Information Literacy Behaviors of Srinakharinwirot University Students

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study information literacy behaviors of undergraduate students of Srinakharinwirot University. A sample group of 375 students was drawn from the second-year, third-year, and fourth-year students who enrolled in the first semester of academic year 2010. The research tool used was the questionnaire developed by the Project Information Literacy, University of Washington, USA. Statistics used for data analysis was percentages.

          Research findings were presented on two topics: information literacy behaviors for course-related research assignments, and information literacy behaviors for everyday life research. Information literacy behaviors for course-related research assignments, research findings showed that

1. The five main types of assignments that were given to students included oral

presentation and an accompanying paper, oral presentation, papers that present a proposed

study, papers that present an argument about an issue, and multimedia product that requires research. The resources that most students almost always consulted were search engines and librarians. Students often considered how current the source through the library use o the World Wide Web. The majority of students often asked their instructors and classmates for assistance in evaluating course-related sources. The top five research practices used often by students were to develop an outline, to develop an overall research plan to guide research, to figure out search terms to use, to come up with a thesis statement early on, and to use a system for organizing the research sources found along the way. The productivity tools used by the majority of students were voice over internet protocol and document sharing programs. What students considered the most important when they were working on a course-related research paper were passing the course, and getting the paper finished. Moreover, what students considered difficult about the entire research process were narrowing down the research topic, defining a topic, and getting started on the assignment.

1. Information literacy behaviors for everyday life research, findings showed that the top five topics students had carried out for everyday life research included news/ current events, something related to jobs, travel information, health/wellness issue, and purchasing something. Students often consulted search engines during their everyday life research process. They often considered how current the source was. The majority of students often asked their instructors and classmates for assistance in evaluating sources for everyday life research. Moreover, what some students found most difficult were defining what they need, figuring out where to find sources, finding sources to use çout on the webé, finding articles in the research databases on the libraryûs website, coming up with search terms, and reading through materials.

          These behaviors show that students did not have adequate information literacy skills that would enable them to do course-related research assignments and everyday life research effectively. The findings imply that collaboration between university administrators, teaching faculty, librarians, and other stakeholders is essential in improving and promoting students information literacy competencies.