EVALUATION OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT ACADEMIC FAILURE IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Analytical Chemistry is taught in the second year of the Chemistry Degree. It is a subject that presents an academic programme that focuses especially on the study of chemical equilibrium. The difficulty of this subject, together with insufficient mathematical and chemical skills, results in considerable academic failure. This gives rise to a large stock of students that increases year by year. In fact, the average number of enrolled students goes beyond 150 per year, with no more than 40% achieving success in the subject. Early detection and understanding reasons of academic failure may help students perform better if adequate guidance on improvement is provided efficiently, but few studies have been done which report consistent conclusions on the predictors of this particular aspect.
The primary objective of this study was to explore the data about students' attitudes and, at the same time, to identify the significant factors which could help to improve academic success. The methodology consisted in the development of a survey design that was conducted by administering two questionnaires to 100 students enrolled in Analytical Chemistry. Participation in the study was voluntary and data collection was carried out at the beginning and the end of the semester while students attended classes. The survey instrument consisted of a single page with different items and questions to obtain descriptive data. Time management, motivation, anxiety, academic competence, preparation and management of the study material for examinations, and interest in the subject, were some of the factors examined. Descriptive statistical data relating to the students group, provided by the University, were also used to complement the information obtained from the survey.
The results of this study underline the importance of evaluating the factors outside the academic programmes to assist students in achieving academic success. Some guidelines which address the improvement of academic performance in the considered subject are proposed and discussed. The final goal is to apply these conclusions to the new Science Degrees, adapted to the European Credit Transfer System, to improve the poor performance observed in Analytical Chemistry.