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Mrs Khatoon Vakili,
Volume 9, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Volume 9, Issue 1 (5-2022)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The aim was to investigate the effect of membership in social networks and mental rumination on cognitive flexibility of female law students at Islamic Azad University of Ghaemshahr.
Method: The research method was correlational. Sample of 70 law students randomly selected by Krejcie Morgan. Instruments used were: 1. A questionnaire to study the effects of membership in social networks and; 2. Cognitive flexibility questionnaire (Taghizadeh and Nikkhah) and mental rumination scale questionnaire (Taghizadeh).
Results: Results showed that the intensity of the effect of membership in social networks (24.5%) was higher than the intensity of the effect of mental rumination (12.8%). The intensity of the effect could also be seen for all three subscales of the two variables. The results of structural equations to reject or confirm the hypotheses had shown that both variables of membership in social networks (P = 0.001 and β = 0.526) and rumination (P = 0.002 and (β = -0.379) on flexibility Cognitive have had a significant effect that giving the value of the path coefficient could be said that membership in social networks has a positive effect and mental rumination has a negative effect.
Conclusion: Membership in social networks has had far greater and more destructive effects than mental rumination on students' cognitive flexibility, and it could be said that both the variables of membership in social networks and mental rumination have affected cognitive flexibility.
Method: The research method was correlational. Sample of 70 law students randomly selected by Krejcie Morgan. Instruments used were: 1. A questionnaire to study the effects of membership in social networks and; 2. Cognitive flexibility questionnaire (Taghizadeh and Nikkhah) and mental rumination scale questionnaire (Taghizadeh).
Results: Results showed that the intensity of the effect of membership in social networks (24.5%) was higher than the intensity of the effect of mental rumination (12.8%). The intensity of the effect could also be seen for all three subscales of the two variables. The results of structural equations to reject or confirm the hypotheses had shown that both variables of membership in social networks (P = 0.001 and β = 0.526) and rumination (P = 0.002 and (β = -0.379) on flexibility Cognitive have had a significant effect that giving the value of the path coefficient could be said that membership in social networks has a positive effect and mental rumination has a negative effect.
Conclusion: Membership in social networks has had far greater and more destructive effects than mental rumination on students' cognitive flexibility, and it could be said that both the variables of membership in social networks and mental rumination have affected cognitive flexibility.
Dr Mohammad Reza Shekari, Dr Mohammad Hassan Zadeh,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (1-2023)
Volume 9, Issue 4 (1-2023)
Abstract
Introduction: A thorough understanding of the drivers and inhabitants to the study can provide the basis for effective planning to improve the study. The aim of this study was to investigate the driving and inhibitory factors affecting the tendency of Iranian knowledge and information science PhD students towards study.
Methods: This research was conducted with a qualitative approach and using content analysis method. The data collection tool was an in-depth semi-structured interview. The interviews were conducted through face-to-face visits, telephone calls, e-mails, sending and receiving audio files and conversations on social media. PhD students in knowledge and information science at state universities, Payame-Nour Universities, and Islamic Azad Universities form the research community, and 33 people were selected as the research sample using targeted sampling.
Results: The results show that four factors of "professor", "compulsion", "personal promotion" and "interest" were the driving factors among doctoral students and seven factors were "professor", "family". "Access problems", "ambiguous future", "problems and weaknesses of the educational system", "growth of the spirit of need to study" and "non-participation in teaching" have been identified as deterrents factors.
Conclusion: The drivers and inhabitants of the study are very intertwined and interrelated. Some of these factors affect others and are in some way the cause and effect of each other. To strengthen effective factors and reduce barriers to study, it requires more effort from professors and programmers at the macro level, libraries and librarians, politicians, and more effort and planning from doctoral students themselves. It is necessary for the education system and the education system in universities to get out of the monolithic system and to be the speaker of unity. In this way, students are less likely to study and research until there are fundamental changes in teaching methods and curriculum content in the education system. For the first time, this study examines the most important factors and barriers to the advancement of PhD students in information science, and the results provide qualitative factors for the context of the research community. And it can be used in planning and policy making for the doctoral program of the field. Since no research has been done in this field so far, the present study can be considered as a new research in this field.
Zahra Poorpir, Mohammadreza Kiyani, Mohammad Ali Rostaminegad, Seyyed Ebrahim Hosseini Zargaz,
Volume 10, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Volume 10, Issue 2 (9-2023)
Abstract
Introduction and Objective: Covid-19 is an infectious respiratory disease that, like other infectious diseases, has affected people's health. As an important source for obtaining health information, social media have made a major contribution in meeting the need for information about Covid-19. The role of people's health information-seeking behavior is important in disease management and control, and it has an impact on the health of the society in the future.
Methodology: This research was practical and survey type. Statistical population, all students were studying at Birjand University at the time of the study. Sampling was done based on proportional classification random sampling (370 people). The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was measured by using the opinions of experts and experts in information science, epistemology and medical sciences, and its reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha (0.897).
Findings: The findings of the research showed that students used more search engines, foreign social networks and news media to get information about Covid-19 than reliable sources such as official specialized medical websites. Telegram and Instagram were the most used. They paid more attention to news related to covid-19 and preventive behaviors than getting information about treatment methods. The amount of negative and positive consequences of obtaining information about this disease on students was less than expected and among the components of information-seeking behavior, they paid the least attention to information sharing. In the field of aspects related to Covid-19, they paid the most attention to the educational aspect and the least attention to the political aspect.
Conclusion: Information and realizing its value and importance in human life today, leads to the concern of how to access the required information from among the multitude of available information. Information-seeking behavior follows the need for information, which includes activities such as information search, search tools, the type of information sought, search problems, and factors affecting it. Since the need for health information due to the spread of the Covid-19 disease creates concerns. Therefore, it leads to health information-seeking behavior, which includes actions related to searching and finding health-related problems, information about diseases, risk factors, and health promotion (Jalilian et al., 2021). In the course of searching for information, a person may use a manual information system or a computer-based system (Wilson, 2000).
Social media, as a platform that provides a lot of information, including health-related information, has been distinguished from other information systems due to components such as quick and easy access, interactive and comprehensible, and convenience. In the process of health information seeking behavior, the role of social media as a tool for searching for information and its effect on people's behavior is important (Liu, 2020). The types of information about which the search helps to meet the need for information and curiosities in the midst of this pandemic, information such as news related to Covid-19 (the number of patients and deaths), preventive behaviors (washing hands regularly, wearing masks) , vaccination, etc.) and various medical methods and related drugs.
Covid-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the corona virus and spread in late 2019. The Corona pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization as a public health emergency (Jalilian et al., 2021). This epidemic prompted scientists in different disciplines to investigate various issues arising from this phenomenon (Shehata, 2020). Access to health information is essential for any country and this is more important in developing countries where health challenges are more (Ankama et al., 2021). Progress in the prevention of Covid-19 is partially dependent on understanding the process of health information seeking behavior and its tools. To promote effective health knowledge, behavior change must be done at the individual level, and health messages must be accurate, transparent, and comprehensible. Also, be available and appropriate to the cultural environment of the society (Jalilian et al., 2021). Due to the epidemic nature of this disease and its unexpected consequences, the role of people and their information behaviors in fighting and controlling this disease is very important (Ostadi, 2019).
The main variables of the research included: the amount of use of each type of social media, the amount of use of each type of social network, the types of information obtained, the amount of negative and positive consequences of obtaining information about Covid-19, the amount of each From health information seeking behaviors and aspects related to covid 19.
To carry out the research, the researcher-made questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. This questionnaire was compiled in two parts based on the objectives and questions of the research. The first part includes questions related to the objectives of the research, and in the second part, three questions are asked about the personal characteristics of the respondents.
This questionnaire had 42 items and was measured in 7 variables, which are: social media (items 1-9), social networks (items 10-16), types of information obtained (item 17-21), negative consequences of information acquisition (items 22-26), positive consequences of information acquisition (items 27-33), types of health information-seeking behavior (items 34-37) and related dimensions with covid 19 (items 42-38). The mentioned questionnaire was distributed among the statistical population after checking and testing the validity and reliability. In this research, in order to measure the content validity of the questionnaire, the questions of the questionnaire were prepared by studying and reviewing related study sources, and then using the opinions of experts and experts in information science, philology, and medical sciences, they were reviewed and modified.
Out of a total of 224 respondents, that is, 58% of the people were women and 162 of them, equal to 42%, were men. Students in the study field of humanities with 167 people (43%) have the highest frequency among the respondents. After that, engineering science group with 112 people (29 percent), basic science group with 63 people (16 percent) and agricultural science group with 44 people (12 percent) respectively.
The number of respondents in the undergraduate level was the highest with 319 people (83 percent), as well as 47 people (12 percent) in the master's degree and 20 people (5 percent) in the doctoral level.
In the social media variable, the results showed that the average amount of social media use was generally lower than average. In the components of official medical websites, doctors' websites, unofficial websites, internal social networks, Wikipedia and encyclopedias, discussion groups and forums are also less than It was average. According to Zhang and Zhao (2017) and Haider et al. (2009), concern about the quality of information reduces the amount of social media use and consumer participation.
In the variable of social networks, the findings show that the average amount of use of the variable of social networks was generally lower than the average. Due to the filtering of YouTube, Twitter, and Clubhouse platforms, their use was quite logically lower than average. In the components of the Telegram and Instagram platforms, the average amount of use was more than average. The researchers' field observations of the users' use of these networks are consistent with the obtained results, as a result, the use of social networks due to their accessibility and the widely used role of mobile phone technology today is a source of information dissemination and information acquisition. Since the specialized information on websites and official sources is valuable, it is necessary to pay attention to the reason why they are not given much attention, and it should be carefully rooted and investigated.
The search rate of Birjand University students regarding each type of health information about Covid-19, the research indicates that, in general, the search rate in the variable of types of information about Covid-19 was equal to the average. But in the components of news related to Covid-19, preventive behaviors were more than average. Since the purpose of searching users during the Covid-19 pandemic was to deal with the said disease; Therefore, the results refer to the consumption of health information related to the news of Covid-19 and various preventive behaviors, because obtaining health information about each of the information related to Covid-19 is important in the process of managing and controlling this disease.
The rate of negative consequences of acquiring information about Covid-19 was below average. Also, in all components of worry, anxiety, lack of trust in information, confusion and confusion, and cognitive avoidance were also below the average level. What causes worry and anxiety in people is often lack of awareness and lack of ability to manage a crisis. In Nakheizadeh's new research (2019), the level of anxiety caused by covid-19 was high, as Nakheizadeh's study shows, his research is related to the early period of the corona epidemic. What is remarkable at the beginning of the matter, with the indiscriminate spread and the lack of sufficient and correct information about this disease, as well as the lack of a related vaccine, the influx of this amount of anxiety and worry among people can be considered normal. Moreover, the data of the current research was collected after about two years of the corona virus, when the students were in the approximate routine of life before the corona virus, right at the same time as face-to-face education in the university, and this change in the results can be completely logically explained. Justified. Also, the study of Bigdali et al. (2013) also expressed the positive view of users towards health information on the web. Montsi (2020) also stated that even receiving fake information does not affect people's physical or mental health, and its results are completely intangible, which can be roughly generalized to the results of this research and considered consistent.
In the variable of positive outcomes of acquiring information about Covid-19, it was below average. Also, in the components of the ability to recognize the need for information, search skills, the spirit of cooperation and information sharing, and the promotion of critical thinking, it was also below average. Also, in the components of knowledge of information sources and ability to evaluate information sources, it was equal to the average level. As a result, considering that in some components of the skill of recognizing the need for information and the ability to evaluate information sources, their average score was equal to the average level, which indicates that their health literacy is average; Because the results are consistent with the acquisition of their health information sources (social networks), so it is in line with the results of Apok and Ellis.
The average rate of performing various types of information-seeking behavior about Covid-19 was higher than average. Also, in the components of information search, identifying the need for information and changing health and treatment behavior, seeking more information was more than average. In the information sharing component, the average score of this component was equal to the average; Considering that the sources of obtaining health information about this disease are basically the media and social networks. What emerges from the evidence is that following a crisis or problem related to health and feeling the need for related information, people start searching for related sources and if it is noticeable, their health information seeking behavior is an increasing trend. has it. Therefore, the present study is consistent with all previous studies.
The results of the present study show that the average of information acquisition in the variable of information dimensions related to Covid-19 was higher than the average and also in all components, including dimensions related to health, economic, political, social and educational, the average score was higher. It was average. In other words, the findings show the students' concerns about each of the dimensions related to economy, health, politics, social justice, and especially about education and concerns about holding classes, not having the necessary infrastructure in an optimal way. In some people, lack of concentration and anxiety is caused by the situation.
The findings showed that the most sources of obtaining health information for students of Birjand University are search engines, foreign social networks and news media, and they paid less attention to reliable media such as official specialized medical websites. Also, the results point to the important and prominent role of Telegram and Instagram platforms. In addition, what the studied community sought to obtain information about covid-19 was mostly preventive behaviors and news related to covid-19 rather than its treatment methods. Also, the results showed that the health information-seeking behavior of Birjand University students has generally increased during this pandemic; But they have done the behavior of sharing information related to Covid less. Meanwhile, the role of dimensions related to Covid-19, including dimensions related to health, economic, political, social and educational, and obtaining information about each of these dimensions was of great importance for students, and the most important aspect for them was the educational dimension. .
The results showed that women used reliable sources such as official specialized medical websites and news media compared to men, and men used social networks (Telegram, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube) and search engines to get information about Covid. 19 have used. The influence of the role of gender showed that women are more interested in obtaining all kinds of information about this disease, and also paid more attention to the negative consequences of women; After creating negative consequences in women, they sought to obtain information about preventive behaviors. Because a significant relationship has been established between negative consequences and preventive behaviors in past studies. In addition, the role of gender had no effect on the positive outcomes and dimensions related to Covid-19, except for the economic dimension component. The field of study and level of study did not make a significant difference in the research variables. Based on this, it is suggested to hold training courses to improve the quality and awareness of health information literacy in social networks and news media for students of different levels. Also, policy makers and decision makers should pay more attention to providing authentic information on social media for the audience. Social networks and internal messengers should be adapted in the field of providing health information. Future researches can examine the subject of study in other societies and use different research methods to collect data or analyze findings.
Methodology: This research was practical and survey type. Statistical population, all students were studying at Birjand University at the time of the study. Sampling was done based on proportional classification random sampling (370 people). The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was measured by using the opinions of experts and experts in information science, epistemology and medical sciences, and its reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha (0.897).
Findings: The findings of the research showed that students used more search engines, foreign social networks and news media to get information about Covid-19 than reliable sources such as official specialized medical websites. Telegram and Instagram were the most used. They paid more attention to news related to covid-19 and preventive behaviors than getting information about treatment methods. The amount of negative and positive consequences of obtaining information about this disease on students was less than expected and among the components of information-seeking behavior, they paid the least attention to information sharing. In the field of aspects related to Covid-19, they paid the most attention to the educational aspect and the least attention to the political aspect.
Conclusion: Information and realizing its value and importance in human life today, leads to the concern of how to access the required information from among the multitude of available information. Information-seeking behavior follows the need for information, which includes activities such as information search, search tools, the type of information sought, search problems, and factors affecting it. Since the need for health information due to the spread of the Covid-19 disease creates concerns. Therefore, it leads to health information-seeking behavior, which includes actions related to searching and finding health-related problems, information about diseases, risk factors, and health promotion (Jalilian et al., 2021). In the course of searching for information, a person may use a manual information system or a computer-based system (Wilson, 2000).
Social media, as a platform that provides a lot of information, including health-related information, has been distinguished from other information systems due to components such as quick and easy access, interactive and comprehensible, and convenience. In the process of health information seeking behavior, the role of social media as a tool for searching for information and its effect on people's behavior is important (Liu, 2020). The types of information about which the search helps to meet the need for information and curiosities in the midst of this pandemic, information such as news related to Covid-19 (the number of patients and deaths), preventive behaviors (washing hands regularly, wearing masks) , vaccination, etc.) and various medical methods and related drugs.
Covid-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the corona virus and spread in late 2019. The Corona pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization as a public health emergency (Jalilian et al., 2021). This epidemic prompted scientists in different disciplines to investigate various issues arising from this phenomenon (Shehata, 2020). Access to health information is essential for any country and this is more important in developing countries where health challenges are more (Ankama et al., 2021). Progress in the prevention of Covid-19 is partially dependent on understanding the process of health information seeking behavior and its tools. To promote effective health knowledge, behavior change must be done at the individual level, and health messages must be accurate, transparent, and comprehensible. Also, be available and appropriate to the cultural environment of the society (Jalilian et al., 2021). Due to the epidemic nature of this disease and its unexpected consequences, the role of people and their information behaviors in fighting and controlling this disease is very important (Ostadi, 2019).
The main variables of the research included: the amount of use of each type of social media, the amount of use of each type of social network, the types of information obtained, the amount of negative and positive consequences of obtaining information about Covid-19, the amount of each From health information seeking behaviors and aspects related to covid 19.
To carry out the research, the researcher-made questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. This questionnaire was compiled in two parts based on the objectives and questions of the research. The first part includes questions related to the objectives of the research, and in the second part, three questions are asked about the personal characteristics of the respondents.
This questionnaire had 42 items and was measured in 7 variables, which are: social media (items 1-9), social networks (items 10-16), types of information obtained (item 17-21), negative consequences of information acquisition (items 22-26), positive consequences of information acquisition (items 27-33), types of health information-seeking behavior (items 34-37) and related dimensions with covid 19 (items 42-38). The mentioned questionnaire was distributed among the statistical population after checking and testing the validity and reliability. In this research, in order to measure the content validity of the questionnaire, the questions of the questionnaire were prepared by studying and reviewing related study sources, and then using the opinions of experts and experts in information science, philology, and medical sciences, they were reviewed and modified.
Out of a total of 224 respondents, that is, 58% of the people were women and 162 of them, equal to 42%, were men. Students in the study field of humanities with 167 people (43%) have the highest frequency among the respondents. After that, engineering science group with 112 people (29 percent), basic science group with 63 people (16 percent) and agricultural science group with 44 people (12 percent) respectively.
The number of respondents in the undergraduate level was the highest with 319 people (83 percent), as well as 47 people (12 percent) in the master's degree and 20 people (5 percent) in the doctoral level.
In the social media variable, the results showed that the average amount of social media use was generally lower than average. In the components of official medical websites, doctors' websites, unofficial websites, internal social networks, Wikipedia and encyclopedias, discussion groups and forums are also less than It was average. According to Zhang and Zhao (2017) and Haider et al. (2009), concern about the quality of information reduces the amount of social media use and consumer participation.
In the variable of social networks, the findings show that the average amount of use of the variable of social networks was generally lower than the average. Due to the filtering of YouTube, Twitter, and Clubhouse platforms, their use was quite logically lower than average. In the components of the Telegram and Instagram platforms, the average amount of use was more than average. The researchers' field observations of the users' use of these networks are consistent with the obtained results, as a result, the use of social networks due to their accessibility and the widely used role of mobile phone technology today is a source of information dissemination and information acquisition. Since the specialized information on websites and official sources is valuable, it is necessary to pay attention to the reason why they are not given much attention, and it should be carefully rooted and investigated.
The search rate of Birjand University students regarding each type of health information about Covid-19, the research indicates that, in general, the search rate in the variable of types of information about Covid-19 was equal to the average. But in the components of news related to Covid-19, preventive behaviors were more than average. Since the purpose of searching users during the Covid-19 pandemic was to deal with the said disease; Therefore, the results refer to the consumption of health information related to the news of Covid-19 and various preventive behaviors, because obtaining health information about each of the information related to Covid-19 is important in the process of managing and controlling this disease.
The rate of negative consequences of acquiring information about Covid-19 was below average. Also, in all components of worry, anxiety, lack of trust in information, confusion and confusion, and cognitive avoidance were also below the average level. What causes worry and anxiety in people is often lack of awareness and lack of ability to manage a crisis. In Nakheizadeh's new research (2019), the level of anxiety caused by covid-19 was high, as Nakheizadeh's study shows, his research is related to the early period of the corona epidemic. What is remarkable at the beginning of the matter, with the indiscriminate spread and the lack of sufficient and correct information about this disease, as well as the lack of a related vaccine, the influx of this amount of anxiety and worry among people can be considered normal. Moreover, the data of the current research was collected after about two years of the corona virus, when the students were in the approximate routine of life before the corona virus, right at the same time as face-to-face education in the university, and this change in the results can be completely logically explained. Justified. Also, the study of Bigdali et al. (2013) also expressed the positive view of users towards health information on the web. Montsi (2020) also stated that even receiving fake information does not affect people's physical or mental health, and its results are completely intangible, which can be roughly generalized to the results of this research and considered consistent.
In the variable of positive outcomes of acquiring information about Covid-19, it was below average. Also, in the components of the ability to recognize the need for information, search skills, the spirit of cooperation and information sharing, and the promotion of critical thinking, it was also below average. Also, in the components of knowledge of information sources and ability to evaluate information sources, it was equal to the average level. As a result, considering that in some components of the skill of recognizing the need for information and the ability to evaluate information sources, their average score was equal to the average level, which indicates that their health literacy is average; Because the results are consistent with the acquisition of their health information sources (social networks), so it is in line with the results of Apok and Ellis.
The average rate of performing various types of information-seeking behavior about Covid-19 was higher than average. Also, in the components of information search, identifying the need for information and changing health and treatment behavior, seeking more information was more than average. In the information sharing component, the average score of this component was equal to the average; Considering that the sources of obtaining health information about this disease are basically the media and social networks. What emerges from the evidence is that following a crisis or problem related to health and feeling the need for related information, people start searching for related sources and if it is noticeable, their health information seeking behavior is an increasing trend. has it. Therefore, the present study is consistent with all previous studies.
The results of the present study show that the average of information acquisition in the variable of information dimensions related to Covid-19 was higher than the average and also in all components, including dimensions related to health, economic, political, social and educational, the average score was higher. It was average. In other words, the findings show the students' concerns about each of the dimensions related to economy, health, politics, social justice, and especially about education and concerns about holding classes, not having the necessary infrastructure in an optimal way. In some people, lack of concentration and anxiety is caused by the situation.
The findings showed that the most sources of obtaining health information for students of Birjand University are search engines, foreign social networks and news media, and they paid less attention to reliable media such as official specialized medical websites. Also, the results point to the important and prominent role of Telegram and Instagram platforms. In addition, what the studied community sought to obtain information about covid-19 was mostly preventive behaviors and news related to covid-19 rather than its treatment methods. Also, the results showed that the health information-seeking behavior of Birjand University students has generally increased during this pandemic; But they have done the behavior of sharing information related to Covid less. Meanwhile, the role of dimensions related to Covid-19, including dimensions related to health, economic, political, social and educational, and obtaining information about each of these dimensions was of great importance for students, and the most important aspect for them was the educational dimension. .
The results showed that women used reliable sources such as official specialized medical websites and news media compared to men, and men used social networks (Telegram, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube) and search engines to get information about Covid. 19 have used. The influence of the role of gender showed that women are more interested in obtaining all kinds of information about this disease, and also paid more attention to the negative consequences of women; After creating negative consequences in women, they sought to obtain information about preventive behaviors. Because a significant relationship has been established between negative consequences and preventive behaviors in past studies. In addition, the role of gender had no effect on the positive outcomes and dimensions related to Covid-19, except for the economic dimension component. The field of study and level of study did not make a significant difference in the research variables. Based on this, it is suggested to hold training courses to improve the quality and awareness of health information literacy in social networks and news media for students of different levels. Also, policy makers and decision makers should pay more attention to providing authentic information on social media for the audience. Social networks and internal messengers should be adapted in the field of providing health information. Future researches can examine the subject of study in other societies and use different research methods to collect data or analyze findings.
Dr. Afshin Hamdipour, Dr. Hashem Atapour, Negin Kajaiee,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (12-2024)
Volume 11, Issue 3 (12-2024)
Abstract
Information Seeking Behavior is a broad term encompassing a series of actions undertaken to articulate individuals’ information needs, search for information, evaluate it and select relevant data, ultimately leading to its use (Ozowa and Aba, 2017). According to Case and Given (2016), information-seeking is an integral part of human life. They note that humans frequently feel the need for information and actively seek it throughout their daily lives. In their research, which examined the information-seeking behaviors of professionals from various fields, including physicians, nurses, managers, engineers, journalists, customers, and other groups, the authors found significant differences in the information-seeking behaviors of various professions. These differences can be attributed to professional roles, work environments, and specific information needs. As a dimension of human behavior, information-seeking is influenced by numerous factors. Given the critical role of psychological aspects in shaping human information-seeking behavior and their impact on the interaction between humans and information, addressing these factors is vital. The increasing focus on user-centered (human-centered) studies in recent decades highlights the importance of such studies. This research explores personality traits that influence the information-seeking behavior of graduate students at the University of Tabriz.
Methods and Materials
This study used a descriptive-survey method. The statistical population comprised 2,826 graduate students (2,258 master’s and 568 doctoral students from 17 faculties at the University of Tabriz, excluding dependent units and the international campus, during the first semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. The students were enrolled in four fields: humanities, basic sciences, engineering, and agriculture. Using Cochran’s formula, the sample size was calculated to be 338 students selected through stratified random sampling. The study employed a localized version of John and Srivastava’s (1999) questionnaire for data collection. The questionnaire included two sections: six demographic items and 42 items rated on a five-point Likert scale to assess information-seeking behavior and five personality traits (Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience, Neuroticism). Validity was ensured through expert review by five faculty members, and reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha, with coefficients ranging from 0.588 to 0.903. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multiple linear regression). Skewness and kurtosis coefficients that fell within ±2 confirmed the normal distribution of the data.
Results and Discussion
The findings of the present study showed that all five dimensions of personality traits (extroversion, conscientiousness, adaptability, acceptance of experience, and neuroticism with averages of 4.13, 3.94, 3.99, 4.11, and 2.69 respectively) have a significant effect on the information-seeking behavior of graduate students at Tabriz University; Specifically, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience demonstrated positive effects, while Neuroticism exhibited a negative effect. Other results showed that among information-seeking behaviors, "referring to the Internet to obtain information" has the highest priority among students, with an average of 4.72. In the extraversion dimension, "being friendly in the process of acquiring information" is the most important, with an average of 4.34. In the dimension of conscientiousness, "observance of order in the process of obtaining information" has the highest average score, with an average score of 4.22. In the adaptability dimension, "tendency to cooperate with others during information searching" has the highest score with an average of 4.29. In the experience acceptance dimension, "having an active imagination in the information seeking process" has the highest rank with an average of 4.42. In the dimension of neuroticism, "being nervous in the process of finding information" is the highest average score (3.03). The results of multiple linear regression also showed that the independent variables, extroversion, conscientiousness, adaptability, acceptance of experience, and neuroticism are significant predictors of information-seeking behavior, which explain 25.6% of the changes related to the dependent variable. Among the 5 independent variables, the conscientiousness variable, with a beta coefficient of 0.220, made a greater contribution than the other variables.
Conclusion
The findings of this study confirmed the effect of five important personality traits on information-seeking behavior. It is expected that librarians and information specialists will consider the different aspects of personality traits in information-seeking behavior and pay attention to the fact that knowledge of these issues will help them to provide effective information services to students. According to the findings of the present study, it is recommended that the libraries of University of Tabriz establish information systems based on individual student differences to facilitate an optimal environment for information searching. In addition, organizing workshops on communication skills can help students perform more effectively in information-seeking activities. These skills can be beneficial for both extroverted and even neurotic students. It is also recommended that information system designers tailor their systems and services based on the needs and personality traits of students. Furthermore, it is recommended that librarians receive the necessary training to identify students’ individual characteristics and differences and provide information services tailored to their personality traits during interactions with users. Finally, offering psychological counseling and stress management support for students can help them reduce their anxiety and improve their performance in information-seeking activities. This is particularly beneficial for students with high neuroticism levels.
Methods and Materials
This study used a descriptive-survey method. The statistical population comprised 2,826 graduate students (2,258 master’s and 568 doctoral students from 17 faculties at the University of Tabriz, excluding dependent units and the international campus, during the first semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. The students were enrolled in four fields: humanities, basic sciences, engineering, and agriculture. Using Cochran’s formula, the sample size was calculated to be 338 students selected through stratified random sampling. The study employed a localized version of John and Srivastava’s (1999) questionnaire for data collection. The questionnaire included two sections: six demographic items and 42 items rated on a five-point Likert scale to assess information-seeking behavior and five personality traits (Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience, Neuroticism). Validity was ensured through expert review by five faculty members, and reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha, with coefficients ranging from 0.588 to 0.903. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (multiple linear regression). Skewness and kurtosis coefficients that fell within ±2 confirmed the normal distribution of the data.
Results and Discussion
The findings of the present study showed that all five dimensions of personality traits (extroversion, conscientiousness, adaptability, acceptance of experience, and neuroticism with averages of 4.13, 3.94, 3.99, 4.11, and 2.69 respectively) have a significant effect on the information-seeking behavior of graduate students at Tabriz University; Specifically, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience demonstrated positive effects, while Neuroticism exhibited a negative effect. Other results showed that among information-seeking behaviors, "referring to the Internet to obtain information" has the highest priority among students, with an average of 4.72. In the extraversion dimension, "being friendly in the process of acquiring information" is the most important, with an average of 4.34. In the dimension of conscientiousness, "observance of order in the process of obtaining information" has the highest average score, with an average score of 4.22. In the adaptability dimension, "tendency to cooperate with others during information searching" has the highest score with an average of 4.29. In the experience acceptance dimension, "having an active imagination in the information seeking process" has the highest rank with an average of 4.42. In the dimension of neuroticism, "being nervous in the process of finding information" is the highest average score (3.03). The results of multiple linear regression also showed that the independent variables, extroversion, conscientiousness, adaptability, acceptance of experience, and neuroticism are significant predictors of information-seeking behavior, which explain 25.6% of the changes related to the dependent variable. Among the 5 independent variables, the conscientiousness variable, with a beta coefficient of 0.220, made a greater contribution than the other variables.
Conclusion
The findings of this study confirmed the effect of five important personality traits on information-seeking behavior. It is expected that librarians and information specialists will consider the different aspects of personality traits in information-seeking behavior and pay attention to the fact that knowledge of these issues will help them to provide effective information services to students. According to the findings of the present study, it is recommended that the libraries of University of Tabriz establish information systems based on individual student differences to facilitate an optimal environment for information searching. In addition, organizing workshops on communication skills can help students perform more effectively in information-seeking activities. These skills can be beneficial for both extroverted and even neurotic students. It is also recommended that information system designers tailor their systems and services based on the needs and personality traits of students. Furthermore, it is recommended that librarians receive the necessary training to identify students’ individual characteristics and differences and provide information services tailored to their personality traits during interactions with users. Finally, offering psychological counseling and stress management support for students can help them reduce their anxiety and improve their performance in information-seeking activities. This is particularly beneficial for students with high neuroticism levels.
Dr Mahdieh Mirzabeigi, Ms Reihaneh Bahri,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2025)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2025)
Abstract
Introduction
Given the important impact of information literacy in today's societies and in line with the efficiency of individuals, especially students, information literacy can be predicted and planned for its management through indicators. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the relationships between the variables of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience with the level of information literacy by examining students of Shiraz University, a university that enjoys a distinguished scientific position in the country and the results of this study may contribute to its scientific growth through further understanding of the factors affecting the information literacy of its students, and to test the extent of the impact of the two variables in predicting the level of information literacy of the said society, if a relationship exists.
Methods and Materoal
This research is descriptive in terms of data collection and quantitative in terms of data nature. The statistical population also includes students of Shiraz University in the academic year 1400-1401, about 17,000 people, and the sample size was calculated as 375 people using the Cochran formula. The members of the research sample were selected using convenience sampling. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire. To measure the level of information literacy, the research questionnaires of Seng et al. (2020), Pinto et al. (2020), and Lee et al. (2020) were used, based on the classification of the Information Literacy Framework for Higher Education (2016). To measure face and content validity, the questionnaire was sent to seven information science and knowledge experts, and the final version was obtained based on their opinions. The reliability of the research tool was obtained using Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.937. To measure cognitive flexibility, the cognitive flexibility questionnaire developed by Dennis & Vander Wal (2010) was used, whose validity was measured by these researchers, and its convergent validity with the cognitive flexibility scale of Martin and Robin (1995) was 0.75. The reliability of this questionnaire was also obtained using Cronbach's alpha, which was 0.787. To measure openness to experience, the Big Five Personality Factors questionnaire by Goldberg (1999) was used, whose validity was proven in the Khormai study (2006) using factor analysis. The reliability of this questionnaire was obtained using Cronbach's alpha, which was 0.788. Pearson correlation tests, linear regression, and stepwise regression were also used to analyze the data.
Resultss and Discussion
in order to examine the power of each variable in predicting the level of information literacy, the correlation between the variables was first calculated through the Pearson correlation test, and the results showed that cognitive flexibility, openness to experience, and information literacy have a positive and significant relationship with each other.
Then, a simple linear regression test was used to examine the role of cognitive flexibility in predicting the level of information literacy of the subjects, and the cognitive flexibility variable was entered as a predictor variable and information literacy as a criterion variable in the regression equation. The findings showed that the regression model of the predictive power of the cognitive flexibility variable on information literacy (F(1/278)=(43/682 p=0/000) with a coefficient of determination R2=/136 is significant. For each unit increase in cognitive flexibility, the information literacy score increases by 58/567 units. In other words, according to the calculated standard regression coefficient, cognitive flexibility explains 36/8 percent of the variance in information literacy (Table 2). Then, a simple linear regression test was used to examine the role of openness to experience in predicting the level of information literacy of the subjects, and the openness to experience variable as a predictor variable and information literacy as a criterion variable was entered into the regression equation and the findings showed that the regression model of the predictive power of the variable of openness to experience on information literacy is significant F(1/ 298) = (97/167 p = 0/000) with a coefficient of determination R2 = /246. For each unit increase in openness to experience, the information literacy score increases by 112/313 units. In other words, according to the calculated standard regression coefficient, openness to experience explains 49/6 percent of the variance in information literacy (Table 3). Finally, the stepwise regression test was used to predict the level of information literacy of users based on the variables of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience. The results of the stepwise regression test showed that among the predictor variables in the first step, the component of openness to experience was able to be the strongest The variable was significantly able to predict the level of information literacy of the subjects (p= /000). This variable alone was able to explain about 50/9 percent of the variance in the level of information literacy. In the second step, the variable of openness to experience explained about 43/1 percent of the variance in the level of information literacy, and cognitive flexibility was able to enter the model and explained 19/5 percent of the variance in the level of information literacy (p= /000). Accordingly, in total, the two variables of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility were able to explain 62/6 percent of the variance in information literacy (Table 4).
Conclusion
The results of this study can be an effort to improve the existing knowledge about information literacy and identify more factors that influence it. Also, the results of this study can help universities, with the help of information literacy experts, design curricula and training workshops to strengthen these components and improve the level of information literacy and to develop students who have higher information literacy and are prepared for future life and careers. Students, also aware of the important role of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility, can overcome the potential problems associated with their lack of information literacy by improving their level of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility by participating in workshops related to these components and also by increasing their information literacy skills by participating in workshops and information literacy training courses.
Given the important impact of information literacy in today's societies and in line with the efficiency of individuals, especially students, information literacy can be predicted and planned for its management through indicators. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the relationships between the variables of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience with the level of information literacy by examining students of Shiraz University, a university that enjoys a distinguished scientific position in the country and the results of this study may contribute to its scientific growth through further understanding of the factors affecting the information literacy of its students, and to test the extent of the impact of the two variables in predicting the level of information literacy of the said society, if a relationship exists.
Methods and Materoal
This research is descriptive in terms of data collection and quantitative in terms of data nature. The statistical population also includes students of Shiraz University in the academic year 1400-1401, about 17,000 people, and the sample size was calculated as 375 people using the Cochran formula. The members of the research sample were selected using convenience sampling. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire. To measure the level of information literacy, the research questionnaires of Seng et al. (2020), Pinto et al. (2020), and Lee et al. (2020) were used, based on the classification of the Information Literacy Framework for Higher Education (2016). To measure face and content validity, the questionnaire was sent to seven information science and knowledge experts, and the final version was obtained based on their opinions. The reliability of the research tool was obtained using Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.937. To measure cognitive flexibility, the cognitive flexibility questionnaire developed by Dennis & Vander Wal (2010) was used, whose validity was measured by these researchers, and its convergent validity with the cognitive flexibility scale of Martin and Robin (1995) was 0.75. The reliability of this questionnaire was also obtained using Cronbach's alpha, which was 0.787. To measure openness to experience, the Big Five Personality Factors questionnaire by Goldberg (1999) was used, whose validity was proven in the Khormai study (2006) using factor analysis. The reliability of this questionnaire was obtained using Cronbach's alpha, which was 0.788. Pearson correlation tests, linear regression, and stepwise regression were also used to analyze the data.
Resultss and Discussion
in order to examine the power of each variable in predicting the level of information literacy, the correlation between the variables was first calculated through the Pearson correlation test, and the results showed that cognitive flexibility, openness to experience, and information literacy have a positive and significant relationship with each other.
Then, a simple linear regression test was used to examine the role of cognitive flexibility in predicting the level of information literacy of the subjects, and the cognitive flexibility variable was entered as a predictor variable and information literacy as a criterion variable in the regression equation. The findings showed that the regression model of the predictive power of the cognitive flexibility variable on information literacy (F(1/278)=(43/682 p=0/000) with a coefficient of determination R2=/136 is significant. For each unit increase in cognitive flexibility, the information literacy score increases by 58/567 units. In other words, according to the calculated standard regression coefficient, cognitive flexibility explains 36/8 percent of the variance in information literacy (Table 2). Then, a simple linear regression test was used to examine the role of openness to experience in predicting the level of information literacy of the subjects, and the openness to experience variable as a predictor variable and information literacy as a criterion variable was entered into the regression equation and the findings showed that the regression model of the predictive power of the variable of openness to experience on information literacy is significant F(1/ 298) = (97/167 p = 0/000) with a coefficient of determination R2 = /246. For each unit increase in openness to experience, the information literacy score increases by 112/313 units. In other words, according to the calculated standard regression coefficient, openness to experience explains 49/6 percent of the variance in information literacy (Table 3). Finally, the stepwise regression test was used to predict the level of information literacy of users based on the variables of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience. The results of the stepwise regression test showed that among the predictor variables in the first step, the component of openness to experience was able to be the strongest The variable was significantly able to predict the level of information literacy of the subjects (p= /000). This variable alone was able to explain about 50/9 percent of the variance in the level of information literacy. In the second step, the variable of openness to experience explained about 43/1 percent of the variance in the level of information literacy, and cognitive flexibility was able to enter the model and explained 19/5 percent of the variance in the level of information literacy (p= /000). Accordingly, in total, the two variables of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility were able to explain 62/6 percent of the variance in information literacy (Table 4).
Conclusion
The results of this study can be an effort to improve the existing knowledge about information literacy and identify more factors that influence it. Also, the results of this study can help universities, with the help of information literacy experts, design curricula and training workshops to strengthen these components and improve the level of information literacy and to develop students who have higher information literacy and are prepared for future life and careers. Students, also aware of the important role of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility, can overcome the potential problems associated with their lack of information literacy by improving their level of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility by participating in workshops related to these components and also by increasing their information literacy skills by participating in workshops and information literacy training courses.
Rahman Marefat, Mahmood Sangari,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2025)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2025)
Abstract
Background and purpose: The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying methods of validating methods of resources among sports science students of Birjand University. In numerous classes involving students from various disciplines, a recurring challenge reported by students was their unfamiliarity with source validation methods. Students, consistently indicated a lack of knowledge on how to assess the credibility of sources. When provided with examples of valid and invalid sources, many students struggled to properly evaluate them. Some students even expressed the belief that source validation was unnecessary, emphasizing merely the importance of using sources rather than verifying their validity. The researchers focused on a specific group—sports science students at Birjand University—to investigate how these students evaluate the sources they need and what challenges they encounter in the process.
Studies suggest that students often lack the skills to assess the credibility of articles found in databases or general websites like Wikipedia and online encyclopedias (Marefat, 1401; Azarang, 1399). For printed sources, students typically consider the author's credibility, organizational affiliation, and the publisher’s reputation as indicators of source reliability (Moradi, 1384). Marefat identified ten main categories related to evaluating sources, including institutional credibility, author credibility, content accuracy, observational reliability, referential validation, publication date, information distortion, credibility doubts, recognition of source credibility, and citation rate, particularly from psychology students’ perspectives (Marefat, 1396).
Research by Keshavarz, Vasfi, and Sha'bani (1393) examined the credibility of internet health information and how personality traits like conscientiousness influence evaluation methods among health-medical professionals. They found that many struggle to assess quality, relying mainly on impartiality, timeliness, and author credibility. Similarly, Roozbahani and Riahi-nia (1395) highlighted that faculty members prioritize content accuracy, data reliability, logical consistency, and relevance in determining source credibility. Kader’s study (Kader, 2013) on nurses identified a six-stage process for evaluating online health information, depending on skills, time, and website quality. Liu and Huang’s research (2005) among Chinese students revealed that current students often base their judgments on author name, affiliation, and website reputation, whereas graduates focus more on the information’s accuracy and quality.
Despite many evaluation efforts, challenges remain: first, understanding how users process unobservable information is difficult; second, differing information needs lead to varied processing approaches; and third, establishing a universal criterion for correct information processing is often impossible outside controlled environments. These issues highlight the complexity of assessing information credibility and the ongoing need for effective evaluation strategies (Liu, 2000).The main questions of the present study are:
1. What are the challenges faced by sports science students at Birjand University in evaluating their required resources?
2. How do sports science students at Birjand University evaluate their required resources?
Method:The statistical population of the present study consisted of 67 sports science students at Birjand University at the time of the research. Given the effort to collect maximum data, all 67 individuals were considered part of the research population, and no sampling was performed. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. In total, twenty master's students in sports science were interviewed. The interview process continued until saturation was reached, after interviewing sixteen students. From the sixteenth to the twentieth interview, the data obtained were repetitive, and based on this, the researchers decided to stop data collection. The initial codes were placed under sub-categories and main categories. In the present study, member checking was used to determine the research's credibility. In the present study, the constructivist approach in grounded theory, as proposed by Charmaz (2014), was adopted as the basis for the work, therefore, there is no need to present a paradigmatic model. Data analysis was also performed using MAXQDA 2020 software.
Findings: Among the 67 members of the research population, a total of 20 sports science students from Birjand University were interviewed. A totoal of 50% of the interviewees were women (10 people), and 10 (50%) were men. Categorizes and presents the concepts and codes extracted from the interviews related to the research questions. In the axial coding of the data, a total of 6 main challenges related to the validation methods of resources of sports students present in the interviews were found, such as lack of familiarity with investigating research violations, lack of familiarity with plagiarism, lack of familiarity with plagiarism software, etc. Also, 15 core codes related to the second research question, how to accredit sports students, were obtained.
Conclusion: Interviews with the research population revealed that students in the research population face certain challenges in validating sources. They highlighted "unfamiliarity with examining research misconduct, unfamiliarity with plagiarism, unfamiliarity with plagiarism software, unfamiliarity with citation styles and citation management software, disregard for the author's academic rank, and unfamiliarity with the credibility of open-access articles" in their conversations with researchers.
These points were derived from the overall final concepts identified during the interviews, which included "unfamiliarity with how to examine research misconduct, unfamiliarity with examining research misconduct, unfamiliarity with examining plagiarism, unfamiliarity with plagiarism software, unfamiliarity with citation styles, unfamiliarity with EndNote, disregard for the author's academic rank, and unfamiliarity with the credibility of open-access articles." The findings of the present study emphasize the need for serious attention from all students, including sports science students and other students, to the issue of information credibility and quality, and the necessity of sufficient and continuous training and skills in this area. Skill training in determining the quality and credibility of sources, based on specific and strong criteria, in the form of training courses, workshops, laboratories, projects, and research, are among the immediate actions in this field.
Especially, It is suggested that to better understand the problems and provide better solutions, other qualitative and mixed methods such as foresight and videography with highly standardized checklists be conducted in more extensive and broader research to achieve more generalizable and broader results. It seems that training in source validation methods is needed for the sports science students participating in the research, and their training can reduce the challenges of source validation among students and improve their source validation methods. It is suggested that the data from this research be measured as a quantitative study among students of Birjand University and other various universities across the country.
Studies suggest that students often lack the skills to assess the credibility of articles found in databases or general websites like Wikipedia and online encyclopedias (Marefat, 1401; Azarang, 1399). For printed sources, students typically consider the author's credibility, organizational affiliation, and the publisher’s reputation as indicators of source reliability (Moradi, 1384). Marefat identified ten main categories related to evaluating sources, including institutional credibility, author credibility, content accuracy, observational reliability, referential validation, publication date, information distortion, credibility doubts, recognition of source credibility, and citation rate, particularly from psychology students’ perspectives (Marefat, 1396).
Research by Keshavarz, Vasfi, and Sha'bani (1393) examined the credibility of internet health information and how personality traits like conscientiousness influence evaluation methods among health-medical professionals. They found that many struggle to assess quality, relying mainly on impartiality, timeliness, and author credibility. Similarly, Roozbahani and Riahi-nia (1395) highlighted that faculty members prioritize content accuracy, data reliability, logical consistency, and relevance in determining source credibility. Kader’s study (Kader, 2013) on nurses identified a six-stage process for evaluating online health information, depending on skills, time, and website quality. Liu and Huang’s research (2005) among Chinese students revealed that current students often base their judgments on author name, affiliation, and website reputation, whereas graduates focus more on the information’s accuracy and quality.
Despite many evaluation efforts, challenges remain: first, understanding how users process unobservable information is difficult; second, differing information needs lead to varied processing approaches; and third, establishing a universal criterion for correct information processing is often impossible outside controlled environments. These issues highlight the complexity of assessing information credibility and the ongoing need for effective evaluation strategies (Liu, 2000).The main questions of the present study are:
1. What are the challenges faced by sports science students at Birjand University in evaluating their required resources?
2. How do sports science students at Birjand University evaluate their required resources?
Method:The statistical population of the present study consisted of 67 sports science students at Birjand University at the time of the research. Given the effort to collect maximum data, all 67 individuals were considered part of the research population, and no sampling was performed. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. In total, twenty master's students in sports science were interviewed. The interview process continued until saturation was reached, after interviewing sixteen students. From the sixteenth to the twentieth interview, the data obtained were repetitive, and based on this, the researchers decided to stop data collection. The initial codes were placed under sub-categories and main categories. In the present study, member checking was used to determine the research's credibility. In the present study, the constructivist approach in grounded theory, as proposed by Charmaz (2014), was adopted as the basis for the work, therefore, there is no need to present a paradigmatic model. Data analysis was also performed using MAXQDA 2020 software.
Findings: Among the 67 members of the research population, a total of 20 sports science students from Birjand University were interviewed. A totoal of 50% of the interviewees were women (10 people), and 10 (50%) were men. Categorizes and presents the concepts and codes extracted from the interviews related to the research questions. In the axial coding of the data, a total of 6 main challenges related to the validation methods of resources of sports students present in the interviews were found, such as lack of familiarity with investigating research violations, lack of familiarity with plagiarism, lack of familiarity with plagiarism software, etc. Also, 15 core codes related to the second research question, how to accredit sports students, were obtained.
Conclusion: Interviews with the research population revealed that students in the research population face certain challenges in validating sources. They highlighted "unfamiliarity with examining research misconduct, unfamiliarity with plagiarism, unfamiliarity with plagiarism software, unfamiliarity with citation styles and citation management software, disregard for the author's academic rank, and unfamiliarity with the credibility of open-access articles" in their conversations with researchers.
These points were derived from the overall final concepts identified during the interviews, which included "unfamiliarity with how to examine research misconduct, unfamiliarity with examining research misconduct, unfamiliarity with examining plagiarism, unfamiliarity with plagiarism software, unfamiliarity with citation styles, unfamiliarity with EndNote, disregard for the author's academic rank, and unfamiliarity with the credibility of open-access articles." The findings of the present study emphasize the need for serious attention from all students, including sports science students and other students, to the issue of information credibility and quality, and the necessity of sufficient and continuous training and skills in this area. Skill training in determining the quality and credibility of sources, based on specific and strong criteria, in the form of training courses, workshops, laboratories, projects, and research, are among the immediate actions in this field.
Especially, It is suggested that to better understand the problems and provide better solutions, other qualitative and mixed methods such as foresight and videography with highly standardized checklists be conducted in more extensive and broader research to achieve more generalizable and broader results. It seems that training in source validation methods is needed for the sports science students participating in the research, and their training can reduce the challenges of source validation among students and improve their source validation methods. It is suggested that the data from this research be measured as a quantitative study among students of Birjand University and other various universities across the country.
Dr Mahdieh Mirzabeigi, Ms Reihaneh Bahri,
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2025)
Volume 12, Issue 1 (5-2025)
Abstract
Purpose: Studying the role of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience in predicting the information literacy level of Shiraz University students in the academic year 1401-1402.
Methods: The present research method is descriptive-correlation. The number of Shiraz University students is about 17,000people, of which 375 people were selected as the statistical population of the study by calculating Cochran's formula through available sampling. To collect data, three questionnaires were used, including Goldberg's Big Five Personality Factors (1999), Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire made by Dennis and Vanderwaal in 2010, and Information Literacy Questionnaire, which was created using the research questionnaires of Seng et al. (2020), Pinto et al. (2020) and Lee et al. (2020) and based on the classification of information literacy framework for higher education (2016) prepared and used. For data analysis, Pearson correlation test, linear regression and multiple regression were used in SPSS software.
findings: the findings of the research show that by adding cognitive flexibility and openness to experience , the level of information literacy of subjects increases . also , openness to experience ( higher rate ) and cognitive flexibility were able to predict information literacy of subjects .
originality / value: the relationship between cognitive flexibility , openness to experience and level of information literacy as well as the ability of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience in students " knowledge literacy level will lead researchers to know what aspects of cognitive features should be considered in information literacy . also , students can overcome the difficulties associated with the lack of literacy education by promoting the level of openness to experience and cognitive flexibility and increasing their skills through participation in workshops and training courses.
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