Locus of control and learning strategies as predictors of academic success

The aim of the research was to determine the relationships which exist between academic success, learning strategies and locus of control. In order to achieve this aim a small-scale quantitative study, utilising two inventories, was done. The first measuring instrument is the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, which is grounded in cognitive psychology. The second instrument is the Locus of Control Inventory, which is based on social learning theory and attribution theory. The investigation was undertaken at the Vaal Triangle Technikon and the test sample consisted of 66 first-year students registered within the Department of Management Sciences. From the study it can be concluded that non-cognitive variables, particularly students' attitudes towards their studies, play a significant contributory role towards academic success. It can furthermore be concluded that in this research learning strategies have greater predictive power than locus of control. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol.18(2) 2004: 250-26