University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

State University of New York at Stony Brook

This study investigates the impact of effort regulation and intrinsic motivation on procrastination of online graduate students and how that behavior impacts the quality/quantity of work. It was found that as intrinsic motivation/effort regulation decreases, procrastination increases.

Abstract(The Impact Of Online Graduate Students' Motivation and Self-Regulation on Academic Procrastination)

Schunk and Zimmerman(1998) found that distanced learning requires more self-regulation because the instructors are not physically with them. However, it may be difficult for students to maintain motivation in online classes because they can be socially isolated and frustrated by technical difficulties.

The impact of distance learning on self-regulation/motivation

Intrinsic motivation is defined as completing a task because it brings satisfaction and not a specific consequence. Intrinsic motivation increases as students attribute educational achievements to controllable variables and as students are interested in learning about a subject.


Intrinsic Motivation(The Impact of Graduate Students' Motivation and Self-Regulation on Academic Procrastination)

Motivation is the process by which people reflect on ways to facilitate their goals. Motivation is considered to contribute to academic success. It is especially challenging to stay motivated in an online environment.

Motivation(The Impact of Graduate Students' Motivation and Self-Regulation on Academic Procrastination)

Self-Regulation is a process by which students meet their learning goals. It involves regulating one’s cognition, motivation, and behavior.

Self-Regulation(The Impact of Online Students' Motivation and Self-Regulation on Academic Procrastination)

The sample consisted of 81 fully admitted graduate students(masters in education). Eighty-five percent of the sample was female, and fifteen percent were male.


Methodology: Sample(The Impact of Online Graduate Students’ Motivation and Self-Regulation on Academic Procrastination)


The graduate students completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire(MSLQ) and the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students(PASS). The MSLQ measures students' motivation and self-regulated strategies. The students rated themselves on a scale from 1-7 from "not true of me" to "very true of me." PASS is used to measure academic procrastination. The students were asked to report their behavior for specific academic tasks such as studying for exams and rate their procrastination from 1-5. The scores for prevalence and problem were then combined for a total score.

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