A Study on Reading Habits of the University Students in Nigeria: A Case of Selected Students of Economics Department at Nile University of Nigeria

: The study entitled “A Study on Reading Habits of the University Students in Nigeria: A Case of Selected Students of Economics Department at the Nile University of Nigeria” analyzed the major factors that hinder regular or systematic reading habits among university students. To determine reading habits, the study examined the concept of reading, its types, reading culture, the importance of reading, and many others through the literature review. Using a carefully-designed questionnaire and non-participatory observations as its research instruments, data was obtained from sixty randomly selected students of the Department of Economics who constituted the population of the study. From the analysis of the data using the quantitative paradigm as the theoretical framework, the findings indicated that there were some linguistic factors responsible for the decline in reading habits among the students included in our target group. The adverse impact of the Internet, the lack of interest, television addiction, and the lack of books made reading difficult. The study concluded by reiterating the importance of reading not just for the individual but the nation at large. Thereafter, the study offered some recommendations to the students, the management of the University, and the government at large.


Introduction Background to the Study
In simple terms, reading is the mental and complex psychological process of decoding symbols to fashion and to derive meaning from the written text. It is a means of language acquisition, communication, exchange of information, and ideas. The symbols involved in the reading process are typically visual (written or printed), but in some instances, they can be decoded in a particular format like braille. The importance of reading to humans overall cannot be overstressed, primarily as information and messages are now being disseminated through the printed materials. According to Nzeako, The ability to read is a skill that a person can develop or acquire. These skills have become more vital now than ever to live well and succeed in our modern and complex world, which has become a reading world, one requires an effective reading skill (Nzeako, p. textual and non-textual materials to broaden the horizon of knowledge within and outside one's disciplinary interest. Reading is an essential commodity in the task of nation construction; it is considered a primary political weapon in the development of any nation (Akinbola 2007, p.89).

Statement of the Problem
Student's inherent ability to read is one of the critical determinants of his/her academic success or failure.
For students to excel in life, not only in the field of academics but in life in general, they must acquire the habit of reading to perform well in their intellectual activities. The benefits of reading are not only limited to doing well or passing examinations but also cuts through all other dimensions of life. John Holden, in his book called Creative Reading, states that "reading is a vitally important gateway to economic, social, and civic life (Holden, 2004, p.18). It stimulates children's imagination, initiates learning and shapes views, broadens horizons, and aids readers to explore the world. Reading bestows individuals the chance to learn "about other people, about the history and social studies, the langue arts, science, mathematics, and the other content subjects that must be mastered in school" (Lyon, p. 1997).
Reading ability proves to be essential in various phases of people's lives: from personal to public, from academic to professional, and from social to public.
This ability empowers the individuals to achieve their ambitions, well-defined objectives such as successful completion of primary or secondary education or securing a job as well as unclear and distant goals that improve a person's own life and development. It is essential for full participation in modern society because it adds value to life and grants unlimited access to culture and cultural heritage. Reading empowers people with the necessary skills to carry out tasks of any kind and emancipates citizens from the chains of illiteracy and brings people together around a common purpose. There is no doubt that, like students in any tertiary institution, the reading habits among the students in Nile University of Nigeria cannot be overlooked or underestimated. This sense of necessity was aptly captured in the words of Onwubiko as he observed that "there is no doubt that the reading culture among the Nigerian children is tragically deficient in comparison to other western nations of the world …reading habit has steadily declined over the year" (Onwubiko, 2010(Onwubiko, , p. 2010. It is against this background that this study aims to discover the factors that affect the decline in reading habits among this particular group of university students and to examine its effect on their academic performance.

Aims and Objectives of the Study
The study aims at investigating the significant factors that are responsible for poor or unsatisfactory reading habits among the students of Nile University of Nigeria and particularly those of the Economics Department. The objectives of the study include: 1. To establish other reasons responsible for poor reading habits /culture among the target population.
2. To find out if poor reading habits have any consequences on students' academic performance.
3. To examine the roles and responsibilities of parents, teachers, and other participants in containing this widespread issue.

Research Questions
To determine the significant factors responsible for poor reading habits among the students of Nile University of Nigeria in general and those of the Economics Department in particular, this study attempts to respond to the following research questions: 1. What are the major factors responsible for poor reading habits among university students? 2. What are the effects of poor practices on the academic performance of the target population?
3. How can reading habits be improved among the target group?

Significance of the Study
Considering the growing concern about the apparent decline in students' interest in reading, the significance of this study lies in its ability to identify the significant factors responsible for poor reading habits, particularly among the students of the Economics Department at Nile University of Nigeria.
Determining the reasons behind poor reading habits will be of vital importance not only for students, teachers, and parents but also for the entire country. It is expected that the understanding of these societal reasons, will provide the necessary motivation for addressing and subsequently curbing this perilous issue of poor reading habits as well its attendant consequences on the students and the nation at large.
Once the factors causing decline in students' reading habits are identified, the concerned parties, such as parents, teachers, school principals, curriculum designers, policymakers, etc., will be able to contribute to the rectification and amendment of this pressing issue with students and take the necessary measures to improve the situation and motive students to attain satisfactory reading habits.

Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study is limited to the investigation of the significant factors responsible for poor reading habits among the selected students at the Economics Department of the Nile University of Nigeria. The participants of the study were limited to the sophomore and senior year students registered at the 2018/2019 academic session whom, it is highly believed, were completely aware of the importance of reading and the implications that result from the lack of it.

Literature Review
This section of the study seeks to clarify the key concepts that verge on the title of the study, such as reading, reading habits, reading culture, and some related ideas that circle the vital issue of reading habits.

Reading Defined
Reading is the psychological and intellectual process of decoding a written message encoded in a coherent and rational language. It involves the interpretation and making sense of a language, either written or printed. In the words of William Grabe, reading is "a straightforward combination of word-recognition abilities and comprehension abilities" (Grabe,2008, p.98). Reading is a matter of searching for the thought that was in the mind of the author but now lies in the meaning of the words that are left for the cognitive skills of the reader. It involves the meaningful interpretation of words, phrases, and sentences requiring all types of thinking and reasoning. People read for different reasons and purposes, some of which involve reading for pleasure, leisure, relaxation, information, and knowledge. Reading is the logical and intellectual recognition of the written symbols and association of relevant and suitable meaning with them. It can be considered as a process of the application of various skills such as thinking, evaluation, judging, imagining, reasoning, and problem-solving. Reading can also be deemed as an instrumental tool for knowledge or information transfer, and the reading habit can be seen as an academic activity that develops the cognitive skills in reading strategies. Children, who happen to miss the chance of establishing a unique bond with books in their early stages of life, will find it challenging and difficult to cultivate good reading habits in the later stages of their lives. Catherine Wallace emphasized the vital importance of books at a young age as she stated that "books yield their best to you if you read them at the age at which each particular masterpiece can ideally be chewed and digested" (Wallace, 1992, p. 67).

Reading Habits
Reading is one of the critical skills a child is required to achieve academic success in life. Developing good reading habits proves to be instrumental in ensuring the child's future not only in terms of academic achievement but also in terms of individual attainment. The activity of reading is deemed as a habit when it is steadily and regularly implemented by an individual. In simplest terms, reading practice is often measured with respect to the amount of materials being read, the repetition of reading activity as well as the adequate time spent on reading activity (Wagner, 2002, pp. 3-4). It also refers to an act of behavior that indicates the love for reading and tastes for reading (Sangkaeo, 1999, p. 94). It is a pattern with which a voracious reader regulates his or her reading activities.
A good reading habit is an essential tool for stable and sustainable intellectual growth and is of vital importance in enabling an individual to improve academic performance. Furthermore, to some extent, a person's interests are measured by the amount of reading material he/she will read and the intensity with which he/she will carry on with his/her reading activity. Through books, one gets the chance to evaluate another person's ideas and allows him/her to accept or reject these ideas and, eventually, the person ends up engaging in an in-depth critical thinking process. Reading equips individuals with a collection of values, which gradually encourages them to develop virtues that will give them the ability to sympathize rather than condemn. Books can also be instrumental in providing comfort, especially at times when one begins to question one's self and one's set of beliefs.

Reading Culture
Reading culture indicates a habitual, constant, and regular reading of books and information materials. In other words, a reading culture can de be defined as a conscious and willing practice of seeking knowledge, information, or pleasure through written words. Such necessarily required for him to advance in his profession or career, he is said to have a reading culture (Gbadamosi, 2007, p. 44).
Therefore, in a sense, reading culture is a form of practice that considers reading and studying as a means of progressive growth and development.
Likewise, Wendy Grisworld makes a distinction between a reading culture and a reading class and observed that "a reading class is a social formation, while a reading culture is a society where reading is expected, valued, and common. All societies with written language have a reading class, but few have a reading culture" (Grisworld, 2008, p. 37).
In the case of Nigeria, it has come to light due to recent developments that the reading culture among Nigerians, particularly among the youth and students, has significantly dwindled. It is quite evident that the passion and zest of the Nigerian students, like anywhere in the world, is rapidly declining as they failed to foster a healthy reading culture or habit at a very age in their respective lives. Educationalists struggle to provide an adequate response as to what might have caused this displeasing and bothersome outcome. However, the government, in collaboration with all of the parties involved, can develop strategies to instill reading culture in children at a very early age, invest in education that includes establishing libraries at schools and offer training programs to teachers who will be engaged in teaching the children how to read.

Theoretical Framework
To determine the poor reading habits of the university student, there is a need for a theory to base on the study. The theory selected for this study is the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) proposed by Icek Ajzen in 1985. This theory happens to be widely accepted by many researchers to explain human behavior in numerous scientific disciplines including reading (Miesen, 2003;Stokmans, 1999;Van Schooten & De Glopper, 2002;Van Schooten, De Glopper, & Stoel, 2004). According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour model, the closest determinant of a person's behavior is his/her intention to stimulate the behavior (Ajzen, 1991). Ajzen provided a further explanation to TPB as he observed, "a central factor in the theory of planned behavior is the individual's intention to perform a given behavior. Intentions are assumed to capture the motivational factors that influence behavior; they are indications of how hard people are willing to try, of how much of an effort they are planning to exert, in order to perform the behavior" (Ajzen, 1991, p. 181).
It has been discovered that the intention to carry out a specific behavior presents itself as the most potent predictor of its actual performance (Ajzen, 1991).

Research Methodology
In this section of the study, the research design and procedure in line with the aim and objectives of the study will be introduced. It will focus on the methods employed for the collection of data, outlining the choice and description of the instruments used for data collection, the population under study, sample and sampling technique, and the data analysis procedures.

Research Design
To provide insight into reading habits among undergraduate students, and to discover which factors and indicate why these factors affect their reading habits, this study uses a mixed-methods design. A mixed-methods design is defined as "the type of research in which a researcher or team of researchers combines elements of qualitative and quantitative research approaches (e.g., use of qualitative and quantitative viewpoints, data collection, analysis, inference techniques) for the broad purposes of breadth and depth of understanding and corroboration" (Johnson, Onwuegbuzie, & Turner, 2007, p. 123). Creswell & Clark asserted that the process of combining different information collected through both quantitative and qualitative approaches provides a superior understanding of the research problem than one single method, whether it might be quantitative or qualitative (Creswell & Clark, 2011).

Population of the Study
The population of this study comprises sixty students of the Economics Department at Nile University of Nigeria, and they were sophomore and senior year students enrolled at the 2018/19 Academic session.
The focus on these students was bestowed because it was assumed that they spend a significant amount of time at the campus and were supposed to be aware of the importance of reading and the consequences resulting from the lack of it.

Sample and Sampling Procedure
This study adopted the random sampling method. The random sampling method, in the words of Arlene Fink, is a sampling method "in which each person has an equal chance of being selected from a population. The population contains everyone who is eligible for the survey" (Fink, 2009, p. 52). This technique was selected because it provides each student in the sample population an equal and independent chance of being selected, and it is often appropriate when responses are expected to vary across the sample population.
Consequently, to get a portion of sixty students from a population of over one hundred students enrolled at the Department of Economics, the researchers approached students, explained his purpose, and received their consent to participate in the study. A total of thirty male and thirty female students who studied at the sophomore or senior year at the department were chosen for the study.

Research Instrument
The study preferred to collect primary from the target population through a carefully designed questionnaire and non-participatory observation.

Questionnaire
In line with the objectives of the study, questionnaires were employed to gather primary data. The reason surveys were chosen as a method of data collection is because it allowed the researchers to collect the completed questionnaires in a short period. This saved both time and costs. Questionnaires are an efficient way to obtain data from a large number of respondents (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010).

Sources and Methods of Data Collection
The data used for this study were collected from primary and secondary sources. The primary sources for the study were the data collected from the students of the Economics Department through questionnaires.
For the secondary source of data, the researchers made use of information that can be found in textbooks, academic journals, published sources, and online documents.

Data Analysis Techniques
One of the most frequent data analysis tools employed by most researchers is the Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS). In this study, the researchers made use of SPSS Software version 25.0 to analyze data collected through questionnaires. The descriptive The European Educational Researcher | 215 technique was used for the analysis of the collected data and allowed the researcher to present the analyzed data through frequencies and percentages. The responses received through the questionnaires were presented in tabular form.

Data Analysis
This section of the study deals with the presentation, interpretation, and analysis of the data obtained from the responses of the participants of the study through the questionnaires administered to them. A total number of twenty-one questions and student responses were presented and duly analyzed. The responses, frequencies, and percentages were presented in tables to ensure clarity and organization.

Results
The data obtained from the participants of the study were presented in tabular format and analyzed by the aim and objectives of the study.       The aim of the question above was to discover how many of the participants had access to television. It is highly believed that television exercises a crucial role in a student's reading habits, either positive or negative. From the table above, it can be seen that 98% The European Educational Researcher | 217 of the students had access to television, whereas only 2% of them stated that they had no access to TV.     77% of the respondents admitted that they did not read as much as they should, but 33 of them were quite satisfied with the degree and amount of reading. The aim of the question above was to establish the role of friends in the participants' reading habits. The responses indicated that while 50% of the respondents felt that they received encouragement from their friends for reading more, 50% of them revealed that their friends did not provide any encouragement or support for reading.    Concerning the question on the library, 88% of the respondents indicated that they had no personal library at home. This can be an indirect indication that they do not attach the necessary importance to books and, therefore, do not spend their time to create a personal library. Only 12% of the participants revealed that they had a personal library at home and paid some importance to books and reading.

Findings and Discussion
This section of the study reveals the findings that originated from the analysis of the responses given to the survey questions by the participants. There are five significant factors indicated by the students that exercised a negative impact on their reading habits.
They are the Internet, TV, lack of personal library, Parents' educational background, and ownership of mobile phones. The factors mentioned above were analyzed below.

The Internet
It This vast world of the Internet seems to be more alluring and enchanting to the students as it presents itself as a vast source of information and a joyous form of a variety of entertainment. It is not surprising that university students prefer to spend more time on the Internet than engaging themselves in reading books.

Television
Television is another popular form of entertainment for children and adults alike. As we are aware, television offers many benefits and plays an important role in our lives. It is not only a source of entertainment but also a great source of knowledge and information that one can gather from all around the world.

Parents' Educational Background
One of the few issues that researchers on reading have been able to find a middle ground was the fact that the

Ownership of Mobile Phones
It is a fact that mobile phones are vitally important for communication and have the potential to make our lives easier. Mobile phones have begun to occupy more space in our lives and allured us to spend more time with them, especially after the introduction of smartphones in the market. All of the respondents who participated in the study indicated that they possessed personal mobile phones and preferred to utilize their browsing the Internet or engaging in other activities on the social media rather than spending their precious time reading books. It may not be wrong to state that the student's ownership of mobile phones negatively affects their reading habits.

Conclusion and Recommendations
The study under investigation successfully revealed the major factors that exercise an adverse and negative influence on the reading habits of university students.
Especially the spread of the Internet and social media and the recent advancements in communication have exerted a definite and indisputable influence on the way, style, pace as well as the standards of our lives.
The university students prefer to engage in more enjoyable leisure activities than reading books, such as