proportion

from observation

x-value sample 1 0 x-value sample 2 0.43%

for the proportion proportion 1 0.0% proportion 2 0.0%pooled proportion 0.000 sample size 1 34 sample size 2 21

Library Other

std error 0.004

Is the library a quieter place to study than other locations?NULL: p1 = p2 The library is quietALTERNATIVE: p1 <> p2 The library is not quiet

one-tailed or two tailed? 2enter 1 or 2 above

test statistic (obs) (0.004) critical measure 1.960 no

|obs| > critical??

p-value 100%a-level 5% ←enter alpha level here

p-value < a-level?? no

Accept the Null: the library is a quiet place to study

HYPOTHESIS TESTS

Regression

0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.50

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

f(x) = − 0.0328502415458937 x + 0.915942028985507R² = 0.00846142585273113

Music vs. GPA

Series1Linear (Series1)Predicted 0

GPA

Music

Regression (cont.)SUMMARY OUTPUT

Regression StatisticsMultiple R 0.091986009R Square 0.008461426Adjusted R Square - 0.029674673Standard Error 0.424009984Observations 28

ANOVAdf SS MS F Significance F

Regression 1 0.039889579 0.039889579 0.221874446 0.64154363Residual 26 4.674396135 0.179784467Total 27 4.714285714

Coefficients Standard Error t Stat P-value Lower 95% Upper 95% Lower 95.0% Upper 95.0%Intercept 0.915942029 0.287849247 3.182019889 0.003766803 0.324259428 1.50762463 0.324259428 1.50762463

4 - 0.032850242 0.069740479 - 0.471035504 0.64154363 - 0.176203849 0.110503365 - 0.176203849 0.110503365

Report Summary

The number of students who study and listen to music were split half and half.

More students who listened to music while studying had higher GPA’s than those who did not.

Students who listen to music tend to study in more distracting environments.

It was more common for undergraduate students to listen upbeat music while studying (rap, pop, punk, ska, rock)

Report Summary (Cont.) Males listen to music while studying more

than females. Most college students listen to music while

studying. Students who listen to music while studying

are more focused. Most college students listen to upbeat music

while they study.

Report Summary (Cont.) The library is a quieter place to study than

other locations on campus. Listening to music while studying has an

impact of .8% on your GPA. There is some relationship between listening

to music while studying and your GPA.

Recommendations and Impact

Based on the findings of our study, we would recommend that students should listen to music while studying. It was proven that those who listen to music while studying are more focused, have higher GPA’s, and can study better in distracting environments. As a result it would be beneficial for students to listen to music while studying.

The impact of this study was positive in that is raised confidence in this particular study method.

Suggested Improvements Wider distribution of paper survey.

Upper classmen More detailed focus on the effects of genre

and elements of music. Increased collection and use of quantitative

data.

QUESTIONS?