A Research on Reading Habits of University Students: (Sample of Ankara University and Erciyes University)

Abstract

The activity of reading of an individual, which commences together with the beginning of school age and continues throughout their lifetime, is also the basic tool of learning. After acquiring basic skills pertaining to reading, ensuring that these skills are permanent, sustained throughout life, and transition to functional and critical literacy is closely related to the reading habit of the individual. In individualistic terms, the habit of reading is also one of the most important foundations of a robust and developed personality. In the world of today where knowledge is increasing rapidly and science and technology impose constant changes to human life, it is observed that humans constantly need to improve themselves in both their professional and social lives. In occupational and career development after formal education, especially for the purpose of being able to adapt to change, education and lifelong learning has become a necessity. University students are groups that are expected to have a high level of reading habit, which is among the individual and social development criteria. Thus, the determination of reading habits of university students is considered important in both areas they need and in their self developments throughout their lives.This study has the objective of determining the reading habits of students studying at the Ankara University Department of Primary Education and Erciyes University History Department. To that end, data of questionnaires applied to a total of 326 students consisting of 225 students from Ankara University and 101 students from Erciyes University have been analyzed and the results have been presented in the form of tables.According to the data obtained in the study, it has been determined that students at Ankara University and Erciyes University read novels, newspapers and magazines in their spare time, they enjoy reading literary works, historic, romantic, entertaining-humorous, and psychological genres the most, and they could not spare much time for reading books due to the intensity of lessons, busy social life, preparation for examinations and spending time on the computer/internet.