INFLUENCE OF INFORMATION SEARCHING SKILLS AND USE OF ONLINE DATABASES ON RESEARCH OUTPUT OF POST GRADUATE STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTH WEST, NIGERIA

KAREEM, Abdulraheem Onivehu; A. O. Ahmed; Wilson Oserada

Authors

KAREEM, Abdulraheem Onivehu Library and Information Technology Department. Federal University of Technology, Minna Author
A. O. Ahmed Library and Information Technology Department. Federal University of Technology, Minna Author
Wilson Oserada University Library, Nasarawa State University, Keffi Author

Keywords:

Computer Self-Efficacy, Information Searching Skills, Online database, Postgraduate Students, Research Output, Self-efficacy

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of Information Searching Skills and the Use of Online Database on Research Output of Postgraduate Students in Universities in South-West, Nigeria. The study is guide by 3 objectives and three corresponding research questions. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The target population of the study was 28,454 postgraduate students in two universities in South West Nigeria. The sample size of the population was 752 using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size table for determining the sample size of a population. Questionnaire was the only instrument used for data collection. Descriptive statistical tools (frequency counts, mean and standard deviation) were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study indicated that postgraduate students can access online databases from the university website. The study concluded that there would not be effective use of online databases for research output of postgraduate students in universities in South-West, Nigeria. The study recommended among others that postgraduate students should be exposed to more sensitization and training through seminar, symposium, and workshop which will impart knowledge and skills in accessing EIRs through the use of proper keywords and other information retrieval methods.