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Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Nicholas Urquhart, Juliann Sergi McBrayer, Cordelia Zinskie and Richard Cleveland

This research examine participation in a dual enrollment program and a student's race and socioeconomic status. In addition to examining the college retention and graduation rates…

Abstract

Purpose

This research examine participation in a dual enrollment program and a student's race and socioeconomic status. In addition to examining the college retention and graduation rates (student success) of dual and non-dual enrolled students, this study looked at potential race and socioeconomic disparities.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative ex post facto research design using logistic regression was used to analyze data from the University System of Georgia (N = 28,664) to determine the relationships between participation in a dual enrollment program, students' race and socioeconomic status and their retention and graduation.

Findings

Findings from this quantitative study indicated that the predictor variables dual enrollment participation, race and socioeconomic status were significant in predicting retention and graduation outcomes.

Originality/value

This study adds to existing research indicating that students from different races and socioeconomic statuses, who participated in a high school dual enrollment program, are being retained beyond the first year in college and graduating at higher rates than non-dual enrolled students.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 March 2015

Idunn Bøyum and Svanhild Aabø

– The purpose of this paper was to investigate how PhD students discover, choose and use information and literature for their research.

1728

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to investigate how PhD students discover, choose and use information and literature for their research.

Design/methodology/approach

Eight PhD students at the Norwegian Business School (BI) were interviewed. The interviews were based on a phenomenological approach.

Findings

The use of both library databases and Google Scholar is frequent and contextual. The informants ranked the library databases as more useful than Google Scholar. Methods for keeping up to date varied and were contextual. Although formal information seeking in library databases was seen as more academic than the tracking of references, this latter method was more widespread. Students felt they mastered the tools associated with formal information seeking, which constituted a continuous activity in their research practices. Wilson’s (1983) theory on cognitive authority may give a better understanding of the findings.

Practical implications

Acquiring knowledge about the information practices of PhD students in a specific discipline will help libraries to improve their services and acquire relevant resources for their users.

Originality/value

This paper examines PhD students’ ranking of information resources, identifies preferred methods for keeping up to date and reveals in which contexts the informants use either formal or social information-seeking practices.

Details

New Library World, vol. 116 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4803

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Looking for Information
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-424-6

Content available
Book part
Publication date: 30 June 2023

Lisa M. Given, Donald O. Case and Rebekah Willson

Abstract

Details

Looking for Information
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-424-6

Article
Publication date: 16 January 2009

David Nicholas, Paul Huntington, Hamid R. Jamali, Ian Rowlands and Maggie Fieldhouse

This study provides evidence on the actual information‐seeking behaviour of students in a digital scholarly environment, not what they thought they did. It also compares student…

8913

Abstract

Purpose

This study provides evidence on the actual information‐seeking behaviour of students in a digital scholarly environment, not what they thought they did. It also compares student information‐seeking behaviour with that of other academic communities, and, in some cases, for practitioners.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were gathered as part of CIBER's ongoing Virtual Scholar programme. In particular log data from two digital journals libraries, Blackwell Synergy and OhioLINK, and one e‐book collection (Oxford Scholarship Online) are utilized.

Findings

The study showed a distinctive form of information‐seeking behaviour associated with students and differences between them and other members of the academic community. For example, students constituted the biggest users in terms of sessions and pages viewed, and they were more likely to undertake longer online sessions. Undergraduates and postgraduates were the most likely users of library links to access scholarly databases, suggesting an important “hot link” role for libraries.

Originality/value

Few studies have focused on the actual (rather than perceived) information‐seeking behaviour of students. The study fills that gap.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 65 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 January 2010

Christine Urquhart and Alison Yeoman

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there is a need to consider gender or sex differences as variables in information behaviour research and, if so, how?

4765

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there is a need to consider gender or sex differences as variables in information behaviour research and, if so, how?

Design/methodology/approach

A metasynthesis approach is used. A preliminary framework to categorise information behaviour research on women is developed by integrating main themes from feminist research and information behaviour research. Within each category, studies are compared and contrasted, to identify similar and divergent themes. Themes are then compared across categories, to synthesise the main concepts.

Findings

The categorisation works for most studies, apart from a group of studies on health information use, communicating risk and decision making. The meta‐synthesis indicates the importance of concepts such as situation (as mesh), intermediaries (as node with connections), and connecting behaviour. Gender‐related or, rather gender‐ascribed, constructs, such as concern for others, not gender alone are likely to be important variables in information behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

The meta‐synthesis is a top‐level synthesis, as the number of studies prohibited a more detailed approach. Further meta‐synthesis of a few high quality research studies would help to confirm the findings.

Practical implications

The synthesis illuminates a different perspective on information behaviour: the network of information users rather than the individual information seeker.

Originality/value

The synthesis integrates some feminist research themes with information behaviour research, and the findings have implications for general information behaviour research.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 66 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2012

Nujoud Al‐Muomen, Anne Morris and Sally Maynard

This paper seeks to report the results of research conducted to model the information‐seeking behaviour of graduate students at Kuwait University and the factors influencing that…

5314

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to report the results of research conducted to model the information‐seeking behaviour of graduate students at Kuwait University and the factors influencing that behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employed a number of different approaches: a questionnaire survey to 800 graduate students studying at Kuwait University; a questionnaire survey to 180 academics at the university; semi‐structured interviews with eight academics; face‐to‐face and online interviews with 11 university library staff, four focus groups with 24 students and three focus groups with ten faculty staff.

Findings

Significant factors influencing students' information‐seeking behaviour were found to be related to library awareness, information literacy, organisational and environmental issues, source characteristics, and demographics (specifically gender and nationality).

Research limitations/implications

The research focused on graduate students at a Kuwait University which is affiliated to the government sector, however, the information seeking model is more widely applicable, particularly to other developing countries.

Originality/value

Proposed is an information‐seeking model that extended two other relevant and influential models of information‐seeking behaviour. The extended model shows promise for its intended utility in identifying factors that influence the information behaviour of graduate students.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 68 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 September 2014

Jamshid Beheshti, Mohammed J. AlGhamdi, Charles Cole, Dhary Abuhimed and Isabelle Lamoureux

The chapter describes a four-year research project, the objective of which was to design and develop an intervention tool to assist middle school students in their information…

Abstract

Purpose

The chapter describes a four-year research project, the objective of which was to design and develop an intervention tool to assist middle school students in their information seeking when engaged in an inquiry-based learning project.

Methodology/approach

Bonded design method was used to design a proof-of-concept (POC) low-tech Guide, and focus group and Informant Design methods were utilized to develop a Web Guide.

Findings

In creating an intervention tool, whether low-tech paper-based or high-tech websites, different methodologies that relied heavily on the participation of students in the design process were successfully utilized.

Practical implications

The research shows that participation of children and adolescents in designing the content of technology for educational use is imperative.

Originality/value

This is a long-term research project, which is unparalleled and unique in its scope, duration, breadth, and depth. Having access to the grade eight classes in a single school over a four-year period has proven to be a remarkable research opportunity, seldom reported in the literature.

Details

New Directions in Children’s and Adolescents’ Information Behavior Research
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-814-3

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 1974

UP AT BOSTON SPA they've decided to try to change the colloquial abbreviation used for ‘The British Library, Lending Division’ from the current ‘BLL’—which Donald Urquhart

Abstract

UP AT BOSTON SPA they've decided to try to change the colloquial abbreviation used for ‘The British Library, Lending Division’ from the current ‘BLL’—which Donald Urquhart promoted because it tied up with the former NLL—since they find that ‘outsiders, and even on occasion insiders’, writes Press Officer Denys Parsons, think it means ‘British Lending Library’.

Details

New Library World, vol. 75 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4803

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2013

Ina Fourie

The purpose of this contribution is to set the scenario for pursuing options to find a balance between information communication technology (ICT), information retrieval systems…

918

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this contribution is to set the scenario for pursuing options to find a balance between information communication technology (ICT), information retrieval systems (IRS) such as databases, library catalogues, repositories, Google Scholar, digital libraries, portals, search engines and the users of these systems. Whose needs are served: the real users' with contemporary needs or the perceived users and their research tasks whom we intensely studied in the early years of databases and computerised information services?

Design/methodology/approach

The contribution is written against the background of research from information retrieval and information behaviour.

Findings

Although developments in ICT open a wealth of opportunities to study and serve the needs of a wide spectrum of information users, IRS are often on the surface level still very traditional in the needs they service: analytical information seeking according to planned search strategies, browsing, monitoring trends and changes through alerting services and RSS, and encouragement and support for authors to publish. Some are offering a bit more, but little aimed at the under-graduate soon to enter professional workplace.

Originality/value

Although there are many publications on databases and other IRS and their users, and numerous ones on information behaviour I am not aware of other reports on the latest services aimed at specific user groups, and which focus on the need to consider the totality of their work and everyday life worlds.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. 31 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

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