Scientists and information work: the careers of the 1979-1985 MSc graduates from the Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield

This paper reports the results of a postal survey (91% response) of students from the Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield who were awarded the MSc in Information Studies between 1979 and 1985, inclusive. Re spondents were asked about their careers and to evaluate the MSc programme. A high proportion (49% if only UK students are included or 44% if overseas students are also included) of the graduates entered industry and commerce as their first destination and only 1% of UK students were 'unknown, unemployed or in temporary employment' (2% if overseas students are included). First posts were likely to be 'tradi tional' information posts but a substantial proportion of subse quent posts were in less traditional areas of employment (the emerging market). 31% were working in less traditional areas (predominantly information technology) at the time of the survey. 93% of all current UK posts held by these graduates involve computer applications. The survey results show that these science graduates are not typical products of the UK library/information studies schools but are like other science graduates who took advanced courses supported by the Science and Engineering Research Council. The evaluation showed that there was a good degree of satisfaction with the present programme and confirmed the need to continue developing the practical computer applications aspects.

The foreign language barrier: a study among pharmaceutical research workers

A survey of attitudes amongst a group of research workers in the UK pharmaceutical industry towards non-English material, and their various ways of dealing with it, is descnbed. It is concluded that there is indeed a 'language barrier', leading to underuse of this material, that this underuse is to some extent realised, but that there is an overall lack of appreciation of the value of information lost as a result. Japanese material is particularly important, and poses especial difficulties: the same situation may anse with Chinese in the future. Some practical approaches to these problems are outlined (22 references)