Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (Journal)
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Graduate Students May Need Information Literacy Instruction as Much as Undergraduates
No full textA Review of:
Conway, Kate. (2011). How prepared are students for postgraduate study? A comparison of the information literacy skills of commencing undergraduate and postgraduate studies students at Curtin University. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 42(2), 121-135.
Abstract
Objective – To determine whether there is a difference in the information literacy skills of postgraduate and undergraduate students beginning an information studies program, and to examine the influence of demographic characteristics on information literacy skills.
Design – Online, multiple choice questionnaire to test basic information literacy skills.
Setting – Information studies program at a large university in Western Australia.
Subjects – 64 information studies students who responded to an email invitation to participate in an online questionnaire, a 44% response rate. Of those responding, 23 were undergraduates and 41 were postgraduates.
Methods – Over the course of two semesters, an online survey was administered. In order to measure student performance against established standards, 25 test questions were aligned with the Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Framework (ANZIIL) (Bundy, 2004), an adapted version of the ACRL Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education (Association of College & Research Libraries, 2000). In the first semester that the survey was administered, 9 demographic questions were asked and 11 in the second semester. Participants were invited to respond voluntarily to the questionnaire via email. Results were presented as descriptive statistics, comparing undergraduate and postgraduate student performance. The results were not tested for statistical significance and the author did not control for confounding variables.
Main Results – Postgraduate respondents scored an average of 77% on the test questionnaire, while undergraduates scored an average of 69%. The 25% of respondents who had previous work experience in a library achieved average scores of 79%, in contrast to 69% among those who had not worked in a library. Average scores for undergraduates in the 20-30 age group were 81%, while those in the 30-40 age group averaged 65%. Among both undergraduate and postgraduate students, scores may indicate deficiencies in information literacy skills in several areas, including parsing citations, strategies for locating specific content, and defining an information need.
Conclusion – The study concludes that postgraduate students’ information literacy skills may be marginally better than the skills of undergraduates. Age was found to be associated with higher performance among undergraduate students, and a variety of “basic” information literacy skills may elude many respondents. These findings might prompt librarians and instructors to look closely at gaps in information literacy knowledge among students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level
Looking and Listening: A Mixed-Methods Study of Space Use and User Satisfaction
No full textAbstract
Objective – This study was designed to assess users\u27 reactions to two newly re-designed spaces – one intended for quiet study and the other for group study – in the busiest library branch of a large research university. The researchers sought to answer the following questions: For which activity (group work, quiet study, and lounging or relaxing) do the users feel the space is most effective? Which furniture pieces do users prefer and for which activities? How are these spaces being used?
Methods – Researchers used a mixed-methods approach for this study. Two methods – surveys and comment boards – were used to gather user feedback on preference for use of the space and users’ feelings about particular furniture types. A third method – observation – was used to determine which of the particular areas and furniture pieces occupants were using most, for which activities the furniture was most commonly used, and what types of possessions occupants most often carried with them.
Results – User opinion indicated that each of the spaces assessed was most effective for the type of activity for which it was designed. Of the 80% of respondents that indicated they would use the quiet study space for quiet study, 91% indicated that the space was either "very effective" or "effective" for that purpose. The survey results also indicated that 47% of the respondents would use the group study space for that purpose. The observation data confirmed that the quiet study space was being used primarily for individual study; however, the data for the group study space showed equal levels of use for individual and group study. Users expressed a preference for traditional furniture, such as tables and desk chairs, over comfortable pieces for group work and for quiet study. One exception was a cushioned reading chair that was the preferred item for quiet study in 23% of the responses. The white boards were chosen as a preferred item for group study by 27% of respondents. The observations showed similar results for group study, with the three table types and the desk chair being used most often. The lounge chairs and couch grouping was used most often for individual study, followed by the tables and desk chairs.
Conclusion – By combining user feedback gathered through surveys and comment boards with usage patterns determined via observation data, the researchers were able to answer the questions for which their assessment was designed. Results were analyzed to compare user-stated preferences with actual behaviour and were used to make future design decisions for other library spaces. Although the results of this study are institutionally specific, the methodology could be successfully applied in other library settings
Administrator Interest is Perceived to Encourage Faculty and Librarian Involvement in Open Access Activities
No full textA Review of:
Reinsfelder, T.L., & Anderson, J.A. (2013). Observations and perceptions of academic administrator influence on open access initiatives. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(6): 481-487. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2013.08.014
Abstract
Objective – To better understand the roles and influence of senior-level academic administrators, such as provosts, on open access (OA) activities at the institutional level, including whether librarians perform these activities regardless of administrative interest.
Design – Web-based survey questionnaire combined with multiple regression analysis.
Settings – The research was conducted online using surveys emailed to potential participants at not-for-profit public and private academic institutions in the United States with a FTE of greater than 1000.
Subjects – Academic library directors at selected colleges and universities.
Methods – Using directory information from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and filtering institutions according to not-for-profit status, size, and special focus, a survey sample of 1135 colleges and universities was obtained. Library websites were used to acquire contact information for library directors. In summer 2012 the 43-item survey questionnaire was distributed to respondents online using Qualtrics. The four primary variables were each comprised of multiple questionnaire items and validated using factor analysis, and the data was explored using multiple regression.
Main Results – The survey received 298 respondents for a 26% response rate, though the number of incomplete responses is not stated. Among four stakeholder groups (faculty, publishers, librarians, and senior academic administrators), library directors perceived librarians as having the greatest influence in regards to the adoption of open access (mean = .7056), followed by faculty (.3792), administrators (.1881), and publishers as having a negative impact (–.3684). A positive correlative relationship was determined between Administrator Attention to Open Access—a key variable operationalized by combining eight questionnaire items—and the variables Librarian Commitment to Open Access, Faculty Commitment to Open Access, and Faculty Proclivity Toward Open Access, with the latter especially the case at lower levels of administrator support. Regarding institution size, library directors perceived a higher likelihood of faculty adherence and librarian commitment to OA at large institutions (over 20,000). A given institution’s public or private status and geographic region were not significant predictors of faculty or librarian commitment or adherence to open access.
Conclusions – The study finds that academic library directors perceive librarians to have the strongest influence upon adoption of open access, and senior academic administrator attention to open access is positively linked to the OA activities of faculty and librarians. Larger institutions are considered to have greater commitment to OA, potentially due to differing missions according to institution type. The authors recommend that open access advocates consider administrator roles and target administrator support when seeking to increase participation in OA
Library Users Attempt to Access a Wide Range of Information Beyond Books and Articles through a Single Search Box
No full textA Review of:
Lown, C., Sierra, T., & Boyer, J. (2013). How users search the library from a single search box. College & Research Libraries, 74(3), 227-241. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/crl-321
Abstract
Objective – To identify how users use a single search box.
Design – Transaction log analysis.
Setting – A large research university in North Carolina, United States of America.
Subjects – Search results from a customized single search box on the library’s home page, consisting of 739,180 searches and 655,388 hyperlink selections.
Methods – The authors used custom logging software to generate transaction logs of all searches that took place over two semesters (August to December 2010 and January to May 2011) in QuickSearch, a custom-made, combined search application. The study tracked search queries and hyperlink selections, noting which modules in the discovery interface (articles, catalogue, databases, and others) were selected and, from these modules, which hyperlinks were clicked.
Main Results – Transaction log analysis was conducted on over 739,000 searches during the two semesters and over 655,000 hyperlink selections from the results interface. The 20 most frequent queries made in QuickSearch were primarily for specific resources (database titles or journal titles), administrative information, and library services. The 153 most popular searches made up 10% of all searches. Hyperlinks to full-text articles (41.5%) and the catalogue (35.2%) accounted for about 76% of the links selected. About 23% of links selected were for other modules (e.g., FAQs, “best bets,” and journal titles). Hyperlinks that led directly to specific items were selected more frequently than hyperlinks to a full list of results.
Conclusion – Analysis of user transaction logs suggests that users do not understand what is being searched in a combined search box and that search applications need to direct users more effectively to resources beyond the catalogue and article databases. Users attempt to access a wide range of information from a single search box, and the most commonly used modules in QuickSearch do not serve many of the most frequent queries. Many of the most common queries can be defined and addressed with a predefined list of results, improving the quality of results and the search experience for users. Ongoing evaluation and analysis of the search interface and subsequent optimization for the most frequent queries can improve user experience
Frequent Internet Users May Prefer More Health Care Information and Participation in Decision-Making
No full textObjective – To determine whether there is a significant relationship between patients’ frequency of Internet use and their health care information and decision-making preferences.
Design – Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.
Settings – Undergraduate classes at a large state university and senior-oriented computer classes at public libraries and senior centers.
Subjects – 438 respondents, including 226 undergraduates (mean age 20) and 212 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 72).
Methods – Respondents were administered the Health Information Wants Questionnaire (HIWQ), a 21-item instrument designed to measure preferences for 7 types of health information and decision-making, in group settings.
Main Results – The younger age group spent significantly more time online compared to the older age group. Frequent Internet users in both populations expressed an overall preference for more information regarding diagnosis, but less information for psychosocial and health care provider concerns. Internet use was positively correlated to the overall preference rating, leading the researchers to suggest that, as a whole, regular Internet users prefer more information and independence in decision-making.
Conclusions – The study concludes that Internet use frequency is associated with an overall preference for obtaining health information and participating in decision making. Internet use as related to different types of preferences is inconsistent. Age was not found to be associated with the overall preference rating, and time spent online is proposed to be a stronger indicator of respondents’ health information preferences. The authors suggest that future studies utilizing the HIWQ take a longitudinal approach in order to better track how patient preferences for information may evolve over time
Varying Student Behaviours Observed in the Library Prompt the Need for Further Research
No full textObjective – To determine if the behaviours of students studying in the library are primarily study or non-study related, the extent to which these behaviours occur simultaneously, what types of study and non-study behaviours are most common, and if the time of day or use of social media have an effect on those behaviours.
Design – Observational study.
Setting – Two university libraries in New York.
Subjects – A total of 730 university students.
Methods – Two librarians at 2 separate university libraries observed and recorded the behaviours of 730 students. Observations were conducted over the course of several weeks during the Fall of 2011 in the designated study or quiet areas, reference room, and at computer terminals of the libraries. Observations were made by walking past the students or by observing them from a corner of the room for between 3 to 10 seconds per student. Student activities were recorded using a coding chart. The librarians also collected data on the perceived age, gender, and ethnicity of the students and whether the students were using a computer at the time of observation. If students displayed more than one behaviour during a single observation, such as talking on the phone while searching the library’s online catalogue, the first behaviour observed or the behaviour that was perceived by the observer to be the dominant behaviour was coded behaviour 1.The second behaviour was coded behaviour 2.
Main Results – The behaviours of 730 students were observed and recorded. Two librarians at separate universities were responsible for data collection. Kappa statistical analysis was performed and inter-rater reliability was determined to be in agreement. Data was analyzed quantitatively using SPSS software.
Over 90% of students observed were perceived to be under 25 years of age and 56% were women. The majority were perceived to be white (62%).
Of the 730 observations, 59% (430) were study related and 37% (300) were non-study related. The most common study related behaviours included reading school-related print materials (18.8%) and typing/working on a document (12.3%). The most common non-study related behaviours included Facebook/social media (11.4%) and website/games (9.3%). The least common study related behaviour was using the school website (1.2%) and the least common non-study related behaviour was “other on the phone” (0.1%).
Second behaviours were observed in 95 of the 730 students observed. Listening to music was the most common second behaviour (35.8%) and educational website was the least common (1.1%).
Most study observations were made on Mondays and most non-study observations were made on Thursdays and Fridays. Throughout the entire day, study related behaviours were observed between 62-67% of the time regardless of the time of day. Students working on computers were more likely to be observed in engaging in non-study related behaviour (73%) than those not working on a computer (44%).
Conclusion – Students display a variety of study and non-study behaviours throughout the day with the majority of the behaviours being study related. Students also blend study and non-study activities together, as evident in their switching between study and non-study related behaviours in a single observation and their ability to multitask. Data gathered from this study provides evidence that students view the library as not only a place for study but also a place for socialization.
Several limitations of this study are acknowledged by the authors. First, behaviours that appear to be non-study related, such as watching videos on YouTube, could be study related. Many faculty members utilize social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to support their course content. A student observed watching YouTube videos could be watching a professor’s lecture, not a video for entertainment purposes only. This lack of knowing definitively why students are utilizing social media while in the library may have led the authors to mistake non-study behaviour for study behaviour.
An additional limitation is the short duration of time spent observing the students as well as the proximity of the observer to the student. Observations lasting longer than 3 to 10 seconds and made at a closer range to the students could provide more accurate data regarding what type of behaviours students engage in and for how much time. In addition to the before mentioned limitations, the authors acknowledge that they had no way of knowing if the individuals being observed were actual students: the assumed students could have been faculty, staff, or visitors to the university.
Due to the study’s limitations, further research is needed to determine in greater detail what students are doing while they are studying in the library. This data would allow librarians to justify the need to provide both study and non-study space to meet the diverse needs of students. Conducting a cohort study would allow researchers to observe student behaviour longitudinally. It would minimize the limitations of short-term student observation as well as the proximity of the observer to the student. Research on the use of mobile technologies by students, such as smart phones, to access study related material while they are in the library would also yield valuable data regarding student study behaviours
The Form of Search Tool Chosen by Undergraduate Students Influences Research Practices and the Type and Quality of Information Selected
No full textA Review of:
Asher, A. D., Duke, L. M., & Wilson, S. (2012). Paths of discovery: Comparing the search effectiveness of EBSCO Discovery Service, Summon, Google Scholar, and conventional library resources. College & Research Libraries, 74(5), p. 464-488.
Objectives – To explore the effectiveness of different search tools (EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS), Summon, Google Scholar and traditional library resources) in supporting the typical research queries faced by undergraduate students and gain an understanding of student research practices.
Design – Mixed methods approach using quantitative data collected from grading of students’ selected resources combined with qualitative data from a search process interview with students.
Setting – Two university libraries in the United States of America (Bucknell University (BU) and Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU)).
Subjects – Eighty-seven undergraduate students across a range of disciplines.
Methods – Participants were assigned to one of five test groups and required to find two resources for each of four standardised research queries using a specified tool: EDS; Summon; Google Scholar; Library catalogue/databases; or “no tool” where no specific tool was specified and participants were free to choose. The resources submitted by students for each of the four queries were rated on a scale of 0-3 by four librarians using a rubric, to produce average ratings for each tool. The interview comprised two parts: the search task, followed by a reflective interview based on open-ended questions relating to search practices and habits. The search process interview was recorded using Camtasia screen capture and audio software, and the URLs used by participants were also recorded.
Main Results – Quantitative results indicated that students who used EDS selected slightly higher quality sources on average (scoring 2.54 out of 3), compared to all other groups. Those who used EDS also completed the queries in less time (747 seconds) than those using Summon (1,209 seconds), Google Scholar (968 seconds), library databases (963 seconds) or where no tool was specified (1,081 seconds). Academic journal articles also represented the relatively highest proportion of resources for this group (73.8% of resources chosen), whilst newspaper articles were chosen most frequently by those using Summon (20.6% of resources chosen). The qualitative findings suggest that students may over-rely on the top results provided by search systems, rather than using critical analysis and evaluation.
Conclusion – Although EDS performed slightly better overall, in some cases the tools produced relatively similar results, and none of the tools performed particularly poorly. Indeed the reasonably strong performance of both Google Scholar and traditional library tools/databases in some aspects (such as the relative proportion of books and journal articles chosen by students), may raise questions regarding the potential benefit of acquiring a new discovery product, given the possibly significant costs involved. As the study finds that most students do not go beyond simple searches and the first page of results, regardless of the tool they are using, this suggests that discovery services do not substantially lessen the need for information literacy instruction, although it may provide some opportunity to redirect teaching time away from retrieval and towards higher-order skills such as evaluating information and critical thinking
Open Access Works are as Reliable as Other Publishing Models at Retracting Flawed Articles from the Biomedical Literature
No full textA Review of:
Peterson, G.M. (2013). Characteristics of retracted open access biomedical literature: a bibliographic analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. 64(12), 2428-2436. doi: 10.1002/asi.22944
Abstract
Objective – To investigate whether the rate of retracted articles and citation rates post-retraction in the biomedical literature are comparable across open access, free-to-access, or pay-to-access journals.
Design – Citation analysis.
Setting – Biomedical literature.
Subjects – 160 retracted papers published between 1st January 2001 and 31st December 2010.
Methods – For the retracted papers, 100 records were retrieved from the PubMed database and 100 records from the PubMed Central (PMC) open access subset. Records were selected at random, based on the PubMed identifier. Each article was assigned a number based on its accessibility using the specific criteria. Articles published in the PMC open access subset were assigned a 2; articles retrieved from PubMed that were freely accessible, but did not meet the criteria for open access were assigned a 1; and articles retrieved through PubMed which were pay-to-access were assigned a 0. This allowed articles to be grouped and compared by accessibility.
Citation information was collected primarily from the Science Citation Index. Articles for which no citation information was available, and those with a lifetime citation of 0 (or 1 where the citation came from the retraction statement) were excluded, leaving 160 articles for analysis. Information on the impact factor of the journals was retrieved and the analysis was performed twice; first with the entire set, and second after excluding articles published in journals with an impact factor of 10 or above (14% of the total). The average number of citations per month was used to compare citation rates, and the percentage change in citation rate pre- and post-retraction was calculated. Information was also collected on the time between the date the original article was published and the date of retraction, and the availability of information on the reason for the retraction.
Main results – The overall rate of retracted articles in the PMC open access subset compared with the wider PubMed dataset was similar (0.049% and 0.028% respectively). In the group with an accessibility rating of 0, the change in citation rate pre- and post-retraction was -41%. For the group with an accessibility rating of 1, the change was -47% and in those with a rating of 2, the change in citation rate was -59%. Removing articles published in high impact factor journals did not change the results significantly. Retractions were issued more slowly for free access papers compared with open or fee-based articles. The bibliographic records for open access articles disclosed details of the reason for the retraction more frequently than free, non-open papers (91% compared to 53%).
Conclusion – Open access literature is similar in its rate of retraction and the reduction in post-retraction citations to the rest of the biomedical literature, and is actually more reliable at reporting the reason for the retraction
Public Libraries Could Better Serve Older Adults by Having More Programming Specifically Directed Toward Them
No full textA Review of:
Bennett-Kapusniak, R. (2013). Older Adults and the Public Library: The Impact of the Boomer Generation. Public Library Quarterly, 32(3), 204-222. doi: 10.1080/01616846.2013.818814
Abstract
Objective – To determine whether programming at public libraries in the United States is aimed at older adults, and whether the programs help older adults maintain their health and well-being.
Design – Web site evaluation.
Setting – Public libraries in the United States of America.
Subjects – The main library of each public library system located in the capital city of each of the 50 states in the United States of America.
Methods – A scan of each of the web sites of the selected public library branches was performed by the author, to determine the number of programs specifically directed towards older adults.
Main Results – The scan of sites indicated that there was very little programming specifically aimed at older adults and their needs. Mainly, offerings for older adults took the form of mixing in with adults of all ages. Computer technology class offerings were particularly lacking. The majority of libraries had programs to teach how to access library resources and electronic media (although not necessarily aimed at older adults), programs for those who are less mobile, as well as some adaptive
technology for those with sensory disabilities. In addition, the majority of libraries had adult literacy programs, and active collaboration with community organizations.
Conclusions – Public libraries can do more to develop programs specifically for older adults. They should take into account the wide diversity of older adults’ information and other needs. In particular, they should consider offering programs that focus on technological skills, and also should offer assistive technology for older patrons. There also needs to be more research on the needs of older adults, from the perspective of the patrons themselves and that of library staff