The Role of Graduate Student's Perceptions of Curriculum Components in Predicting their Research Motivation

The present study aimed to investigate the role of graduate student's perceptions from components of the curriculum as the predictors of research motivation. For this purpose, a sample of 039 graduate students was selected through sampling from Mashhad Ferdowsi University, Iran. This study was practical in purpose and it was conducted within a descriptive approach through the correlation method. The instruments included a researcher made questionnaire which evaluated the student's perceptions of the components of curriculum. Another questionnaire was developed for measuring the sample's research motivation. The results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the subscales of perception of the components of the curriculum (purpose, content, methods and evaluation) and research motivation of students. From the variables under study, perception of the purpose and perception of content could predict the research motivation. As a whole perception of the components of the curriculum involve the predictability of research motivation. These findings could confirm the self-determination approach which suggests that perceptions of the environment affect the motivation.