Authors :
Muma Elias; Sakala Yolam; Chibuye Bitwell; Chisha Eliphas
Volume/Issue :
Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 5 - May
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/4j3u74ra
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25may1981
Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.
Abstract :
Assessment of student learning at Mukuba University is achieved through both continuous assessment (CA) and
final examination. These assessments are conducted during and at the end of the academic year, respectively. One of the
most widely debated issues in biology education is the relationship between students’ CA scores and their corresponding
final examination scores. Against this background, this study aimed to determine whether a relationship exists between
CA and final examination scores of first-year biology students at Mukuba University. The study employed a correlational
research design. The sample comprised 309 participants for the original study and 360 students for the replication study.
Pearson’s product-moment correlation was used to analyze the data for both the original and replication studies. The
analysis revealed a positive and significant correlation between CA and final examination scores at the 0.01 level of
significance for both studies. Furthermore, the effect size of the relationship between the variables was large—averaging
0.83—indicating that integrating CA into lecturers’ daily teaching has the potential to improve students’ performance in
the biology final examination. Notably, both the original and replication studies produced consistent results, confirming
the reliability of the findings. Based on these results, it is recommended that lecturers incorporate biology CA as outlined
in the course outlines.
Keywords :
Correlation, Scores, Continuous Assessment, Final Examination.
References :
- Ajaja, O. B. (2020). Continuous Assessment as a Good Predictor of Actual Performance. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE) 7 (7) pp 72-76
- Aina, J. K. & Adedo, G. A. (2013). Correlation between Continuous Assessment (CA) and Students Performance in Physics. Journal of Education and Practice, 4(6)
- Al-Maskari, A (2015) . Comparisons between continuous assessment and final scores; Ibra College of Technology, Sultanate State.
- Bhandari, P. (2022, December 5) Correlational Research/When and how to use. https://scribbr/methdology/correlational research/
- Bich, A. A. & Musa, A. A. (2015). Assessing the Correlation between Continuous Assessment and Examination Scores of Education Courses: Yusuf Maitama Sule University in Nigeria
- De Sande, L. Arriero, C. Benavente, R. Fraile, J. I. Godino-Llorente, J. Gutiérrez, D. Osés & Osma-Ruiz, V. (2008). A Case Study: Final Exam v/s Continuous Assessment Marks for Electrical and Electronic Engineering Students.
- Fan, F. A., Umaru, R. I., & Bawa, Y. J. (2014). The Relations between Continuous Assessment and Final Exam Scores; Implication for Quality Teaching. Merit Research Journals, 2, 302-05.
- Hayford, S. K. (2018). Continuous assessment and lower attaining pupils in primary and junior secondary schools in Ghana (Doctoral dissertation, University of Birmingham).
- Jason F.(2024). the correlation coefficient: what it is and what it tells investors. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/correlationcoefficient.asp
- Justine O. M. & Stephen W. L. (2022). On Sample Size Determination When Comparing Two Independent Spearman or Kendall Coefficients. Open Journal of Statistics, 12(2).
- Kumur J. H., & Siya T. K. (2015). Relationship between Continuous Assessment Scores and Examination Scores. International Journal of Science and Research.
- Lubisi C (1997). Understanding outcomes-based education. Braamfontein: S. A. Institute for Distance Education 162-166.
- Myombe G.L. & Mushi P.S.D. (2022). The Correlation between Continuous Assessment Scores and National form four Examination Results in Tanzania: A Case Study of Morogoro Municipality. East African Journal of Education Studies , 5 (2)
- Nworgu, B.G. (2015). Educational research: Basic issues and methodology (3rd Ed). Enugu: University Trust Pub.
- Olufemi, A. S. (2014). Relationship between Continuous Assessment and Junior School Certificate Examination Mathematics Scores in Ekiti State. International journal of liberal arts and social science, 2(6).
Assessment of student learning at Mukuba University is achieved through both continuous assessment (CA) and
final examination. These assessments are conducted during and at the end of the academic year, respectively. One of the
most widely debated issues in biology education is the relationship between students’ CA scores and their corresponding
final examination scores. Against this background, this study aimed to determine whether a relationship exists between
CA and final examination scores of first-year biology students at Mukuba University. The study employed a correlational
research design. The sample comprised 309 participants for the original study and 360 students for the replication study.
Pearson’s product-moment correlation was used to analyze the data for both the original and replication studies. The
analysis revealed a positive and significant correlation between CA and final examination scores at the 0.01 level of
significance for both studies. Furthermore, the effect size of the relationship between the variables was large—averaging
0.83—indicating that integrating CA into lecturers’ daily teaching has the potential to improve students’ performance in
the biology final examination. Notably, both the original and replication studies produced consistent results, confirming
the reliability of the findings. Based on these results, it is recommended that lecturers incorporate biology CA as outlined
in the course outlines.
Keywords :
Correlation, Scores, Continuous Assessment, Final Examination.