Information literacy needs of undergraduates at the College of Health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka: a survey
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Abstract
Background: Information literacy skills are essential to today’s medical professionals for evidence-based medicine. The study determined Information Literacy (IL) skills and training needs of undergraduates at the College of Health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
Methods: The study adopted the descriptive survey design and used purposive sampling technique to select a sample of 268 students. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which was adapted from the Information Literacy Test Manual. Frequency distribution, percentages and mean were used to analyse data and results were presented in pie charts, graphs, and tables.
Results: Undergraduates at the College of Health Sciences have a moderate level of IL skills. EBSCOHost, PubMed and MEDLINE are the electronic information resource mostly used by the students. The students agreed to the use of search engines and library catalogue to access information resources and seek information assistance from Google, YouTube, the library and their mobile devices. Training is needed to improve research, database searching and accessing of clinical information by students.
Conclusion: Undergraduates at College of Health Sciences, Delta State University have moderate IL skills. They are unable to use most information access tools and are unable to use several reputable databases and electronic resources, thus, they need more IL training to improve their skills.
Recommendation: Among others, the study recommends that the University, leadership of the library, College Management and academics in the college work together to ensure the inclusion of IL instruction into the College curriculum so that the student can have quality knowledge on IL skills rather than the one-off library orientation program given to them as new intakes.
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References
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