Survey | Notion

I conducted a survey to find out if University students struggle with procrastination, note-taking, and keeping up to date with work.

University Student Productivity and Study Habits Survey

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What is your current year of study?	Second year	Second Year	Second Year	Second Year	First Year	Second Year	Second Year	Second Year
What is your primary field of study?	Humanities	Engineering	Animal Care	Arts	Business	Education	Arts	Humanities
How often do you find yourself procrastinating on academic work (e.g., assignments, studying, reading)?	Always	Often	Often	Sometimes	Sometimes	Often	Often	Always
What do you think is the main reason for your procrastination? (Check all that apply)	1. Lack of motivation 2. Distractions (eg, social media, friends,) 3. Overwhelmed by the amount of work	1. Lack of motivation 2. Fear of failure 3. Perfectionism 4. Overwhelmed by the amount of work	1. Lack of motivation 2. Distractions (eg, social media, friends,) 3. Overwhelmed by the amount of work	Overwhelmed by the amount of work	Distractions (eg, social media, friends,)	1. Lack of motivation 2. Distractions (eg, social media, friends,) 3. Overwhelmed by the amount of work	1. Overwhelmed by the amount of work 2. Other:Head can become very noisy	1. Lack of motivation 2. Lack of time management skills 3. Distractions (eg, social media, friends,) 4. Overwhelmed by the amount of work
How does procrastination affect your work quality or stress levels? (Check all that apply)	My work quality suffers, and I feel stressed.	1. My work quality suffers, and I feel stressed. 2. It doesn't affect my work quality but increases my stress. 3. I'm unsure.	I produce higher quality work because I work under pressure.	It doesn't affect my work quality but increases my stress.	I produce higher quality work because I work under pressure.	I'm unsure.	I'm unsure.	My work quality suffers, and I feel stressed.
How do you usually take notes during lectures or while studying?	Typed notes (eg on a laptop or tablet)	Handwritten notes	Handwritten notes	Typed notes (eg on a laptop or tablet)	Handwritten notes	Handwritten Notes	Handwritten notes	Typed notes (eg on a laptop or tablet)
How effective do you feel your current note-taking methods are for retaining and reviewing information?	Somewhat Ineffective	Very Effective	Very Effective	Somewhat Ineffective	Somewhat Effective	Somewhat Effective	Very Effective	Neutral
What challenges do you face with note-taking? (Check all that apply)	1. Difficulty summarising key points 2. Distractions during lectures 3. Not enough time to take detailed notes 4. Not sure what to focus on while taking notes	1. Difficulty summarising key points 2. Distractions during lectures 3. Not enough time to take detailed notes 4. Not sure what to focus on while taking notes	1. Difficulty summarising key points 2. Distractions during lectures 3. Not enough time to take detailed notes	Notes are hard to review or understand later	Distractions during lectures	Not enough time to take detailed notes	1. Difficulty summarising key points 2. Not enough time to take detailed notes	1. Difficulty summarising 2. key points Distractions during lectures 3. Not sure what to focus on while taking notes
How often do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of coursework or deadlines you need to manage?	Often (Once a week)	Sometimes (Once a month)	Often (Once a week)	Always (Daily)	Sometimes (Once a month)	Sometimes (Once a month)	Always (Daily)	Often (Once a week)
What tools or methods do you currently use to stay organised and keep track of assignments, deadlines, and study schedules? (Check all that apply)	Calendar (physical or digital)	Calendar (physical or digital) I don't use any tools	I don't use any tools	1. Calendar (physical or digital) 2. Planner	1. Calendar (physical or digital) 2. Planner	1. Calendar (physical or digital) 2. Sticky notes 3. Planner	1. Calendar (physical or digital) 2. Task management apps (eg Todoist, Trello, Reminders, ect.)	Calendar (physical or digital)
How effective do you find these tools or methods in keeping you on track with your work?	Somewhat Effective	Somewhat Effective	Neutral	Somewhat Effective	Somewhat Effective	Very Effective	Very Effective	Somewhat Effective
What would make it easier for you to keep up with your academic work and deadlines? (Check all that apply)	Better study schedule templates	More frequent check-ins with professors or teaching assistants	More frequent check-ins with professors or teaching assistants	More reminders/ alerts for deadlines	Better study schedule templates	Improved time management tools	More frequent check-ins with professors or teaching assistants	A structured study plan
Do you feel that procrastination and staying on top of your work negatively impacts your academic performance?	Yes, Significantly	Yes, a little	Yes, a little	No, not at all	Yes, a little	Yes, a little	Yes, a little	Yes, significantly
In your opinion, what kind of support or resources would be most helpful for improving your productivity and study habits? (Check all that apply)	1. Study groups 2. Peer mentoring 3. Better note-taking resources (eg guides, apps)	1. Study groups 2. Peer mentoring 3. Better note-taking resources (eg guides, apps) 4. Mental health and stress management resources	1. Study groups 2. Peer mentoring 3. Better note-taking resources (eg guides, apps)	N/A	Better note-taking resources (eg guides, apps)	1. Motivational support or coaching 2. Mental health and stress management resources	Time management workshops	1. Study groups 2. Better note-taking resources (eg guides, apps)

1. Procrastination

Frequency of Procrastination: Most students report procrastinating often or always.
Reasons for Procrastination:
- Common reasons include lack of motivation, distractions (e.g., social media, friends), and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work.
- Specific reasons like fear of failure and perfectionism were mentioned by some.
Impact of Procrastination:
- Most students experience stress and lower work quality due to procrastination.
- A few report producing higher quality work under pressure, though this is not the majority view.

2. Note-taking Methods

There is a mix of handwritten and typed notes, with a slight preference for handwritten notes.
Effectiveness of Note-taking:
- Responses are mixed: some students find their note-taking methods effective, while others report ineffective or somewhat effective results for retaining and reviewing information.

3. Challenges with Note-taking

Common Challenges:
- Difficulty summarising key points and distractions during lectures are the most frequent problems.
- Some students also mentioned lack of time for detailed notes and uncertainty about what to focus on.

4. Feeling Overwhelmed

Many students feel overwhelmed by coursework or deadlines, with some experiencing this daily.
Others feel overwhelmed once a week or once a month, with a few rarely feeling overwhelmed.

5. Organisation Methods

Common Tools:
Most students use a calendar (physical or digital) to track assignments and deadlines. Some also use planners, task management apps (e.g., Todoist, Trello), or sticky notes.