BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT: KEY FACTORS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

This paper examines how university students can develop habits that support academic achievement over time. It draws on selected research on academic performance, personality, goal setting, motivation, self-efficacy, and learning strategies. The discussion uses self-regulated learning as an organizing framework, linking the planning of study to the monitoring and adjustment of learning. The paper considers how students can allocate time realistically, set goals that guide practice, and use feedback to identify gaps in understanding. It distinguishes the relatively strong evidence for practice testing and distributed practice from the more limited conclusions that can be drawn from correlations between personal characteristics and grades. Examples from foreign language courses illustrate how students can put these principles into practice.