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Research information encountering and keeping behaviour of post-graduate students of social sciences in an online environment

Purpose

Literature divides information behaviours into two forms: first, interacting information with a purpose in mind and second, encountering accidently in three environments including person to person, analogue and online environment. However, the unique information encountering and encountered information keeping behaviour of social sciences research students of Asian culture in an online environment remained unexplored. Therefore, the present study is designed to investigate the research information encountering and encountered information keeping behaviour of the students of social sciences in an online environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The quantitative approach and survey technique were used for the study. The research students were approached using a multi-stage total population sampling technique. In total, 233 returned questionnaires were entered and analysed in SPSS (version 22). Descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistical techniques (t-tests, one-way ANOVA, effect sizes, correlations and regression) were applied to meet the objectives of the study.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that the respondents whether male or female, of MPhil or PhD, whichever frequency to use the Internet, often encounter research information. However, those who use the Internet for general browsing encounter more than those who purposively. This makes a change to the model of information encountering that the users encounter information while generally browsing and not only while actively working on foreground information searching. Moreover, the research students prefer to use simple tools on complex software based for keeping the encountered research information. The information if kept properly for use, may be useful in the course of research, ease its tasks and result in increasing the speed of research productivity.

Practical implications

The present study has theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically first, it fills the literature gap regarding research information encountering and its keeping and second, it came up with a proof that the researcher not only encounter research information while foreground information searching but while generally browsing also. Hence, information encountering model is equally applicable to research students who generally browse. Regarding practical implications, the study identifies that the research students prefer to keep using simple tools. Hence, information literacy instructors, either librarians or continuous education program designers are advised to incorporate instructional programs on the use of complex software-based tools for keeping information.

Originality/value

This is the first study in non-Western countries which investigated the research information encountering behaviour of social sciences MPhil and PhD students. The preferred tools to keep the encountered research information are first time identified in the literature.

Personal knowledge and information management – conception and exemplification

Personal knowledge and information management (PKIM) as an integrated approach of three concepts – personal knowledge management, personal information management and information literacy – is an appropriate and comprehensive approach to these issues with overlapping and supplementary areas of interests. The theoretical basis and results of pioneering empirical studies in the PKIM field, carried out in an academic environment, are presented in this exploratory study. The development and validation of the PKIM scale are characterized. An analysis of the subject literature, discussions with experts and students, and statistical methods used in creation of the PKIM scale, which is an original instrument for measuring a self-assessment of knowledge and information skills of students, are reported. The PKIM self-assessment of Polish students of information science majors and related specializations was high, but not as high as expected. Master’s students reported higher level of PKIM self-assessment than Bachelor’s students.

Collaboration and personal information management (PIM)

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the potential of personal information management (PIM) and reference management. The contribution focuses on collaboration: the issues that need to be addressed in planning, the human component in collaborative information seeking, and issues for research by librarians.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is written against the background of research from information behaviour, PIM, collaborative information seeking and collaborative work.

Findings

There is growing emphasis on collaboration in information seeking, learning and work. PIM and reference management practices and their supporting software can greatly support this. There are, however, many planning/conceptual issues as well as the human component to recon with.

Originality/value

Although much has been published on developments in PIM and reference management, there is limited coverage of collaboration and PIM and reference management.