CHAPTER- 3

PROCEDURE AND DESIGN OF THE STUDY

Methodology of the study is as important as the research study itself. It is

important on the part of the researcher to have a clear understanding about the

selection of the sample, data gathering procedures, and the data analysis

techniques so that the results obtained from the study could be generalized. In the

light of the theoretical framework and the review of related research studies

discussed in the previous chapter, the investigator was able to have a blue-print of

this proposed study. This chapter deals with the selection of the sample, selection

and discussion about administration of tools for the data collection, method of

scoring and general procedure adopted for the completion of the present

investigation.

3.1 METHOD OF RESEARCH

Normative survey method of educational research is the single most

popular and most widely used approach in educational research. It involves study

of event that has already taken place and is related to present conditions. Survey

research is a method for collecting and analyzing data, obtained from a large

number of respondents representing a specific population collected through highly

structured and detailed questionnaires or interviews. The researchers are usually

interested in describing the population being studied. This approach is followed in

studying local, as well as state, national and international aspects of education. It

goes beyond mere gathering and tabulation of data rather, it involves

interpretation, comparison, measurement, classification, evaluation and

generalization directed towards a proper understanding and solution of significant

educational problems. Worthwhile survey studies collect three types of

informations:

- Of What Exists by studying and analyzing important aspects of present

situation;

- Of What We Want by clarifying goals and objectives possibly through a

study of the conditions existing elsewhere or what experts consider to be

desirable;

- Of How To Get There through discovering the possible means of

achieving the goals on the basis of the experiences of others or the opinion

of experts.

Hence, this method was selected to study the impact of family climate,

school adjustment and attitude towards education on academic achievement of

class XI General, SC and BC Category students and to compare the three groups

on above mentioned four variables.

3.2 VARIABLES INVOLVED IN THE STUDY

A concept which can take on different quantitative values is called a

variable. If one variable depends upon or is a consequence of the other variable, it

is termed as a dependent variable and the variable that is antecedent to the

dependent variable is termed as independent variable. In the descriptive

researches, the relationship between the two types of variables is studied.

Independent and dependent variables:

Independent variables are the cause and the dependent variable is the

effect. In the present investigation three independent variables were taken up with

one dependent variable. The independent variables in respect of the present study

are – Family Climate, School Adjustment and Attitude Towards Education

and the dependent variable is Academic Achievement.

3.3 SAMPLE OF THE STUDY

It is rarely possible and seldom necessary to obtain data from entire

population or objects of the type we wish to study. Therefore, it is required to

select a smaller group which is believed to be a representative of the entire

population, such a group is termed as sample. Sample is the tool with the help of

which in less time and less use of money, one can estimate the variables and their

distribution. The process of selecting a sample from its population is called

sampling. In the present study Systematic Sampling Method was used to select the

subjects from the entire population. The total sample for the study was comprised

of 720 General, SC and BC Category students studying in class XI of Govt. Sr.

Sec. Schools situated in rural and urban areas of districts Bhiwani, Faridabad,

Kurukshetra and Sonepat. An equal number of students comprising 30 from 3

urban as well as 3 rural areas were selected randomly from each school.

SELECTION OF SAMPLE:

The sample selection procedure comprised of three phases:

PHASE- I

. In the first phase, four districts i.e. Bhiwani, Faridabad, Kurukshetra and

Sonepat were selected out of 21districts of Haryana making use of Purposive

Sampling Method.

PHASE-II

In the second phase, detailed lists of all the Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools were

procured from D.E.O. Offices of the concerned four districts. There were 148

Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools in Bhiwani district, 50 in Faridabad district, 114 in Sonepat

district and 47 in Kurukshetra district. Total number of Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools

situated in four districts were 359 out of which 54 Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools were

situated in urban areas and the remaining 305 Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools were situated

in rural areas. Six schools (3-Rural+3-Urban) were selected randomly using

Lottery method from each district. Thus, a total 24 Govt. Sr. Sec. School were

selected out of a population of 359 schools situated in four districts. The

investigator contacted the principals of the selected schools personally for the

purpose of collection of data pertaining to the study.

PHASE-III

In the third phase, on the basis of the school record the students from

General, SC and BC category available on the date of data collection were picked

up randomly making use of Systematic Sampling Method from selected 24 Govt.

Sr. Sec. schools situated in rural and urban areas of four districts. A total 30

students were selected from each Govt. Sr. Sec. School i.e. 10 students from each

category. Thus, a total 180 Sr. Sec. School students were selected from each

district. The total sample was comprised 720 rural and urban Govt. Sr. Sec. School

students.

3.4 DETAILS OF SCHOOLS SELECTED FOR THE COLLECTION OF

DATA:

[SCHOOLS SITUATED IN URBAN AREAS]

DISTRICT BHIWANI

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School [Boys] Bhiwani.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School [Girls] Bhiwani.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Charkhi Dadri.

DISTRICT FARIDABAD

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Palwal.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Faridabad.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Ballabhgarh.

DISTRICT SONEPAT

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Sonepat.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Gohana.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Kharkhoda.

DISTRICT KURUKSHETRA

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Pehowa.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Shahbad Markanda.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Kurukshetra.

[SCHOOLS SITUATED IN RURAL AREA]

DISTRICT BHIWANI

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Bamla.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Tosham.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Chappar.

DISTRICT FARIDABAD

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Banchari.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Hasanpur.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Kherikalan.

DISTRICT SONEPAT

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Kathura.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Kundli.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Bhigan.

DISTRICT KURUKSHETRA

[I] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Bibain.

[II] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Prahladpur.

[III] Govt. Sr. Sec. School Balahi.

3.5 TOOLS USED FOR DATA COLLECTION

Success of research depends upon how objectively the required and

relevant data is collected and how scientifically the data gathering tools are

employed. Thus, appropriate tools used for the collection of data were carefully

selected for analysis and interpretation. The tools used to collect data pertaining to

the independent and dependent variables in respect of the objectives of the present

study are divided into two categories – [A] The tools used to collect data

pertaining to the independent variables – [1] Family Climate Scale (FCS) by

Dr. Beena Shah [1990], [2] Adjustment Inventory for School Students[AISS] by

Dr. Sinha and Dr. Singh [1993], [3] Attitude of students towards education

(ASTE) by Dr.Chopra [1982]. [B] The tools used to collect data pertaining to

the dependent variable –The marks obtained by students at matriculation

examination conducted by H.B.S.E., were procured from the office of the schools

to which students of three category belonged.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TOOLS USED:

[A] FAMILY CLIMATE SCALE [FCS]

The researcher has used Family Climate Scale [FCS] constructed and

standardised by Dr. Beena Shah to study the family climate of the students

belonging to three category i.e. Gen. , SC and BC. FCS can easily be used with

Hindi speaking secondary school students belonging to rural and urban areas. FCS

may be administered on individual as well as in group. There is no time limit

specified to attempt the items of the scale. It usually takes 35 to 40 minutes for an

individual to answer 90 statements. The test comprises 90 statements out of which

48 statements are negative and 42 statements are positive. An individual has to

answer selecting one option out of the three options given with each statement i.e.

„Always‟, „Sometimes‟ and „Never‟. Only the total Family Climate Score has been

considered for the present study.

The total 90 statements related to ten dimensions of FCS have been

indicated in the following table.

TABLE – 3.1

Distribution of Items Over 10 Dimensions of FCS

1 Dimensions Response Item Number Total

Items

1. Restrictiveness Vs.

Freedom

Positive 4, 47, 50, 56, 68, 79 9

Negative 48, 60, 89

2. Indulgence Vs.

Avoidance

Positive 19. 25, 65, 78 9

Negative 1, 16, 26, 54, 81

3. Partiality Vs. Fairness Positive 23, 30, 38, 45, 62, 84 9

Negative 2, 28, 85

4. Attention Vs. Negligence Positive 3, 5, 8, 9

Negative 7, 49, 55, 67, 69, 75

5. Acceptance Vs. Rejection Positive 6, 14 9

Negative 10, 13, 40, 52, 59, 61, 71

6. Warmth Vs.

Cold Relations

Positive 9, 34, 53, 64 9

Negative 32, 42, 58, 73, 80

7. Trust Vs. Distrust Positive 11, 27, 77, 82 9

Negative 15, 17, 21, 66, 76

8. Dominance Vs.

Submissiveness

Positive 51, 57, 72, 90 9

Negative 20, 29, 36, 83, 86

9. Expectation Vs.

Hopelessness

Positive 22, 33, 35, 70 9

Negative 41, 43, 46, 88,87

10. Open Communication

Vs.Controlled

Communication

Positive 12, 31, 39, 44, 74 9

Negative 18, 24, 37, 63

TOTAL 90

RELIABILITY OF THE SCALE

The test-retest method has been used to find out the reliability coefficients

of the family climate scale [FCS]. The values of reliability coefficients for each

dimension have been presented in the Table-2 which are highly significant

(P<.001).

TABLE – 3.2

Reliability Coefficient for Each Dimension of FCS

Sr. No. Dimensions Coefficient of reliability

1. Freedom Vs Restrictiveness .75

2. Attention Vs Negligence .72

3. Dominance Vs Submission .83

4. Acceptance Vs Rejection .76

5. Trust Vs Distrust .79

6. Indulgence Vs Avoidance .69

7. Warmth Vs Coldness .79

8. Expectation Vs Hopelessness .71

9. Partiality Vs Fairness .76

10 Open Communication Vs

Controlled Communication

.81

Thus, FCS is a reliable instrument to measure the family climate of students.

VALIDITY OF THE SCALE

Validity of the FCS was tested against the judgment of 20 judges. The

selection of items on the opinions of the experts as well as the highly significant

discriminative indices of all the items retained in the final format of FCS, confirm

the item validity of the scale. The inter dimensional coefficients of correlation

have been presented in the Table-3

TABLE- 3.3

Correlation Matrix of Family Climate Scale

Sr.

no.

Dimensions „r‟ value

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1.

2.

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Freedom Vs

Restrictiveness

Attention Vs

Negligence

Dominance Vs

Submission

Acceptance Vs

Rejection

Trust Vs

Distrust

Indulgence Vs

Avoidance

Warmth Vs

Coldness

Expectation Vs

Hopelessness

Partiality Vs

Fairness

Open

Communication

Vs Controlled

Communication

1.00 .720

1.00

.691

.664

1.00

.583

.642

.693

1.00

.733

.558

.701

.558

1.00

.741

.631

.682

.627

.589

1.00

.702

.686

.748

.651

.591

.648

1.00

.569

.704

.528

.548

.681

.671

.707

1.00

.532

.521

.738

.718

.718

.596

.688

.666

1.00

.781

.641

.601

.670

.639

.718

.598

.549

.561

1.00

ADMINISTRATION OF FCS

The FCS can be used with the Hindi speaking students of both the sexes of

Secondary and High Schools of our country belonging to rural or urban areas. It

can be administered either individually or in group. The FCS contains eight pages

with no separate answer sheet. Before answering, the students are told not to mark

anything on the Test Booklets except the desired answers. A copy of test booklets

of FCS is supplied to all the students and rapport is established with them. The

subjects are told frankly that it is not an ability or academic test, it is simply a test

relating to family climate, so that students feel themselves free and open minded,

while responding.

The subjects are then asked to write at the top of the answer sheet their

name, schools name, class date, sex, father‟s occupation, age, rural/urban and

address respectively. After this the researcher reads out the instructions loudly

which are given on the cover page of the scale. The examinees are made familiar

with the process of responding with the help of the examples given on the cover

page. The subjects are then asked to turn over the cover page of the test booklet

and to start the test properly.

The students are warned against changing the answers on the answer sheet,

and ensured that each question is given only one answer, not more than that. The

FCS is administered without the time limit but usually it takes 35 to 40 minutes to

attempt all the 90 questions in the scale. Those examinees who finished earlier

were released soon.

SCORING OF THE SCALE

This is a three point scale marking for negative statements 0,1& 2 for

„always‟, „sometimes‟ and „ never‟, respectively whereas it is 2,1, 0 for positive

statements. The „Positive Total Score‟ speaks of the „Favourable Family Climate‟

whereas „Negative Total Score‟ indicates „Unfavourable Family Climate‟ of the

child. The Aggregate score comprising of positive and negative statements are

taken into consideration.

[B] ADJUSTMENT INVENTORY FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS [AISS]

School Adjustment is one of the variables in study. The School adjustment

of Gen., SC and BC Category students was measured by using Adjustment

Inventory for School Students [AISS], developed and standardized by A.K.P

Sinha and K.P.Singh. It is meant for secondary school students [age group 14-18

years]. It covers three areas viz. Emotional, Social and Educational adjustment of

school students. Total adjustment score are obtained as sum of scores in respect of

three areas. There are 60 items in the inventory, 20 items in each area of

adjustment. This is printed in Hindi therefore useful to students who are Hindi

speaking. It is easy to score manually. A normal student takes about 10 minutes to

answer all the 60 items in the inventory.

RELIABILITY

Coefficient of reliability was determined by [i] Split-half method, [ii] Test

retest method, and [iii] K-R formula-20. Table-1 gives the reliability coefficients

of the total test and of sub-tests by different methods.

Table – 3.4

Reliability Coefficient of the Inventory [AISS]

Sr.

No.

Method used Emotional Social Educational Total

1.

2.

3.

Split-half

Test-retest

K-Rformula-20.

0.94

0.96

0.92

0.93

0.90

0.92

0.98

0.93

0.94

0.95

0.93

0.94

VALIDITY

In item-analysis validity coefficient were determined for each item by bi-

serial correlation method and only such items were retained which yielded biserial

correlation with both the criteria [1] total score and [2] area score significant level

being at 0.01. Inter-correlation among the three areas of the inventory has been

presented in the Table-2 below as given in the manual of AISS.

TABLE – 3.5

Correlation Matrix of the Three Areas [AISS]

Sr.

No.

Areas I II III

I

II

III

Emotional

Social

Educational

__

.20

.19

.20

__

.24

.19

.24

__

The inventory was also validated by the ratings of 60 hostlers by the

hostel superintendent. The product moment coefficient of co-relation between

inventory scores and the superintendent‟s ratings was obtained to be 0.51.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE INVENTORY [AISS]

The Adjustment Inventory for School Students [AISS] is supplied to

the testees and are asked not to open it unless told to do so. The respondents are

asked to write their name, age, sex, class, school and district name etc. The

Adjustment Inventory for School Students [AISS] contains a test booklet of four

pages with no separate answer sheet. The researcher supplies the test booklets of

AISS to all the students with the instruction not to mark anything on the Test

Booklets except the desired answers and take a silent reading alongwith the

examiner. The researcher establishes rapport with the examinees and tell them

frankly not to hesitate in giving responses of all the questions in the booklet. The

purpose of the test is just to study the school adjustment of the students.

The oral instructions are provided on the cover page of the inventory to all

the students. The examinees are guided as to how responses are to be made by a

tick mark in the appropriate boxes with „Yes‟ and „No‟. After giving the necessary

instructions, they are asked to turn over the cover page of the test booklet and to

start the test properly.

The students are warned against changing the answers. They are asked that

each question has been given only one answer by a tick mark in the appropriate

boxes with „Yes‟ and „No‟. The students attempt the AISS according to their

ability with no time limit.

SCORING OF INVENTORY

Adjustment inventory [AISS] can be scored by hand only. For any answer

indicative of adjustment Zero is given, otherwise a score of one is awarded. Table-

8 given in the manual shows the key response indicative of lack of adjustment.

The inventory is designed to be an aid in counseling school students of age

group 14-18 years whose personal problems pertain to any of the three areas

included in the test. The use of letters A, B and C corresponding to Emotional

adjustment, Social adjustment and Educational adjustment enables the test user to

discover readily questions relating to each measure. The total score indicates the

general adjustment status. In this inventory, the scoring is done in a reverse

direction i.e. less score reveals better adjustment.

TABLE -3.6

Key Responses Indicative of Lack of Adjustment [AISS]

EMOTIONAL [A] SOCIAL [B] EDUCATONAL [C]

Item

No.

Response

indicative of

lack of

adjustment

Item

No.

Response

indicative of

lack of

adjustment

Item

No.

Response

indicative of lack

of adjustment

1.

4.

7.

10.

13.

16.

19.

22.

25.

28.

31.

34.

37.

40.

43.

46.

49.

52.

55.

58.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

2.

5.

8.

11.

14.

17.

20.

23.

26.

29.

32.

35.

38.

41.

44.

47.

50.

53.

56.

59.

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

No

No

No

No

3.

6.

9.

12.

15.

18.

21.

24.

27.

30.

33.

36.

39.

42.

45.

48.

51.

54

57.

60.

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

MEANING OF THE SYMBOLS AND EXPLANATION OF THE AREAS IN

AISS

[a] Emotional Adjustment: High scores are indicative of lack of emotional

adjustment. Students getting low tend to feel better adjusted emotionally.

[b] Social Adjustment: Pupils scoring high are submissive and retiring. Low

scores indicate better social adjustment.

[c] Educational Adjustment: Individuals scoring high are poor in educational

adjustment. Low scores reveal better educational adjustment.

TOTAL / GENERAL ADJUSTMENT

The sum of the above three scores [Emotional, Social and Educational]

give the total score of an individual. Low total score reveals better in general

adjustment and High total score indicates poor in general adjustment. In the

present study the general adjustment score (Aggregate Score) comprising of

Emotional, Social and Educational score has been taken into consideration.

[C] ATTITUDE SCALE TOWARDS EDUCATION [ASTE]

For the present study the researcher has used the Attitude Scale Towards

Education [ASTE] constructed and standardized by Dr. S.L.Chopra. The ASTE is

a standardized test, which can be given within a class, to an individual or in

groups to yield a general assessment of student attitude towards education. It is

mainly constructed for secondary school students. Its medium is Hindi and it is

useful for Hindi medium students. It comprises 22 statements relating to

individual attitude towards education. It can easily be administered on a student,

individual or a group of students. It is easy to score it manually. It is less time

consuming and takes normally 10 to 15 minutes to solve it.

THE SCALE VALUES GIVEN IN THE MANUAL PERTAINING TO

ASTE

For calculation of the scale value, the procedure suggested by Edwards

[1957] was followed. The interquartile range and Q values were calculated

regarding interpretations given to the statements. The size of the Q value was

taken as a measure of ambiguity in the statements. After calculating the Q values

for each of the statements, those with high Q values [over 2.8] were eliminated.

The remaining statements had an average Q value of 1.32 and this compared quite

favorably with the average values reported by Chave [1929], Campbell [1951] and

Thurstone [1959]. Out of the statements twenty-two statements with scale values

relatively equally spaced on the psychological continuum were finally selected

and arranged in random order for the Attitude Scale.

RELIABILITY OF THE SCALE

The reliability of the scale as is mentioned in the manual was calculated by

“Split half method”. The „r‟ calculated by the spearman -Brown formula was .89

and this also suggests that the scale is quite reliable. All the statements have been

selected keeping in view the criteria suggested by Thurstone and Chave [1929],

Likert [1932], Wang [1932], Bird [1940], Adward and Kilpatric [1948] and Payne

[1951].

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCALE

Each of the respondents are given a copy of the ASTE Scale [without the

Scale values indicated thereon] with the instruction not to mark anything on the

Test Booklets except the desired answers. The respondents are asked to write their

name, father‟s name, age, sex, class, school and district name etc. The researcher

establishes rapport with the examinees and tell them frankly not to hesitate in

giving responses of all the questions in the booklet. The purpose of the scale is

just to test your attitude towards education.

The researcher gives the oral instruction written on the cover page of the

scale to put a tick in front of the statements with which he or she fully agrees and a

cross in front of the statements with which he or she is not in full agreement. Each

statement is thus to be either ticked or crossed. The students are instructed not to

change the answers, and check that each question has been given only one answer

by a tick or cross mark in the appropriate boxes. The ASTE is administered

without the time limit and the students answered it at their own speed.

SCORING OF ASTE

Attitude Scale Towards Education is scorable manually. Each of the

respondents is given a copy of the Scale [without the Scale value indicated

thereon] and he or she is asked to tick or cross in front of the statement with which

he or she fully agrees. Each statement is thus to be either ticked or crossed. The

attitude of the individual is denoted by the aggregate of mean scale values of the

statements with which he or she fully agrees. The mean scale values for the 22

statements included in the ASTE are given below:

TABLE- 3.7

Scale Values for the Statements [ASTE]

S.No. Scale Value S.No. Scale Value

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

10.79

1.96

3.86

10.79

9.67

2.86

4.72

9.61

2.92

7.90

1.88

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

8.63

7.63

5.79

6.94

8.63

4.63

0.5

0.5

6.88

5.93

3.80

3.6 PROCEDURE OF DATA COLLECTION

The present study was conducted to compare General, SC and BC category

students on four variables viz. family climate, school adjustment, attitude towards

education and academic achievement and to study the effect of family climate,

school adjustment and attitude towards education on academic achievement of

above mentioned students. The methodology of the study was planned after

reviewing the available literature and related sources of information on various

variables. In order to achieve the objectives stated and to test the corresponding

hypotheses, a sample of 720 class XI General, SC and BC Category students

studying in Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools situated in urban and rural areas of four

districts in Haryana were selected. The list of Govt. Sr. Sec. Schools recognized

by Haryana Board of School Education was procured from D.E.O‟s of four

districts i.e. Bhiwani, Faridabad, Kurukshetra and Sonepat. The schools were

selected randomly from the list of schools using of Lottery Method. Students for

the sample were selected using Systematic Random Sampling Method.

The investigator approached the principals of selected Govt. Sr. Sec.

Schools of four districts and apprised them of the purpose of the study and

requested to extend their cooperation for the data collection in respect of present

study. On the date of data collection in school of each four districts, the

investigator procured the lists of General, SC and BC category students and

requested them to assemble at a convenient place in the school. The total number

of students present in the schools on the date of data collection were distributed in

General, SC and BC category. A serial no. was given to each student of each

category. Hence, the sampling frame of each category was constructed. Systematic

Sampling Method was used to draw the sample from the sampling frame. In this

method each sample was selected with a definite interval. The sample was

selected in such a way that N/n = P (rounded to nearest integer). For example

population size of General category in Govt. Sr. Sec. School at Bamla (Bhiwani)

was 81 students. Out of which the investigator selected ten students. The sampling

interval would be 81/10 = 8.1. Hence, the nearest integer 8 was the sampling

interval. Then, every 8th student was selected from the sampling frame of General

category. The same procedure was adopted to select the sample from SC and BC

category. Likewise, other students of the sample were selected from Bhiwani and

other three districts. The students of the sample from each mentioned school were

given necessary instructions mentioned in the manual of the tools used. After

having administered the tools FCS, AISS and ASTE on the subjects of the

selected schools of four districts the investigator procured the GPA [Grade Point

Average] of subjects of the sample who obtained at their matriculation

examination conducted by BSEH. To study the effect of family climate, school

adjustment and attitude towards education on academic achievement of General,

SC and BC category students their GPA were converted in marks using the

foumula GPA x 10.

3.7 STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES USED

To arrive at conclusions, various statistical techniques were employed

according to the design of the study. The data obtained were subjected to

statistical techniques keeping in view the objectives and corresponding hypotheses

of the study. The following statistical techniques were used for the analysis of data

in the present study:-

[1] MEAN:

The arithmetic mean, commonly called the mean or average, is the most

often used measure of central tendency. Mean Scores show the average

performance of the group in distribution or give the overall performance of the

group. To fulfill the objectives and test the hypotheses of the present investigation

mainly data related to family climate, school adjustment, attitude towards

education and academic achievement of students of who belonged to General, SC

and BC category, were collected. To compare the students on four variables and to

study the effect of independent variables on dependent variable, the means related

to family climate, school adjustment, attitude towards education and academic

achievement were calculated by using xlstat a Microsoft Office Excel based

software.

[2] Standard Deviation:

The average of the squared deviations of the measures or scores from their

mean is known as the variance. The Standard Deviation is the positive square root

of variance. It is used as a measure of the spread of scores in a distribution. It

shows how much variation there is from the average. A low Standard Deviation

indicates that the data points tend to be very close to the mean, whereas high

Standard Deviation indicates that the data are spread out over a large range of

values. To fulfill the objectives and test the hypotheses of the present

investigation mainly data related to family climate, school adjustment, attitude

towards education and academic achievement of students of Class-XI who

belonged to General, SC and BC categories, were collected. To compare the

students on four variables and to study the effect of independent variables on

dependent variable, the Standard Deviations related to family climate, school

adjustment, attitude towards education and academic achievement were calculated

by using xlstat a Microsoft Office Excel based software.

[3] T-Test:

T- test is the most commonly used statistical data analysis procedure for

hypothesis testing. It gives an indication of the separateness of two sets of

measurements and is thus used to check whether two sets of measures are

essentially different. The typical way of doing this is with the null hypothesis that

means of the two sets of measures are equal. It is used when there is random

assignment and only two sets of measurement to compare. In the present

investigation t-test was used to compare the Gen., SC and BC Category students

on four variables viz. family climate, school adjustment, attitude towards

education and academic achievement keeping in view of the objectives of the

study. The t-value was calculated by using xlstat a Microsoft Office Excel based

software.

CORRELATION

The correlation is one of the most common and most useful statistics. A

correlation is a single number that describes the degree of relationship between

two variables. To study the effect of Family Climate, School Adjustment, Attitude

Towards Education on Academic Achievement of General, SC and BC category

students, the Pearson‟s Product Moment method was employed for determining

the coefficients of correlation between independent and dependent variables. The

coefficient of correlation was calculated by using xlstat a Microsoft Office Excel

based software.