Human Information Interaction

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Background and Aim: This study attempted to investigate the information-seeking process of Shahid Chamran University postgraduate students, and how they use various information sources. The research also investigated he role of demographic characteristics in students' information-seeking process, as well as the problems and barriers they encounter in the process.

Method: The population of the study consisted of 5000 postgraduate students among whom 298 students were randomly selected through classified ratio sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire was developed and after measuring its validity and reliability, distributed among the sample in person. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics including Friedman Rank Test and MANOVA were applied.

Results: The results show that students were statistically different in some variables. On average, students use the Internet 25.11 hours per week. They also prefer to use electronic, print, and human information sources, respectively, both to meet their information needs and to update their information. Students believe that information and communication technologies have reduced their visits to libraries. Students seek help from librarians primarily to locate books and other documents and to search for information. Students encounter a range of problems and barriers in their information-seeking process; the most important being the scattered information. Females face more problems than males. While students refer to specialists to meet their information needs at the first stage, they refer to their classmates and friends at the first stage to update their information.

Conclusion: Despite the effects of new technologies on students’ presence in academic libraries, all types of information resources are still consulted by them. Various purposes for information-seeking determine the information resource being consulted, and students consider their information needs as well as the context in which they seek information, when decide to choose the information resources

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Abstract

Background and Aim: Research was carried out as a survey utilizing a researcher made questionnaire. 1149 postgraduate students were selected to fill in the research questionnaire, and 837 questionnaires were sent back. Along with descriptive statistics, independent samples t test was used to examine the difference between groups and Pearson co-efficient  to measure correlations of variables.

Findings: More than 60 percent of students evaluated electronic information resources as most valuable and responsiveness to their information needs. More than half of students were only after free search engines, databases and  simple searches.  Sixtey   percent   did not formulate their search languages and relied  on trial and error to obtain pertinent information.  Less than 40 percent of students prefer the databases subscribed by their university.  Among different types of electronic documents, electronic papers were most popular amongst students. Most of retrieved documents   were used for writing research papers. Seventy percent of students believed that in the case of cessation  of  electronic resources, their research activities will be hampered. Only 18 percent of students were intended to pay per access to electronic resources and most of them indicated that in the case of disconnection, they will try to find an alternative way of access.

Conclusion: Vis-à-vis the favored situation in science production of the country, in order to fulfill national scientific development strategies, secure access to electronic resources should be guaranteed.

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Purpose: the aim was to identify users' search strategies and the rate of using search strategies on the web.

Method: It is a practical survey. The statistical population included all the postgraduate students in the first semester at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. 95 students were selected by stratified random sampling method. To gather the data, log files were used.

Findings: 12 search strategies were identified which was divided into 5 general categories. Iterative evaluation strategy in another tab was a new form of evaluation strategy of results. Among all, starting search strategies were the most commonly used category which were repeated 397 times, and the search results evaluation strategies were ranked afterward, with 321 replications. The category of Simultaneous multiple resource access strategies, with 77 repetitions, were also the least used strategies, but in particular, the recurring exploration strategy, with 21 repetitions, was the least applicable strategy. Conducting correlation test between strategies showed that some of Pearson's correlation coefficients were significant. The strongest relationship was between the starting search strategies and the search result evaluation strategies with a 0.591 correlation coefficient.

Discussion: The results showed that the majority of students used traditional and simple strategies, such as the formulation of search terms strategy and the iterative result evaluation strategy, and they used more complex strategies in few cases. These results showed that the students need to be trained in using strategies.

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Background and aim: New technologies, particularly the Internet, have changed the means of information searching and retrieval in innumerable research methods, as well as qualitative research.  Therefore, researchers awareness of search skills is imperative.  Search skills allows   pursuit of higher self-efficacy. So, the purpose is to investigate the  Role of Online Searching Skills in Predicting Qualitative Research self-efficacy of Payamnoor University Postgraduate students.
Methodology: The research method was correlational descriptive - analytical study.  Population was 277 Postgraduate Students of Payamnoor University and sample of 159 students were selected randomly. For  data collection,   Online Searching skills and Qualitative Research Self efficacy questionnaires were applied. Regression analysis was used to analyze the data.  
Results: The results indicate that there is a relation of Online Searching skills and Research Self efficacy. Also, regression coefficient indicates that Online searching skills could predict research self-efficacy factors of Payamnoor University postgraduate students.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, emphasizing on online search skills and training might lead to an upsurge of self-efficacy of Postgraduate students at this University in qualitative research.

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Purpose: Information-seeking behavior (ISB) is influenced by various aspects of human behavior. The purpose of this research is to identify the personality traits that affect the ISB of graduate students of Tabriz University.
Methods: The current research is practical and has been carried out using a descriptive-survey method. The statistical population of the study was all graduate students of Tabriz University (N=2826), 338 of whom were selected as the statistical sample using a stratified random method, and the questionnaire was distributed among them. In order to analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistics (frequency, mean and standard deviation and multiple linear regression test) were used.
Findings: The findings of the present study showed that all five dimensions of personality traits (extroversion, conscientiousness, adaptability, acceptance of experience, and neuroticism have a significant effect on the ISB of graduate students of Tabriz University; So that extroversion, conscientiousness, adaptability, and acceptance of experience have a positive effect and neuroticism has a negative effect on their ISB. The results of multiple linear regression also showed that the independent variables, extroversion, conscientiousness, adaptability, acceptance of experience, and neuroticism are significant predictors of ISB, which explain a total of 25.6% of the changes related to the dependent variable. Among the 5 independent variables, the contribution of the variable of conscientiousness with a beta coefficient of 0.220 was more than other variables.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study confirmed the effect of five important personality traits on ISB. It’s expected that librarians and information specialists consider the different aspects of personality traits in ISB and pay attention to the fact that knowledge of these issues will help them in providing effective information services to students.