Review Attitudes, Habits and Board Performance of Newly Registered Criminologists: A Basis for Criminology Program Enhancement

Review Attitudes, Habits and Board Performance of Newly Registered Criminologists: A Basis for Criminology Program Enhancement

John Bel K. Galumba

Isabela State University, Philippines

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9010260

Received: 14 January 2025; Accepted: 18 January 2025; Published: 17 February 2025

INTRODUCTION

Pat Riley (n.d.) said, “Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” Most universities and colleges today strive to achieve global and local recognition for their excellence in delivering and catering education, while many fixate on expanding their services, amenities, and status. It may be important to put the student’s achievement on an equal pedestal as a measure of academic excellence.

The board examination performance of the graduates is a significant area of interest for learning institutions and their stakeholders. It is extensively recognized that the board performance of graduates is influenced by a variety of factors, which may include their review attitudes and review habits.

Attitudes may be viewed through different lenses. Mukandiwa (2023) defined attitude as the person’s feelings, beliefs, and predisposition towards a certain issue, individual, or circumstance. He further discussed that attitudes are a complex mental state that involves individuals’ emotions, beliefs, and cognition that may influence how they perceive and interact with their environment and all things that exist within it.

Meanwhile, review attitudes as a factor encompasses graduates’ feelings, beliefs, motivation, and many others cited by several researchers. Colhando (2020), mentioned that a learning attitude means a self-initiated or voluntary attitude that is a natural result of human curiosity and motivation. Most people view favorable attitudes towards learning as positively related to better academic performance. In contrast, an unfavorable attitude may impact the graduates negatively, as it may hinder their ability to absorb information, which subsequently leads to poorer academic performance.

On the other hand, review habits may refer to the system a learner adopts or develops to maximize his preparedness for taking exams or any academic-related activities. Habit, as defined by Covey (2004) is the intersection of knowledge, which can refer to “Knowing what to do? Skills, “knowing how to do it,” and desire, which may mean “want to do”. This exemplifies the significance of developing good habits to attain one’s goal. Among the review habits cited by researchers is learners’ dedication which may include the amount of time they spent per day reading their lessons, proper selection of learning materials, their attendance at review centers, selection of a positive study environment, note-taking during review lectures, and many others. Similar to review attitudes, positive review habits are often correlated with better board performance. At the same time, negative review habits such as devoting less time to study, reading less frequently, not taking notes during lectures, and failing to set a study plan among others affect the student’s academic performance negatively.

There have been several studies that tried to correlate student review attitudes and review habits to board performance, and while it is true that most come into agreement that positive review attitudes and review habits will result in better academic performance it is significant to take note that there are still some studies conducted that claim otherwise.

Background of the Study

On the recent changes in the law that set the guidelines for the licensure examination of criminologists, the standard for passing has been adjusted from seventy-five percent general weighted average (75%) and no rating below fifty percent (50%) to seventy-five percent general weighted average (75%) and no rating below sixty percent (60%). These changes significantly affected the national passing rate on the Criminology Licensure Examination as well as all the universities and colleges offering criminology degrees. While there may be several reasons that cause such thing to happen, the researcher aims to start with one possible factor which is the attitude and study habits of the takers of the licensure examination.

Before the enactment of the R.A 11131, the national passing average for criminology licensure examination had been consistently low compared to other licensure examinations. From the year 2010 to 2021, the national passing average is at thirty-four-point five percent (34.5%), this is based on the data provided by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). It is the ultimate goal of each institution offering a Bachelor of Science in Criminology to increase their school passing rate above the national passing average. This goal is aligned with the purpose of this study, while it appears that the criminology licensure examination is tremendously hard, there might be some solutions that can be taken into consideration if only the effect of it is established such as improving the examinee’s review attitude and review habits.

In the study of Asuncion (2019), he recommended that future researchers also examine the review or study habits of the takers of the Criminology Licensure Examination since he considered it as a problem that influences the performance of the examinees on their licensure examination.

In a similar study by Asuncion (2019), he identified the common problems encountered by criminology graduates preparing to take their licensure examination. Some of the problems he mentioned are categorized into problems on “Review Sessions,” specifically on “Instructional Equipment and Facilities,” to which he concluded that they are somewhat of a problem. Additionally, “Personal Preparations,” specifically on financial aspects and mental aspects, are also included as problems. This study shows the significance of the topic of board performance. Board performance is considered the epitome of a student’s career, which divides the life of a bachelor’s degree graduate into a professional life. The effort that needs to be dedicated to preparing to take the licensure examination is unmeasurable. Even with a little help, the researcher aims to contribute further to the preparation of the graduates for their licensure examination by identifying the relation of attitudes and study habits to their board performance. Its findings may be utilized to enhance the criminology program further.

This study aimed to determine the review attitudes, review habits, and board performance of the newly registered criminologists, by gaining a deeper knowledge about this matter, the researcher hopes to identify possible information that may serve as a basis to enhance the criminology program.

Research Question

1. What are the review attitudes of the newly registered criminologists during their preparation for taking the criminology licensure examination?
2. What are the review habits of the newly registered criminologists during their preparation for taking the criminology licensure examination?
3. What is the board performance of the newly registered criminologists?
4. Is there a correlation between the review attitudes of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance?
5. Is there a correlation between the review habits of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance?
6. What measures may be proposed to enhance the criminology program?

Hypotheses

1. There is no significant correlation between the review attitudes of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance.
2. There is no significant correlation between the review habits of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance.

Significance of the Study

Board performance serves as an indicator of the effectiveness of an institution in delivering quality service, it is not surprising that many professionals who are engaged in teaching might want to figure out what could be the possible factor that affects the success or failure of their students or graduates on their licensure examination. With these said, the findings of this study will be significant to the following;

Future Criminology Licensure Examination Reviewees/Examiners.     The findings of this study may provide an overview of the best approach to take in preparing for the criminology licensure examination.

Criminology Profession. The findings of this study will boost the criminology profession, it is undeniable that there has been a consistently low National Passing Rate for the licensure examination for criminologists, which is why, developing carefully thought policies and strategies to be implemented will possibly increase the chances of aspiring criminologists to become one which will then increase the National Passing Rate for the said profession. With more passers, the strength and influence of Criminologists in society will increase.

Criminology Schools. There has been a noticeable decline in the school passing rate for most schools offering criminology programs in the past year, since this study aims to identify some factors that may have been affecting the board performance of the graduates, it may be able to provide significant information’s that may be able to address the sudden decline of school passing rate.

Criminology Review Centers. Similar to the problem of schools offering bachelor of science in criminology, review centers were also affected by the low passing rate of criminology graduates who opted for their service. With the findings of this study, the different review centers offering criminology review programs may be able to adopt or formulate a strategy focusing on review attitudes and review habits of their clientele to further improve their institution’s passing percentage.

Criminology Educators. It is undeniable that criminology educators are the primary support force for those criminology graduates planning or preparing to take on their licensure examination. The findings of this study may be able to provide criminology educators with a better understanding of the relation of review attitudes and review habits to board performance which will provide them with the necessary data that they might need to come up with a better study plan and strategies.

Aspiring Criminologists. With the findings of this study, they may be able to plan ahead of time and develop better review attitudes and review habits to increase their chances of passing their licensure examination.

Newly Registered Criminologists. Although they are not the primary beneficiaries, the newly registered criminologists will be able to provide the necessary guidance for future criminology licensure examination reviewees/examinees. The unending cycle of the concept of “Pay it forward” will keep the profession alive and thriving.

Researchers. The researcher will also benefit from this study by gaining deeper knowledge on the relationship between review attitudes and review habits to board performance which he can directly implement in his current profession.

Future researchers. There might be some information through this study that will open a possible research gap that can be utilized in conducting future studies.

Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored on the Affective-Cognitive Consistency Theory by Rosenberg (1968). This theory states that changes in an individual’s affective component will produce changes in their cognitive component, which will bring consistency between the two components. The examinee’s feelings towards the criminology licensure examination will affect their board performance. An examinee with a negative review attitude towards the criminology licensure examination will think that he will not do well in the examination. However, an examinee with a highly positive review attitude towards the criminology licensure examination will be motivated to perform well because he thinks that he is capable of achieving a positive result.

In total, this may mean that the board performance of those reviewees planning to take the criminology licensure examination may be affected by their views on the difficulty and value of the criminology licensure examination. It is common knowledge that those taking the criminology degree aim to be part of the law enforcement profession, and passing the criminology licensure examination brings them a step closer to their goal. However, with the recent results of the criminology licensure examination, it is understandable that there have been many criminology licensure examinations reviewees/examines who are intimidated by the low national passing rate, which may mean that the exam has been made more difficult than usual. These matters may play a significant role in the preparation of the criminology licensure examination reviewee/examines aiming to take their licensure examination, as they may make or break their self-esteem and review attitude toward the criminology licensure examination.

Similarly, this study was also anchored on the concept of the Interest-driven creator (IDC) theory by Chan et al. (2018), a design theory that intends to inform the design of future education in Asia. This theory includes the three anchored concepts, which are as follows, interest, creation, and habit. This study only covered the third concept, which is the effect of habit as well as the habit loop on academic performance. Interest Driven Creator Theory assumes that learners when driven by interest, can result in better knowledge creation. This may imply that a positive review habit significantly affects the board performance of the criminology licensure examination reviewees/examinees.

Conceptual Framework

The figure above illustrates the process of how this study was conducted, the study utilized the Independent and dependent variable framework, the independent variables are the review attitudes and review habits of the newly registered criminologists during their preparation for taking the criminology licensure examination and the dependent variables is the board performance of the respondents which was collected using a questionnaire checklist, the one-sided arrow signifies the research process that includes all the necessary procedures conducted in accomplishing this study. The review attitudes and their relevance to board performance were defined, identified, and discussed utilizing the Affective-Cognitive Consistency Theory by Rosenberg (1968), while the relevance of the review habits to their board performance was defined, identified, and discussed utilizing the Interest-driven creator (IDC) theory.

LITERATURE REVIEW

In its attempt to investigate the correlation between attitudes, study habits, and board performance of newly registered criminologists, several studies were reviewed that provided direction for the current undertaking. These materials are hereby presented according to themes.

Review attitudes

Albina et al. (2021) investigated the factors and challenges influencing the criminologist’s licensure examination performance through the lens of the non-passers and found that the home and family factors have a high influence on the examinee’s chance of passing the criminology licensure examination. This may imply that there is some important information that we could examine related to home and family that makes or breaks the examinee’s preparation for taking the criminology licensure examination. Preparation for taking the board examination may be stretched out at the moment one decides to take a criminology degree, which means that whatever students do during their undergraduate and postgraduate years will have a significant impact on whether they will pass the licensure examination or not. This will boil down to the review habits of the student from the start of his academic career up to the point that he decides to take the criminology licensure examination. Furthermore, this study also listed “lack of preparation” as among the factors affecting the board performance of the examinees.

Capuno (n.d.) explored the attitudes, study habits, and academic performance of junior high school students in mathematics. In this study, he concluded that students’ attitudes and their study habits are significant factors that affect their performance in mathematics. Furthermore, he further noted that attitudes have a positive correlation to their academic performance; among the mentioned attitudes are value, self-confidence, enjoyment, and motivation. This study shows that ensuring that learners possess a positive attitude towards a goal will result in a more acceptable academic performance.

Tus (2020) determined the influence of study attitudes and study habits on the academic performance of the students. He investigated the influence of study attitudes and study habits on student’s academic performance among senior high school students in a Catholic school in Bulacan, Philippines. He concluded, that student attitudes and study habits do not significantly affect their academic performance. It is important to take into consideration that while most research may seem to have the same conclusion as to the relation between attitudes, study habits, and academic performance, there may still be some instances where it does not. This study shows the importance of setting a line with what study attitudes and habits may truly produce a positive relation to academic performance.

Alavijeh et al. (2019) investigated the study habits and associated demographic determinants among students at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. In their study, they concluded that those students with favorable study habits have a significantly higher general passing average. Subsequently, they concluded based on their statistical correlation that those students who are not living in a dormitory have more favorable study habits. This further justifies the close relationship between study habits and academic achievements. Further, this study enumerated some study habits that could be utilized in the development of a questionnaire checklist that will be utilized in gathering data. Among the study habits mentioned are (a) note-taking, (b) increasing concentration, (c) time management, (d) enhancing reading ability, and (e) readiness for an exam.

Mutya (2023) conducted a study focusing on the students’ attitudes, study habits, and academic performance in science using self-learning modules. She stipulated in the findings of her study that there is no correlation found between students’ academic performance and attitudes toward science using self-learning modules or between academic performance and study habits in science. However, she concluded that a positive correlation existed only between students’ attitudes toward science and study habits. These studies support the idea that a relationship between review attitudes and review habits and board performance is not guaranteed, which further justifies the need to explore further the significance of review attitudes and review habits if one intends to utilize this as a remedy to improve board performance. Furthermore, as mentioned by the author, there is a positive correlation between the student’s review attitudes and review habits, which may in turn show an indirect relation between review attitudes and board performance. This may be true, as some studies have already mentioned that positive review habits will likely result in better academic or board performance.

Callora (2020) conducted a study focusing on the qualities of criminology teachers and their influence on the learning motivation of students. He stipulated that there is a significant relationship between criminology teachers and the learning motivation of criminology students. In his study, he highlights that the higher the level of qualities of a teacher, the higher the student’s motivation. It is interesting to note that motivation and attitudes may also be significantly related, which means that if a student is motivated, he will display a positive attitude towards learning. Interestingly, among the reasons that increase motivation in learners are the good qualities of a teacher, which in turn may also apply to those who are preparing to take the criminology licensure examination. The idea of developing strong positive motivation among learners will be taken into consideration by the researcher in developing the research instrument.

Burgason et al. (2019) delve into determining the perceptions of students towards cheating as academic misconduct. Interestingly, based on their findings, they found out that a large percentage of their respondents engage in cheating. To catch the interest further, these respondents do not see their act as academic misconduct. The researcher included this study since it highlights the relation of attitudes to action, which means that the learners’ actions, such as developing positive review habits or performing outstandingly on exams or board examinations, can be affected by their attitudes towards it.

Pyne (2019) examined the effect of suspension, exclusion, and emotional disengagement on the study habits of students, and he found that suspensions given to students harm them by negatively changing their academic identities. While we focus on the learner’s attitude toward learning, His study has opened a new window that researchers should look into. His study deviated from the usual flow of correlating student attitudes to learning and performance; instead, he investigated the relationship between the attitudes of other people towards the learner and its impact. He believes that the negative attitudes of the people surrounding the learners may cause negative behavior towards the learners. This may also be true for those who are preparing to take their board examination. What will happen to the learner if the people around him prejudge that he will not pass his licensure exam? Perhaps the result will not be favorable to the learner.

Trust et al. (2022), whose study focused on understanding the impacts of college student engagement in open education resource design projects on attitudes, motivation, and learning, highlighted the significance of adapting to new teaching strategies, especially in the 21st-century education landscape. The researcher focused on understanding the impact of the education landscape on students who, instead of being receivers of knowledge, become contributors to knowledge. This shift aims to improve the learner’s motivation and attitude, which yields a positive result. The researcher included this study as it highlights the significance of improving learners’ attitudes. It justifies further that the learners’ attitude must always be considered in strategizing how to improve their performance.

Review habits

Azaroug (2022) measured the impact of study habits on student academic performance in KSA. In his study, he enumerated a list of positive study habits that increase the success of the students. Among them are: repeating some parts periodically to overcome forgetting; writing points in lectures during class time; fewer lecture absences during the semester; using additional materials to support understanding; using the internet as a source of additional materials to support understanding; and reading in silence. Furthermore, family support had been noted to positively impact the student’s academic performance; it was mentioned that enforcement and encouragement from the family played a significant role in student success. These habits may be used to formulate the key points that will form the questionnaire survey that will be used in this study. The learning habits mentioned above establish that some strategies can be utilized for a learner to increase his chance of passing exams, which can still be true in the Criminology licensure examinations.

Kulkarni (2020) studied the study habits and their impact on the academic performance in English of secondary school students in the Kalaburgi Region. He correlated the impact of study habits on student academic performance, and he was able to establish through the findings of his study that there was a positive correlation between study habits and academic performance, from which he concluded that the better the study habits, the higher their learning achievement. In his study, he further recommended that teachers should encourage and help students develop good study habits to enhance their academic performance. It may be important to note that the goal of citing this study is to establish the significance of positive review habits for academic performance, regardless of the level of education being discussed.

Ahmad (2019) case-studied and examined the bad study habits of EFL learners as indicators of their poor performance. In his study, he was able to identify a list of study habits that he considered to be negative; among them are as follows: devoting less time to their study, reviewing less frequently, never taking notes, not planning their study time, studying mainly to take examinations or please parents, studying alone in their rooms, and rarely studying at the library. Students who participated in this study were described by their instructors as students who were below acceptable expectations. This study further shows the relationship between review habits and board performance.

Sasi and Anju R. A. (2020) correlated study habits with the academic achievement of high school pupils. In their study, they were able to establish that there is a positive correlation between the study habits of the students and their academic performance. In their conclusion, they mentioned that as the study habits score rises, their academic achievement also follows. Furthermore, this study recommends that similar studies be conducted in other settings, like government schools in rural areas.

Sasi and Hsu (2020) surveyed the study habits of Taiwanese university students and compared their four-year degrees. In their study, they were able to unravel the fact that some study habits appear to be commonly practiced by different students, irrespective of their level of education. Some similarities mentioned in their study are the habits of preparing a “to-do” list, breaking assignments into manageable parts, and using questions to better organize and understand studying material. While some other habits appear to vary depending on their year level, Overall, the researchers concluded there is little significance to the study habits adopted by students if divided into different levels. This is significant for this study as it will give the researcher more freedom to explore what review habits might be included as a variable on the research instrument. This may support the idea that even some review habits identified as common among lower-level education, such as those practiced by junior high, senior high, and college students, will still be relevant to those who are preparing to pass their licensure examination.

Espartero et al. (2022) investigated the factors that influenced the problems encountered in the criminologist licensure examination. Through their study, they identified several factors that can influence the problems encountered by the examinees during their preparation for their board examination. Among the factors mentioned are as follows: (a) student factor, (b) home and family factor, (c) school factor, (d) review center factor, and (e) personal factor. In their discussion on what constitutes a student factor, they mentioned the following as question statements: (a) interest in the BS Criminology course; (b) time spent studying lessons; (c) doing research in the library or through the internet; (d) number of hours spent reading books and materials; and (e) focus on the criminology course. According to them, these are considered student factors; these student factors may also be considered review habits or review attitudes toward the criminologist licensure examination or towards the criminology course itself. This study further justifies the significance of study habits, as pointed out in the study above.

In an article published on the official page of the Professional Regulation Commission (2022), they shared several strategies on how to surmount the challenges offered by the various licensure examinations. These strategies are the summarized opinions of those who were already professionals in their chosen fields. Among these strategies are as follows: (1) setting your mind that you are taking the examination; (2) having discipline; (3) being resourceful in procuring review materials; (4) preparation; (5) reviewing and keeping on reading; (6) being confident and optimistic; (7) avoiding being pressured; (8) being humble; (9) knowing a little bit of everything; (10) knowing the strategies employed by previous passers; and (11) praying. These strategies will find value for the researcher as he tries to formulate the survey questionnaire.

Board Performance

Barreda (2022) correlated the academic performance of criminology graduates with their performance on their licensure examination. Based on her findings, she discussed that those who were able to pass their licensure examination had good academic performance during their academic years in contrast to those who failed. This study further proves the significance of academic performance to the chances of the graduates passing their licensure examination, and as established by other studies cited, academic performance is correlated with good study habits, which means that positive review habits will positively impact the chances of one person passing the criminologist licensure examination.

Asuncion (2019) examined the status of criminology graduates of Isabela State University in the criminologist licensure examination for the April 2010–October 2014 examination. In his study, he stipulated that the level of knowledge obtained by a student from their institution cannot be measured only by the degree he finished or the awards the students receive, but also by their performance on their licensure examination. He further highlighted the significance of students preparation prior to the board examination and the role of the schools in preparing their graduates for their licensure examination, among the important part of his study was his recommendation listed as follows:   Thorough examination of the subjects included in the professional components of the BS Criminology curriculum, checking and updating the competencies for each subject area, encouraging the graduates to enroll in review centers, enhancement of the instructional facilities and equipment of the school, establishment of a university review centers, providing review materials, supplies and equipment to be used in the criminology review program, organizing a highly competent line up of lecturers for the criminology review program, updating references, offering an affordable review fee, and for the researchers to look on other problems influencing the performance in the licensure examination which may include profile of the examinees, review or study habits, economics status, time management, coping mechanisms, and teacher-related variables, the listed recommendation, especially for future researchers, presents the need to conduct a study examining the review habits of the criminology reviewees to further understand the path that graduates traverse in terms of their strategy for passing their licensure examination.

Guiyab and Tarun (2023) attempted to predict the result of the licensure examination using the JRip rule-based algorithm and the J48 decision tree algorithm. Through their study, they revealed that the student’s general weighted average (G.W.A.) is a significant predictor of better board performance. The G.W.A. of the student serves as evidence of his effort during his undergraduate years, and having a meritorious G.W.A. may indicate that the student practices a positive study habit. This may prove the relationship between the student’s review habits and board performance that this study is aiming to unravel.

Taguba (2022) researched the academic performance of the graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Criminology. In his study, he correlated the skills developed by students during their time on their courses with their performance on the field. He further mentioned that the knowledge learned by the students during their classes will be a great factor that will determine how they will perform in the future in their chosen field. This implies that the learning and practice of the students will also be a significant factor that may affect their performance on their licensure examination.

Alday et al. (2020) studied the academic performance in criminalistics courses of senior BS Criminology students. Additionally, they inquired about the possible factors that can affect the academic performance in criminalistics courses of senior BS Criminology students, and they found out that student and teacher-related factors dominantly influenced their academic achievements. They mentioned several factors, such as (a) listening attentively, (b) motivation to get high grades, and (c) studying. Meanwhile, for the teacher-related factor, the mastery of the teacher on the subject holds the topmost significance. This study highlights the fact that academic performance is influenced by several factors. It may also be significant to consider that learner’s academic performance or the board performance of criminology graduates preparing to take their licensure examination may be influenced by their review attitudes and review habits.

Delos Angeles (2019) examined the influence of the curriculum and quality of instruction as factors for successful board examination performance. She further pointed out the importance of curriculum and quality of instruction as factors for the success of the graduates in taking their licensure examination. While it is common for other researchers to unilaterally discuss that study attitudes and habits are significant indicators of whether graduates will pass their licensure examination or not, this study opened a new window to add to the common understanding that, while it is true that attitudes and study habits are important indicators of success, Delos Angeles, through her study, reminded us that the curriculum and the quality of instructions given to learners are also important.

Briones and Aguayo (2020) investigated the preparedness of the Bachelor of Elementary Education and Bachelor of Secondary Education practicum students of Nueva Caceres College of Education in taking the licensure examination, focusing on self-motivation, study skills, habits, and time management. Their study found that these students are highly motivated to pass their licensure examination. However, they also mentioned that, seemingly, the commitment and goal-setting of this student may need to be examined. One interesting aspect of this study is the inclusion of health habits as an important aspect to look at for those who are planning to take their licensure examination. Attitudes and study habits might equally be as important as health habits, which may significantly affect the board performance of the examinees.

Igcasama et al. (2021) investigated the factors affecting the licensure examination for teachers’ performance at Saint Michael College of Caraga from 2017 to 2019. Among the factors mentioned are the curriculum, teachers’ competence, in-house review, facilities and resources, and IN and ON-campus pre-service education. All factors mentioned were validated by the respondents to the study. Significantly, the respondents claimed that engaging in tutoring services on or out of campus affects their preparation positively; similarly, developing higher values in academics and participating in counseling programs positively affect the respondents. This indicates that the board’s performance is greatly affected by several factors, which may imply that continuous support and monitoring must be present for those who are preparing to take the criminologist licensure examination.

Synthesis

The challenge of understanding what contributes to the success of newly registered criminologists, specifically in determining the significance of their attitudes and study habits for their board performance, is made achievable by the above-cited literature and studies. From the cited readings, the researcher was able to grasp significant ideas on what problems must be considered in developing the research questions, what methodology must be used, and what theories are relevant to the study. Furthermore, some studies cited mentioned attitudes and study habits that positively or negatively benefit the learners or put them at a disadvantage, respectively, which will be considered in the development of the research instrument.

METHODS

Research Design

This study utilized a descriptive correlational design to determine the relationship between the review attitudes, review habits, and board performance of the newly registered criminologists. This design is best suited for this study since descriptive research is used to accurately and systematically describe a population, situation, or phenomenon (McBurney & White, 2009). This type of research can answer what, where, when, and how questions. Furthermore, this research design is suitable for studying a wide variety of variables. While descriptive correlational design is used in research studies that aim to examine the relationship between two or more variables, since this study aimed to analyze the relation of the review attitudes and review habits of the newly registered criminologists to their board performance, the researcher decided that this research design was appropriate.

Study Site and Participants

This study was conducted among state universities offering BS Criminology programs in the Province of Isabela. They are selected as study sites since they have been among the performing institutions producing criminology professionals, as attested by the Professional Criminology Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Region 2 on the recent criminologist licensure examinations. It is in the best interest of the beneficiaries of this study that they were selected as participating institutions for the reason that they have some policies and strategies that are worth sharing for the benefit of other schools. The participants of this study are the newly registered criminologists from these schools who took and passed their licensure examination on their first attempt on either of the following criminologist licensure examinations, dated December 2022 or April 2023.

Population, Sample Size, and Sampling Method

The respondents of this study are the three hundred sixteen (316) newly registered criminologists who graduated from the State Universities offering BS Criminology programs in the Province of Isabela. They were selected purposively, the researcher had set the following criteria: respondents must have passed the criminologist licensure examination on their first attempt, and they must have passed the criminologist licensure examination on any of the two recently concluded board examinations dated December 2022 and April 2023. The reason behind this is that those who have passed their board examination on their first attempt might have developed a highly positive review attitude and review habits, and those who took the criminologist licensure examination during the abovementioned periods are subjected to the first implementation of the new criteria for passing set by Republic Act 11131, the law governing the criminology profession in the Philippines. From the total number of respondents, one hundred seventy-four (174) was selected as a sample. The sample was computed using the RAOSOFT sample size calculator with a five percent (5%) margin of error and ninety-five percent (95%) degree of confidence. The samples were distributed based on their percentage; from the total sample size, 5.69 % were taken from Campus A, 20.5 % were taken from Campus B, 40.18 % were taken from Campus C, 20.5 % were taken from Campus D, 3.7% were taken from Campus E, and lastly, 9.1% were taken from Campus F, to get the total of 100 % of the sample size.

Instruments 

The research instrument was a self-made questionnaire checklist, the items of which were derived from the reviewed studies on the topic. The survey questionnaire was pilot-tested among the newly registered criminologists who graduated from other institutions, with Cronbach’s α of 0.79 for all the items on review attitudes interpreted as “Acceptable” and Cronbach’s α of 0.90 for the review habits interpreted as “Excellent”. To further test the validity of the research questions, the researcher conducted a confirmatory factor analysis for each major variable. According to Price (2023), a confirmatory factor analysis can be used to analyze the efficacy of the measurement models for which the number of factors and their relationships are specified. This analysis can determine the validity of the survey statements if they are capable of describing the desired factor or variable; thus, it is best to utilize this technique in validating the content of the survey questions for the matter being investigated. According to Hair et al. (2015), the standard estimate value of each item must be at least 0.50 to ensure that the item is valid. Based on the result, there are plenty of items that need to be improved in terms of their ability to describe the desired variables. The research compared the question formulation between those that have a computed value of.5 and those with a lesser value and came to the observation that those statements with a more than .5 standard estimate value include terms that can be defined as “attitudes,” for example, positive, confident, etc. The researcher then decided to rephrase those statements that have a less than 0.5 standard estimate value, properly observing the inclusion of identifiable attitudes in the construct of the survey questions.

Data Gathering Procedure

First and foremost, the researcher sought the assistance of the deans or program chairpersons of those schools selected as study sites through a letter. The letter contained a request for assistance in identifying and coordinating with the newly registered criminologist from their respective institutions. After that, the researcher sought the approval of the target respondents to become one of the respondents to this study. Thereafter, the researcher gathered the necessary data through a questionnaire checklist. The distribution of the questionnaire was done through the use of Google Forms. This has been decided by the researcher since it is more effective to get the respondents to participate without sacrificing too much of their precious time. A link was sent to them where they could access the questionnaire and provide their answers. The form contains the messenger details, email address, and cell phone number of the researcher to ensure that if there are questions from the respondents, they can immediately contact the researcher. After the completion of the questionnaire, the data gathered was tallied and analyzed using statistically approved means.

Data Analysis

This study used a descriptive correlational design to analyze the relationship between the review attitudes and review habits of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance. This design is best suited for this study. A descriptive correlational research design is a type of research design that will explain the relationship between two or more variables without making any claims of cause and effect between them.

Mean was used to describe the review attitudes, review habits, and board performance of the respondents. According to Bhandari (2023), Mean will serve as a summary of the given group of data, which is often valuable in understanding the overall value of a given data set. By getting the mean of the variables, the researcher will be able to better understand the whole picture of the study. Four-point Likert scale was used to discuss the mean; the following tables were used.

Table 1. Likert Scale

For the board performance, the following indicators were used which was adopted from the study of Tus (2020).

Table 2. Board Performance

A Spearman’s Rho was used to determine the significant relationship between the review attitudes and review habits to the board performance of the newly registered criminologists.

Ethical Considerations

The researcher observed the ethical principles in the conduct of the study. The participant’s right to self-determination and confidentiality was observed. Participation in this study was voluntary, written informed consent was obtained from the respondents. The data obtained from the respondents was kept confidential. Furthermore, the following was also observed throughout this study;

Honesty. The researcher honestly reported the data, results, methods, procedures, and publication status. The researcher did not fabricate or falsify the data gathered in this study.

Objectivity. The researcher remained impartial in conducting the study, analyzing the data, interpreting the data, or other aspects of the research where objectivity is expected or required.

Integrity. The researcher consistently maintained the agreement with the respondents.

Anonymity. The researcher kept the identity and personal information of the respondents.

Confidentiality. The respondents respected the right to privacy of the respondents. Hence, the researcher only included, identifying respondents’ information in some research reports and documents. Notes, reports, and other documents containing the participant’s personal information were kept confidential.

Voluntary Participation. The participant’s freedom to participate in this study without any pressure was respected. The participants were given the option to withdraw from the study at any time without providing any reason or negative implications.

Potential for harm. The researcher ensured that any types of harm, risks, discomfort, or inconvenience was minimal, and or not likely to happen.

Intellectual property. The researcher did not use unpublished data, methods, or results without permission and had given proper acknowledgment or credit for all resources used in the current study.

RESULTS

The purpose of this study was to determine the review attitudes and review habits of the newly registered criminologists and to correlate them with their board performance. Over the course of this study, the following results were revealed.

The Review Attitudes of the Newly Registered Criminologists During their preparation for taking the Criminologist Licensure Examination.

Table 3 shows that the respondents “Strongly Agreed” with all the indicators presented as review attitudes of the newly registered criminologists during their preparation for taking the criminologist licensure examination, with an overall mean of 3.71 interpreted as “Highly positive”; finding time to pray for their success in the criminologist licensure examination had the highest mean of 3.87; and “prioritizing enrolling in popular criminology review centers” had the lowest mean of 3.31, these results indicate several pieces of information, such as that the newly registered criminologists had a highly positive review attitude during their preparation in taking the criminologist licensure examination, as supported by their responses presented above, all the statement considered as review attitudes had rated a mean of above 3.25 which is described as “Strongly Agree” and interpreted as “Highly Positive”.

The above table shows that newly registered criminologists possess highly positive review attitudes, which could have contributed to their success on their board examination. Taking the criminologist licensure examination may appear to be hard for those who do not prepare enough. Thus, if an aspiring criminologist does desire to pass the criminologist licensure examination, he must focus on improving his or practicing a highly positive review attitude, since it is apparent that possessing a highly positive review attitude is among the many factors that could contribute to their success in passing the criminology licensure examination.

The Review Habits of the Newly Registered Criminologists During their preparation for taking the Criminologist Licensure Examination.

Table 4 shows that the newly registered criminologists practice all the review habits enumerated in this study during their preparation for taking the criminologist licensure examination, having a category mean of 3.62 described as “Always” and interpreted as “Highly Positive”, the table shows that the review habits of “taking notes the important terms and topics during review lectures or classes” have the highest of mean of 3.82 which can signify that most of the respondents practice such review habits. In contrast, the indicator discussing the practice of “improved eating habits” has the lowest mean of 3.40 if compared to other indicators. In the study of Magulod (2019), he highlighted the positive correlation between learning style, study habits, and academic performance. He further mentioned that those who have a moderate level of study habits have a good level of academic performance. Evidently, as manifested by the data gathered and presented above, the respondents highly practiced the review habits enumerated, which were all considered to be highly positive review habits, and since they already succeeded in passing their licensure examination, it further supports the idea that having highly positive review habits will likely produce a more positive result.

The Board Performance of the Newly Registered Criminologists

Table 5 shows that most respondents had a very satisfactory board performance, ranging from a general weighted average of 85% to 89%. 35% of the total respondents seemingly had a high passing rate, while the remaining group is not far behind. This shows that positive review attitudes and habits indeed influence their academic performance. In the study of Sasi and Anju R. A. (2020), they found that there is a positive correlation between study habits and students’ performance. The above table showed that the majority of the newly registered criminologists taken as respondents to this study had very satisfactory remarks, which means that those who adapted positive review attitudes and study habits had higher chances of not only passing the licensure examination but also gaining very satisfactory results.

The findings also highlight the efficiency of state universities in catering to quality education among their graduates. In the study of Kilag et al. al. (2023), in which they compared the education systems of Finland and the Philippines, they noted that one of the reasons Finland is ahead of the Philippines in terms of providing quality education is that Finland has higher quality and competence requirements for those who intend to teach, unlike the Philippines, where a bachelor’s or diploma is the minimum requirement for teaching. In state universities, this is not the situation since state universities require a higher level of education among those who intend to engage in teaching, such as having a Master’s Degree as a minimum requirement, which means that most of those educators in state universities are either Master’s Degree holders or Doctorate Degree holders. This intricacy in hiring educators in state universities appears to be beneficial to the students, as proven by the high passing rate of these universities in different licensure examinations.

Correlation Between the Review Attitudes of the Newly Registered Criminologists and their Board Performance

Table 6 shows the result of the correlation between the review attitudes of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance. A Spearman’s rho was used to determine if there is a correlation between the review attitudes of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance. The p-value computed is less than .05 thus the null hypothesis must be rejected. Further, the test result revealed a weak correlation between the review attitudes of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance (r = 0.207, n = 174, p = 0.006). Additionally, the result of the correlation shows that there is a significantly positive correlation between review attitudes and board performance. This signifies that the board performance of newly registered criminologists tends to improve if they improve their review attitudes.

Correlation Between the Review Habits of the Newly Registered Criminologists and their Board Performance

The review habits of the newly registered criminologists were correlated with their board performance; some of the studies cited were indicative that there is a positive relationship between them, while others had different findings. This study presents the correlation between them according to the responses of the respondents.

Correlation between Review Habits and Board Performance

Table 7 shows the result of the correlation between the review habits of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance. A Spearman’s Rho was used to determine if there is a relationship between the review habits of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance. The p-value computed is less than .05 thus the null hypothesis must be rejected. Further, the test result revealed a highly significant moderate correlation between the review habits of the newly registered criminologists and their board performance (r = 0.314, n = 174, p = <0.001). This means that review habits and the board performance of the newly registered criminologists tend to influence each other; if the learner develops a highly positive review habit, it will also affect his board performance positively. In the study of Marzulina et al. (2019), they revealed that study habits are related to board performance. This study substantiates the identified moderate correlation between review habits and board performance as presented in the table above.

Respondents’ suggestions and recommendations to enhance the criminology program

The newly registered criminologists encourage future criminologist licensure examination reviewees/examinees to keep on enhancing their studies in criminology and to maintain their focus on their main goal of taking the course. They also encouraged the students to take the board exam seriously and they suggested some review habits that will help them along the way, such as reading various review materials and prioritizing lectures based on the Table of Specifications (TOS). Additionally, the respondents encourage future criminologist licensure examination reviewees/examinees to improve their reading and analyzation skills, and most of all develop a strong relation to God by praying and never forgetting foundational topics in criminology. Lastly, the newly registered criminologists, emphasize the importance of holding a strong foundation and learning new topics to enhance knowledge and pass the board examination.

DISCUSSION

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the review attitudes, review habits, and board performance of the newly registered criminologists. The data gathered will be used to propose a possible remedy to enhance the criminology program by improving the passing rate of schools that offer the BS Criminology program.

The Review Attitudes of the Newly Registered Criminologists During their preparation for taking the Criminologist Licensure Examination.

The newly registered criminologists “strongly agreed” with all the indicators enumerated as review attitudes, with an overall mean of 3.71 and verbal interpretation of “strongly agree.”.

In the study of Pueblo et al. (2024), they mentioned that criminologist licensure examination takers face several challenges during their preparation on taking their licensure examination such as a variety of emotions to include, “stress”, “nervousness”, and “frustration” among others, despite that, remaining hopeful and positive will be very helpful. These highlight the importance of having a highly positive review attitude. A highly positive review attitude will likely produce more positive results such as passing the criminologist licensure examination. These data are in line with the context of the Affective–Cognitive Consistency Theory of Rosenberg (1968), which pointed out that the changes in the individuals’ affective component will produce changes in a person’s cognitive component.

Meanwhile, in the case study of Albite (2019), covering topnotcher preparation and contributory attributes of passing the licensure examination, she highlighted that among the contributory attributes of topnotchers is having a “strong faith in God.”  In Luke 1:37, the statement “For with God, nothing is impossible” can be found. The study by Albite (2019) shows the importance of maintaining a healthy spiritual life as one of the keys to success; similarly, the results presented in the table above highlight that the majority of newly registered criminologists consider praying for their success in taking the criminologist licensure examination as one of their priority review attitudes. In another study by Pueblo et al. (2024), where they delve into unraveling the tale of success in the criminologist licensure examination, they were able to highlight numerous challenges encountered by the examinees during their review, in that same study, they identified the common coping mechanism adapted by the participants and among those is “praying harder”, this again shows the importance of praying and maintaining strong faith as part of the positive review attitudes that the criminologist licensure examination reviewee/examinees must maintain to ensure their high chance of succeeding.

Lastly, the newly registered criminologists are low on their agreement with the indicator, prioritizing enrolling in popular review centers compared to the other indicators. In the study conducted by Espartero et. al (2022), they highlighted that among the factors that influenced the result of the criminologist licensure examination is the “Review center factor”. Many studies have highlighted the importance of enrolling in review centers to better increase the chances of passing the licensure examination, but there has been no study yet conducted to correlate the popularity of the review centers to their efficiency in producing passers. This view might be among the factors that the respondents considered affecting their agreement with the above-mentioned statement; nonetheless, the majority of the respondents collectively decided that choosing the review center was an important matter to consider during their preparation for the licensure examination.

The Review Habits of the Newly Registered Criminologists During their preparation for taking the Criminologist Licensure Examination.

The newly registered criminologists always practice all the indicators enumerated as review habits, with an overall mean of 3.62 and a verbal description of “Always.” and interpreted as “Highly Positive.” On the findings, the review habit that states, “I wrote down important terms and topics during review lectures or review classes” had the highest overall mean, which means that this review habit is among the highly positive review habits that is most practiced by the newly registered criminologists. Interestingly, this coincides with the findings of other researchers.

In the study of Azaroug (2022), he highlighted that “Writing points in lectures during class time” is among the positive study habits a learner must adopt to improve his academic performance. This supports the commonly practiced review habits by newly registered criminologists that contributed to their success in passing the criminologist licensure examination. Taking down notes is a common strategy practiced by learners to enhance their retention of the matters discussed during class lectures, practicing such review habits is proven to be effective based on the data presented in the table above.

Meanwhile, the review habit that states, “I improved my eating habits by consuming healthy foods to enhance my mental capacity during my review” had the lowest mean if compared to other indicators, although its mean (3.40) still falls under the verbal description of “always,” interpreted as “highly positive” this indicates that most of the newly registered criminologists take their nutrition as an integral part of their preparation for the criminologist licensure examination. It is still noticeable that some of them view this as unnecessary.

In the study of Cohen et al. (2021), they correlated nutrition, diet, and academic performance. They found a positive relation between nutrition and academic performance, which means that if the learner’s food intake contains healthy and nutritious food, their academic performance improves. It is surprising to see that such an indicator is part of the positive habits that learners should practice; the results show that it was rated as the lowest. Several factors could be mentioned to explain this, including the financial capability of the reviewee/examinees. Those who are preparing to take the criminologist licensure examination are mostly on a tight budget, as shown in the study of Pueblo et al. (2024). In their discussion regarding the challenges encountered by criminology graduates during their preparation for the criminologist licensure examination, they mention “lack of financial support” as one of the factors. Learners appear to be neglectful of their diet due to tight financial resources and prioritize other matters that are equally important to healthy food.

Overall, the study found that the newly registered criminologists had something in common, and that is having positive review habits, as visible in the mean of their responses to all the indicators identified as review habits. This signifies the importance of having a positive review habit in one’s academic career.

The interest-driven creator (IDC) theory of Chan et al. (2018) also substantiates the significance of developing positive review habits to enhance academic performance. In the context of the interest-driven creator theory, it is hypothesized that developing positive review habits will yield better board performance. The data presented above, derived from the respondents, unanimously showed that the newly registered criminologists practice positive review habits, which contributed to their success in passing the criminologist licensure examination.

The Board Performance of the Newly Registered Criminologists

The majority of the respondents had a “very satisfactory” board performance equivalent to having a general weighted average of 85–89%.

While it is equally important that the ability of an institution offering a Bachelor of Science in Criminology program be measured through their school passing rate as compared to the national passing rate, the individual board performance of their graduates should also be taken into consideration. This means that even if the institution has a high school passing rate but its graduates only had a fairly satisfactory board performance, it may still raise some doubts about the institution’s ability to cater to quality education.

In the study of Galla et al. (2019), they tried to understand if grades could be a predictor of future achievements, and they concluded based on the results of their study that indeed grades are a valid predictor. They further discuss that among the reasons why the grade is a valid predictor is that those who have a higher grade possess a very important quality that may be used in any profession, and that is the ability to “Self-regulation”. The study of Granhag and Luke (2019) defines self-regulation as the method used by an individual to guide their path of development, which means that this includes how they choose what they want to pursue as their goals and how they can be able to achieve it with the opportunities and available resources that they have about possible constraints that may come their way. In this regard, criminologists with a high passing rate can possess a higher self-regulation ability, which means that they have more potential for providing quality service in their profession. Institutions offering bachelor of science in criminology, therefore, must also ensure that their graduates do not simply pass the criminologist licensure examination but to have an outstanding board performance.

Correlation Between the Review Attitudes of the Newly Registered Criminologists and their Board Performance

The review attitude of the newly registered criminologists is significant but has a weak positive correlation to their board performance.

In the study of Mazana et al. (2019), they correlated student attitudes toward learning and their academic performance. They found out through their study that there is a positive weak correlation between attitudes and academic performance; similarly, the result also shows a significantly positive weak correlation. Mazana and his colleagues then concluded that students’ attitudes toward learning become less positive as they move forward to a higher level of education. The decrease in positive attitudes among learners, according to other researchers, is caused by their decreasing motivations.

Furthermore, in an article written by Conason (2019), entitled, “The Tyranny of Positive Attitude”, she pointed out that attitude is highly dictated by our culture, she further mentioned that our current culture has little tolerance for those individuals who possess negative attitudes in life she termed it as the “Good vibes only” culture. It is expected that one should always look on the bright side of all events and remain grateful even in the face of adversity. This also is the case for those aspiring criminologists preparing to take the criminologist licensure examination. Their teachers, lecturers, friends, and families overfeed them with motivation and advice that they should maintain a positive review attitudes always. These result in a pseudo attitude that the learners assume, they reject having a negative review attitude during their preparation for taking the criminologist licensure examination and they falsely believe that all they have are highly positive review attitudes. This may be the reason why the responses of the newly registered criminologists do not coincide with the common understanding that a highly positive review attitude will automatically improve their board performance.

Meanwhile, in the study of Agustina et al. (2021), they unraveled the correlation between student motivation and academic achievements at a tertiary level and discovered that those students possessing a higher level of motivation perform better in their academics. Motivation may come from various aspects of the student’s life; they could be innate or external. Those who are preparing to take the criminologist licensure examination could not be less motivated. The criminology degree in the Philippines is geared toward the law enforcement profession, and this profession has been popular among incoming first-year students. This can be seen by the large number of universities and colleges offering bachelor of science in criminology, as well as the high enrollment rate of the program. However, there is a possibility that students who enroll in this program tend to lose some of their passion and motivation as they come to understand what the profession, they are aiming for is like. With all the controversies affecting the law enforcement agencies in the country and the intrinsic process of application as a factor, Nonetheless, those who were able to keep their motivation high will be able to make it to the top. The results presented in the table above show that motivated reviewee/examinees will succeed. If motivation affects review attitudes and review attitudes affect board performance, then it is significant that those who are preparing to take the criminologist licensure examination maintain highly positive review attitudes.

Correlation Between the Review Habits of the Newly Registered Criminologists and their Board Performance

The review habits of the newly registered criminologists are significant and moderately positively correlated with their board performance.

In the study of Tus (2020), he found no correlation between study habits and academic performance among those who have average study habits. Interestingly, he pointed out that study habits could be productive or counterproductive, having a study habit alone will not suffice to affect the academic performance of a learner, which means that it requires not just having a study habit but rather a productive study habit to significantly affect academic performance. In the study of Tus, though it was not shown that there exists a correlation between study habits and academic performance, he still highlighted the importance of developing a productive study habit to improve academic performance.

In the study of Abid et al. (2023), they mentioned that reading habits and study skills are among the factors that could predict the academic performance of the students. This highlights the significantly moderate positive relationship between review habits and board performance in this study. Those who are planning to take the criminologist licensure examination must ensure that they pay close attention to their review habits. The data gathered from the respondents of this study who have already passed the criminologist licensure examination verifies the validity of such a claim.

 The interest-driven creator theory by Chan et al. (2018), also supplements the result in the table presented above. This theory supports the concept that review habits and board performance are positively correlated, which means that if one wants a better result in terms of his board performance, he must strives harder to develop a highly positive review habit.

Respondents’ suggestions and recommendations to enhance the criminology program

The newly registered criminologists suggest and recommends that future criminologist licensure examination reviewee/examinees to focus on improving their review attitudes and review habits, especially reading and analyzing. Majority of their suggestions are to continue refining their criminology coursework and to stay focused on the course’s primary objective. Along the process, they offered several helpful review habits, such reading a variety of review resources and prioritizing lectures that are based on the issued table of specification by the Philippine Board of Criminology. They also urged the students to take the criminologist licensure examination seriously. The respondents also advise the future criminologist licensure examination reviewee/examinees to sharpen their analytical and reading abilities, and above all, to cultivate a close relationship with God. Lastly, the respondents advised them to never forget the fundamentals of criminology. In conclusion, the newly licensed criminologists highlighted the need of having a solid foundation and picking up new subjects in order to improve knowledge and pass the criminologist licensure examination.

CONCLUSIONS

Base on the result of the study, the following are hereby concluded:

Newly registered criminologists had a highly positive review attitude during their preparation for the criminologist licensure examination. Similarly, the newly registered criminologists always practice highly positive review habits during their preparation for the criminologist licensure examination. Lastly, the newly registered criminologists had a very satisfactory board performance. The result of the study implies that developing a highly positive review attitude increases the chance of the criminologist licensure examination reviewee/examinee to pass the criminologist licensure examination. Furthermore, that developing and practicing a highly positive review habit positively benefits the criminologist licensure examination reviewee/examinee on the criminologist licensure examination. Hence, having both highly positive review attitudes and highly positive review habits not only increases the chance of the criminologist licensure examination reviewee/examinee in passing their licensure examination but may also yield a better rating on their examination.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The findings and conclusion of the study forwarded the following recommendations:

Future Criminology Licensure Examination Reviewees/Examinees. The findings of this study unraveled the significance of review attitude and review habits. This can serve as guide on which best approach can be taken in order to ensure their success in the criminologist licensure examination

Criminology Profession. The findings of this study highlighted the importance of developing highly positive review attitudes and highly positive review habits, as well as their link to better board performance. With the development of a program focusing on enhancing review attitudes and review habits among the criminologist licensure examination reviewees/examinees, it is possible to increase the national passing rate for the criminologist licensure examination.

Criminology Schools. Institutions offering bachelor of science in criminology might consider organizing their own review centers in accordance with the existing policies. This may highly benefit them since they can be able to implement programs that can supplement the individual needs of their graduates. This study highlighted several review attitudes and review habits that can be taken action upon by the institution themselves. Such as, lectures that are based from the issued table of specifications, note taking, varying review materials etc., it may be true that review centers operated by private individuals is also capable of providing or satisfying the needs above but there is no guarantee to it. Therefore, if the criminologist licensure examination reviewee/examinees will be attending review centers, who can better cater their needs than their alma matter who are also bounded by the institutional result of the criminologist licensure examination.

Criminology review centers. While marketing is an integral part of any business, and since most criminology review centers are also following business models, it was unraveled in this study that criminology licensure reviewees are not so fixated on the popularity of the review centers in choosing where to enroll. It is more important that the quality of the lecturers and the resources that the review centers can provide be prioritized. In addition, criminology review centers can also consider working as partners with criminology schools to highlight the importance of developing highly positive review attitudes and habits to further enhance the passing rate of their students or enrollees.

Criminology educators. The frontier of criminology education is undeniably the criminology educators, they hold the most influence in teaching the criminology students the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes, they are the one who can contribute the most in enhancing the criminology profession, they may start by inculcating to students the importance of practicing positive attitudes towards learning and a productive study habit. However, a positive review attitudes and review habits cannot be an alternative to quality education. A strong foundation is the most important factor that a criminology educators can provide to criminology students.

Aspiring criminologists. The findings of this study highlighted several information that is proven useful according to those who already pass their licensure examination which was substantiated by different studies that was cited on literature reviews and discussions. It has been revealed that positive review attitudes and review habits are among the key to passing the licensure examination. These finding will be useful guide to be adopted during their preparation in taking the licensure examination.

Future researchers. The inclusion of other factors such as learners’ motivations and their influence on their board performance may be consider for future research; additionally, future researchers may also consider conducting studies on the topic covering the attitudes or factors influencing the criminology graduates in choosing their review centers. Additionally, future researchers may also consider conducting a study utilizing qualitative research design to explore other variables that may not be measured quantitatively. Future researchers may also attempt to conduct a comparative analysis on the review attitudes and review habits of the newly registered criminologists from state universities, colleges, and private higher learning institutions to have an in-depth investigation on whether the review attitudes and review habits of the newly registered criminologists influence their board performance considering the grade requirements for admission in state universities.

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APPENDIX

Appendix A

Letter to the Respondents

Dear Criminologist:

I hope this letter finds you well. As a graduate of Isabela State University, we are reaching out to you to request your participation in the study entitled “Review Attitudes, Study Habits, and Board Performance of the Newly Registered Criminologist: A Basis for Criminology Program Enhancement.” Your experience and insights as a newly registered criminologist are significantly valuable to us. By sharing your review attitudes and study habits during your preparation for your licensure examination and your board performance, you will help us strategize on how we can further improve the criminology program of our institution.

Your involvement in this survey is entirely voluntary, and all responses will be kept strictly confidential. The survey covers topics such as:

Your review attitudes towards the criminology licensure examination

Your review study habits during your preparation for the licensure examination

Your board performance (G.W.A.)

The survey will take approximately 10–20 minutes to complete, and your input will provide invaluable insights that will shape the future of our institution.

To participate in the survey, please click on the following link: [Insert survey link].

Your participation is crucial in helping us improve our programs and support our current and future students in their career aspirations. Thank you for considering this invitation. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at [Email. johnbelkgalumba@gmail.com/ Messenger: Galumba, John Bel/ CP# 09198066641].

I sincerely appreciate your time and contribution to this important initiative.

Warm regards,

John Bel K. Galumba

Faculty, CCJE

Isabela State University, Jone Campus

Appendix B

Survey Questionnaire

Part 1: Review Attitudes of the Newly Registered Criminologist

Direction: Kindly put a check in the appropriate box that best describes your review attitude towards the criminology licensure examination during your preparation for the criminology licensure examination.

Part 2: Review habits of the Newly Registered Criminologist

Direction: Kindly check the appropriate box which indicate the frequency how you practice the following study habits during your preparation for the criminology licensure examination.

Part 3: Board performance

Direction: Base on the following scale, kindly check the appropriate box which indicate your board performance when you passed your licensure examination.

Part 4. Suggestion/s or recommendation/s for the enhancement of the criminology program enhancement.

Question: Do you have suggestions or recommendations for the enhancement of the criminology program in terms of the board performances of their graduates?

Ans. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Thank you!

Appendix C

The table above shows the result of the test of normality conducted on the gathered data. Both the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests consistently show significant results (p < 0.001) for all variables, suggesting that none of the variables follow a normal distribution. This consistency across both tests strengthens the conclusion that the data does not meet the assumption of normality. Given that the data set is not normally distributed, the researcher decided to utilized a non-parametric test to examine the significant correlation between the review attitudes, review habits and the board performance of the newly registered criminologists.