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Benjamin Apam

Bolgatanga Polytechnic, Statistics, Faculty Member

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I was born and bred in a village called Boya in the Upper Regions of Ghana. Specifically, Bawku West District in the Upper East Region. I obtained by basic education in the area until when I got to Junior Secondary School (now Junior High School) when I took a transfer to join my Aunt and the husband in the Upper West Region to continue my education.By the grace of God, I graduated JSS and continued to Wa Senior Secondary School when I offered General Science. Though I was lazy in the reading subjects like 'social studies', I managed to pull through to the university (University for Development Studies - UDS). UDS modeled me into a statistician and now I cannot seem to turn my back on data related studies.I got engaged by Bolgatanga Polytechnic in September, 2009 after my national service with them. I guest my dedication to the work and the good people of Bolgatanga Polytechnic gave me the opportunity to impact the knowledge I learned to the next generation through teaching. Though I haven't got much exposure in most areas in life, I am pretty much convinced that I will be able to fit into any society as well as any working environment through. I must say the Third Trimester Field Practical Program as instituted by UDS has changed my thinking about society and to appreciate the thinking capacity of every individual.The only national assignment I can boast of taking part at the moment is the 2010 census where I was a supervisor in one of the sections in the Upper East Region.Due to the love of statistics and using data to make informed decisions, I have developed an idea that will soon be translated into a research field (Data Analysis Consult). This establishment among others seeks to address the research problems of clients, give guidance to the use statistical software, as well as help people understand the methodology.I look forward to partnering with you in research.https://apam393.com
Phone: +233 207363426

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Papers by Benjamin Apam

Climate Variability Impact on Crop Evapotranspiration in the Upper East Region of Ghana

Environmental Challenges, Dec 31, 2023

Errors in the Use of Punctuation Marks among Polytechnic Students

by Apam Benjamin and Benjamin Apam

International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 2014

The purpose of the study was to identify and examine the level of errors in the usage of punctuat... more The purpose of the study was to identify and examine the level of errors in the usage of punctuation marks among students in Ghanaian Polytechnics. Data was collected using test results on an unpunctuated passage and a written speech. Results of the study revealed that students of the Polytechnics still have great challenges in identifying punctuation marks in written text. Another disturbing conclusion from the study indicated that students in Ghanaian Polytechnics use these punctuation marks inappropriately in their own free writing.

format_quote36% of students identified over 50% of full stops; 63% struggled with question marks.format_quote

Assessing the impact of a ttendance in students ’ final success using the Decision- Making Tree

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov. Series V : Economic Sciences, Jan 16, 2018

In this paper, we use the decision-making tree to explain the impact attendance has on students' ... more In this paper, we use the decision-making tree to explain the impact attendance has on students' final success. The paper analyses the results of 56 students in 3 subjects during the academic year 2016/2017 (first, second and third-year students of Business Mathematics, Statistics and Managerial Economics at the SEE University in Tetovo). The results show that attendance is the most important of the 5 attributes in this study, placing it at the root of the tree. In constructing the Decision-making Tree, we have used the ID3 Algorithm within the Weka software package.

Modelling Consumer Price Index Inflation in Ghana

University of Cape Coast, 2017

Assessing the impact of attendance in students' final success using the Decision-Making Tree

In this paper, we use the decision-making tree to explain the impact attendance has on students&#... more In this paper, we use the decision-making tree to explain the impact attendance has on students' final success. The paper analyses the results of 56 students in 3 subjects during the academic year 2016/2017 (first, second and third-year students of Business Mathematics, Statistics and Managerial Economics at the SEE University in Tetovo). The results show that attendance is the most important of the 5 attributes in this study, placing it at the root of the tree. In constructing the Decision-making Tree, we have used the ID3 Algorithm within the Weka software package.

Some gender differences in performance in senior high mathematics examinations in mixed high schools

American Journal of Social and Management Sciences, 2011

The paper examined the expected causes of gender difference in the performance of mathematics amo... more The paper examined the expected causes of gender difference in the performance of mathematics among boys and girls in mixed senior high schools in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Questionnaire and interviews were used for data collection. Results indicated that, boys' performances outweighed those of girls, as it was evident that girls' lack of self-confidence was a contributing factor or a major cause of the difference in performances. It was also found out that, students' interest in mathematics was influenced by personal interests and teaching methods. On students' performance analysis, the class of the student, the number of educated people in the student's house and the sex of the student were found to be linearly related. Furthermore, perceived gender difference caused school drop-out and poor choices of girls relative to boys. It was inferred that, this aspect of the study, for gender equity in decision making cannot be achieved once gender difference in mathematics ability of boys and girls is not resolved. Also, the capacity to educate pupils from the elementary schools will remain incomplete as women always passed on these perception and belief to younger generation even before they start to make their own choice in academics.

Errors in the Use of Punctuation Marks among Polytechnic Students

International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 2014

The purpose of the study was to identify and examine the level of errors in the usage of punctuat... more The purpose of the study was to identify and examine the level of errors in the usage of punctuation marks among students in Ghanaian Polytechnics. Data was collected using test results on an unpunctuated passage and a written speech. Results of the study revealed that students of the Polytechnics still have great challenges in identifying punctuation marks in written text. Another disturbing conclusion from the study indicated that students in Ghanaian Polytechnics use these punctuation marks inappropriately in their own free writing.

Determinants of Academic Performance in Ghanaian Polytechnics

Mathematical Theory and Modeling, 2013

The study aimed at using panel data on student test scores to determine the factors influencing a... more The study aimed at using panel data on student test scores to determine the factors influencing academic performance. Data on grade point averages (GPA), demographic and socioeconomic features from 131 Female and 271 Male students was obtained from the Examinations Unit and the Student Affairs Unit of Bolgatanga Polytechnic. The Generalised Linear Model (GLM) was employed to study the effect of determinants on the differences among students' academic performances. The results revealed significant contribution of the predictors to the explanatory power of the mean GPA scores with the exception of semester 3 and the Department of Civil Engineering. Thus the performance of students in the Polytechnics improves with decreasing age and decreasing number of credit hours registered in a given semester. Though students admitted on the basis of a decisive factor and through the Matured Entrance Examinations negatively affected students' academic performance, departmental affiliation has a positive impact on the performance of students academically.

Predicting Student Completion Status Using Logistic Regression Analysis

European Scientific Journal, Jul 30, 2013

To fulfil the mandate of the Polytechnics, which is to fill the gap in the manpower supply needs ... more To fulfil the mandate of the Polytechnics, which is to fill the gap in the manpower supply needs of the country, in an appropriate and timely manner, students must perform well and successfully complete their course of study in a timely manner. A failure of a student in a subject could among other things, increase the number of credit hours a student takes in a particular semester, affect the academic performance of the student and delay the time of certification of that student. Using longitudinal data of students' academic performance in each semester, this study used the logistic regression technique to study the influence of Gender, mode of entry, study intensity and the Age of the student on the likelihood of a student completing without ever failing in any subject in the Bolgatanga Polytechnic. The results showed that Gender, Mode of entry, Study intensity and the Age of the student, all significantly influenced the completion status of a student. Among other things, Female students were shown to be twice as likely to complete their study without ever failing in any subject as compared to their male counterparts. The results suggest that some targeted interventions, for particular student segments, could minimize the possibility of student failing.

Can performance-based incentives improve motivation of nurses and midwives in primary facilities in northern Ghana? A quasi-experimental study

Global Health Action, Oct 13, 2016

Otupiri (2016) Can performance-based incentives improve motivation of nurses and midwives in prim... more

Profile Analysis of Students ’ Academic Performance in Ghanaian Polytechnics: The Case of Bolgatanga Polytechnic

The main purpose of the study was to examine the changes in the average academic performance of s... more The main purpose of the study was to examine the changes in the average academic performance of students over time and how these changes are related to student segments, choice of program and the entry qualification of the student. The cohort of students admitted into Bolgatanga Polytechnic during the 2009/2010 academic year formed the sample and only students who successfully completed were used. Data on grade point averages (GPA), demographic and socio-economic features from 131 Female and 271 Male students was obtained from the Examinations Department and the Student Affairs Unit of Bolgatanga Polytechnic. The multivariate analysis of variance technique was used to complement the Hotelling’s T 2 to compare the mean vectors of k random samples for significant difference among the levels of Departments, Entry Requirements and Gender. Profile analysis of the data indicated at 5 % level of significance that the average GPA scores of the Male and Female students were parallel, level a...

Profile Analysis of Students' Academic Performance in Bolgatanga Polytechnic

The main purpose of the study was to examine the changes in the average academic performance of s... more The main purpose of the study was to examine the changes in the average academic performance of students over time and how these changes are related to student segments, choice of program and the entry qualification of the student. The cohort of students admitted into Bolgatanga Polytechnic during the 2009/2010 academic year formed the sample and only students who successfully completed were used. Data on grade point averages (GPA), demographic and socioeconomic features from 131 Female and 271 Male students was obtained from the Examinations Department and the Student Affairs Unit of Bolgatanga Polytechnic. The multivariate analysis of variance technique was used to complement the Hotelling's T 2 to compare the mean vectors of k random samples for significant difference among the levels of Departments, Entry Requirements and Gender. Profile analysis of the data indicated at 5% level of significance that the average GPA scores of the Male and Female students were parallel, level and deviated significantly from flatness whereas the various Departments had their own subject-specific mean response. The Entry Qualifications of students admitted into the Polytechnic were not similar.

Lomax Weibull Distribution

Asian Journal of Probability and Statistics

In this article, we introduce the Lomax-Weibull (LoW) distribution using the method of compositio... more In this article, we introduce the Lomax-Weibull (LoW) distribution using the method of composition of CDFs from the Lomax and Weibull distributions. Expressions for the moment generating function, hazard and survival functions were derived. A plot of the probability distribution function and cumulative distributions were done using the Python software. We also used the maximum likelihood method of estimation to derive the score functions for estimating the parameters of the distribution.

Can performance-based incentives improve motivation of nurses and midwives in primary facilities in northern Ghana? A quasi-experimental study

Global health action, 2016

Lack of an adequate and well-performing health workforce has emerged as the biggest barrier to sc... more Lack of an adequate and well-performing health workforce has emerged as the biggest barrier to scaling up health services provision in sub-Saharan Africa. As the global community commits to the Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage, health workforce challenges are critical. In northern Ghana, performance-based incentives (PBIs) were introduced to improve health worker motivation and service quality. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of PBIs on maternal health worker motivation in two districts in northern Ghana. A quasi-experimental study design with pre- and post-intervention measurement was used. PBIs were implemented for 2 years in six health facilities in Kassena-Nankana District with six health facilities in Builsa District serving as comparison sites. Fifty pre- and post-intervention structured interviews and 66 post-intervention in-depth interviews were conducted with health workers. Motivation was assessed using constructs for job satis...

Some gender differences in performance in senior high mathematics examinations in mixed high schools

The paper examined the expected causes of gender difference in the performance of mathematics amo... more The paper examined the expected causes of gender difference in the performance of mathematics among boys and girls in mixed senior high schools in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Questionnaire and interviews were used for data collection. Results indicated that, boys' performances outweighed those of girls, as it was evident that girls' lack of self-confidence was a contributing factor or a major cause of the difference in performances. It was also found out that, students' interest in mathematics was influenced by personal interests and teaching methods. On students' performance analysis, the class of the student, the number of educated people in the student's house and the sex of the student were found to be linearly related. Furthermore, perceived gender difference caused school drop-out and poor choices of girls relative to boys. It was inferred that, this aspect of the study, for gender equity in decision making cannot be achieved once gender difference in mathematics ability of boys and girls is not resolved. Also, the capacity to educate pupils from the elementary schools will remain incomplete as women always passed on these perception and belief to younger generation even before they start to make their own choice in academics.

Examination of Student Satisfaction and Academic Performance in Quantitative Methods: The Case of Bolgatanga Polytechnic

by Benjamin Apam and Sadri Alija

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which student satisfaction reflects in the... more The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which student satisfaction reflects in their performance in quantitative methods as applied to procurement and logistics management program in the Bolgatanga Polytechnic. Data was obtained from 75 students in the department who registered the course in the 2015/2016 academic year using an online student satisfaction survey tool. The five factors obtained using the factor analysis procedure was used as covariates in the subsequent analysis. As a result, enthusiasm and intellectual stimulation; feedback and accessibility; and number of self study hours were found to significantly predict the outcome of students' performance.

Assessing the impact of attendance in students' final success using the Decision-Making Tree

In this paper, we use the decision-making tree to explain the impact attendance has on students' ... more In this paper, we use the decision-making tree to explain the impact attendance has on students' final success. The paper analyses the results of 56 students in 3 subjects during the academic year 2016/2017 (first, second and third-year students of Business Mathematics, Statistics and Managerial Economics at the SEE University in Tetovo). The results show that attendance is the most important of the 5 attributes in this study, placing it at the root of the tree. In constructing the Decision-making Tree, we have used the ID3 Algorithm within the Weka software package.

Modelling Consumer Price Index Inflation in Ghana

This paper aims to develop a model for CPI inflation of Ghana using data on CPI inflation obtain ... more This paper aims to develop a model for CPI inflation of Ghana using data on CPI inflation obtain from the Bank of Ghana database within the period 2000 to 2011. Based on the method of maximum likelihood and the lower lags of the ACF and PACF, ARIMA (0, 1, 1) X (0, 1, 1)12 was identified as the tentative model for the CPI inflation data in Ghana. The diagnostic check revealed that the residuals of the fitted model have zero mean, constant variance, and free from higher-order serial correlation.

Errors in the use of punctuation marks among polytechnic students

Predicting student completion status using logistic regression analysis

To fulfil the mandate of the Polytechnics, which is to fill the gap in the manpower supply needs ... more To fulfil the mandate of the Polytechnics, which is to fill the gap in the manpower supply needs of the country, in an appropriate and timely manner, students must perform well and successfully complete their course of study in a timely manner. A failure of a student in a subject could among other things, increase the number of credit hours a student takes in a particular semester, affect the academic performance of the student and delay the time of certification of that student. Using longitudinal data of students' academic performance in each semester, this study used the logistic regression technique to study the influence of Gender, mode of entry, study intensity and the Age of the student on the likelihood of a student completing without ever failing in any subject in the Bolgatanga Polytechnic. The results showed that Gender, Mode of entry, Study intensity and the Age of the student, all significantly influenced the completion status of a student. Among other things, Female students were shown to be twice as likely to complete their study without ever failing in any subject as compared to their male counterparts. The results suggest that some targeted interventions, for particular student segments, could minimize the possibility of student failing.