This report presents a comprehensive analysis of student performance data to identify factors influencing academic success. The analysis examined 760 valid student records after data cleaning, focusing on study habits, attendance patterns, and their correlation with exam scores.
- Understand factors affecting student exam scores
- Identify patterns between study time, attendance, and academic results
- Provide data-driven insights for improving student performance
- Generate actionable recommendations for students and educators
Source: student_performance.csv
Original Records: 1000 students
Valid Records After Cleaning: 760 students
Variables Analyzed:
- hours_studied: Daily study hours
- previous_score: Previous exam performance
- attendance: Class attendance percentage
- sleep_hours: Average nightly sleep duration
- internet_usage: Daily internet usage in hours
- final_score: Final exam score (0-100 scale)
- Removed records with missing final scores (231 records)
- Filled missing values in other columns with median values
- Removed invalid data (negative values, scores exceeding 100)
- Final dataset: 760 valid student records
- Descriptive statistics
- Correlation analysis
- Comparative analysis (high vs low performance groups)
- Data visualization
- Pass/fail rate analysis (passing threshold: 60)
- Average Exam Score: 88.49
- Highest Score: 100.00
- Lowest Score: 4.41
- Average Study Hours: 4.24 hours per day
- Pass Count: 745 students (98.0%)
- Fail Count: 15 students (2.0%)
Analysis: Compared students studying more than 3 hours per day versus those studying 3 hours or less.
Results:
- Students studying >3 hours/day: Average score = 90.49
- Students studying ≤3 hours/day: Average score = 81.82
- Difference: 8.68 points
Conclusion: Dedicated study time of more than 3 hours per day significantly improves academic performance.
Analysis: Compared students with attendance above 75% versus those at or below 75%.
Results:
- Students with >75% attendance: Average score = 89.02
- Students with ≤75% attendance: Average score = 85.57
- Difference: 3.45 points
Conclusion: Regular class attendance positively correlates with higher exam scores.
By Attendance Level:
- Students with >75% attendance: 98.0% pass rate
- Students with ≤75% attendance: 98.3% pass rate
Overall: High pass rate across all attendance levels, indicating generally strong performance.
Sleep Hours vs Final Score: Correlation coefficient = 0.099 (weak positive correlation)
Interpretation: While sleep shows a slight positive relationship with scores, the correlation is weak, suggesting other factors have stronger influence.
-
Study Time: The strongest controllable factor affecting performance. Students dedicating more than 3 hours daily to studying consistently achieve higher scores.
-
Attendance: Regular class attendance contributes to better understanding and higher scores, though the effect is moderate.
-
Baseline Performance: Previous scores show strong correlation with final scores, indicating consistent academic patterns.
- Sleep patterns show minimal direct correlation with scores
- Internet usage requires further investigation for causal relationships
-
Establish Consistent Study Routine
- Aim for at least 3-4 hours of focused study daily
- Create a dedicated study schedule
- Minimize distractions during study time
-
Prioritize Attendance
- Maintain attendance above 75%
- Attend all classes when possible
- Review missed material promptly if absent
-
Maintain Healthy Habits
- Get adequate sleep (7-8 hours)
- Balance internet usage
- Take regular breaks during study sessions
-
Monitor At-Risk Students
- Identify students with low study hours
- Track attendance patterns
- Provide early intervention for struggling students
-
Encourage Study Habits
- Share effective study techniques
- Provide study resources and materials
- Create study groups or peer support systems
-
Improve Engagement
- Develop engaging lesson content
- Use varied teaching methods
- Connect material to real-world applications
-
Support Study Environment
- Ensure quiet study space at home
- Monitor study time and habits
- Encourage consistent routines
-
Track Academic Progress
- Monitor attendance regularly
- Communicate with teachers
- Address issues promptly
-
Promote Balance
- Encourage healthy sleep schedules
- Monitor internet usage
- Support extracurricular activities
- Dataset contains missing values that required imputation
- Correlation does not imply causation
- External factors (family background, socioeconomic status) not included
- Self-reported data may contain biases
- Cross-sectional data limits temporal analysis
This analysis demonstrates that study time and attendance are significant factors in student academic performance. Students who dedicate more than 3 hours daily to studying and maintain regular attendance achieve notably higher scores. With a 98% pass rate, the overall student population shows strong performance, but targeted interventions for at-risk students could further improve outcomes.
The findings provide actionable insights for students, educators, and parents to make informed decisions about study habits and academic support strategies.
- Longitudinal study to track performance over time
- Include additional variables (socioeconomic factors, teaching methods)
- Investigate causal relationships through controlled studies
- Analyze subject-specific performance patterns
- Develop predictive models for early intervention
Analysis Date: January 2026
Tools Used: Python, Pandas, Matplotlib, NumPy
Author: Biruk D.