| Descriptive study questioned why some graduate students appear to have few problems with literature searching, while others find the task difficult and are dissatisfied with their search experiences and the results. By using presearch, search, and postsearch questionnaires, the researcher examined various literature search strategies and behaviors of a cross section of 112 adult learners in graduate school who were the most likely candidates to use the materials and resources of a university's general library. Participants were at least 24 years of age, at all levels of study, and working toward their Masters, Specialist, or doctoral degrees. Students were enrolled in six on-campus courses of several graduate programs at Wayne State University during the Spring, Summer, and Fall, 1994 semesters.; Questionnaires addressed students' prior search experiences, search methods, search times, and attitudes, as well as students' use of the available technologies, tools, and resources in order to complete their literature searches. Nine research questions were posed. Results of statistical analyses using Chi Square and ANOVA, as well as Frequency Tables indicated that generally students believed that they were successful in finding relevant materials for their research papers, but no search strategy appeared to be better than another, very few of the library's available resources were used, few students understood what constituted a problem statement or research question, and search skills were poorly developed. Students who had taken any type of formal or informal search skills instruction prior to graduate school believed that it had been quite helpful.; Several recommendations were posed, including a joint effort between the Instructional Technology and Library and Information Science programs in the development of search skills courses which would be unique to each of the university's graduate programs. |
