Undergraduate Students Use of Internet Resources for Research Project in Universities in North – Central Nigeria.
Abstract
This study was carried out to examine undergraduate students’ use of Internet resources for research project in Universities in North-Central Nigeria.
The study was guided by six research questions. The researcher employed a survey research design.
The population of the study comprised of six thousand one hundred and fifteen (6,115) final year undergraduate students in Benue State University, Makurdi; Kogi State University, Anyigba;
University of Agriculture, Makurdi; Nassarawa State University, Keffi and University of Mkar, Mkar. A sample of 1,223 final year undergraduate students was used for the study using a systematic random sampling technique.
Questionnaire titled “Undergraduate Students’ Use of Internet Resources for Research Project in Universities in North Central-Nigeria” was used as instrument for data collection.
Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data collected, while t-test was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.
The result of the study showed that the Internet resources in university libraries and information centresare available but not adequate and not highly used for research project.
It was also found that the majority of the respondents students do not possess basic Internet skills for use of Internet resources.
Table Of Contents
TITLE PAGE————– ii
APPROVAL PAGE——–iii
CERTIFICATION PAGE———-iv
DEDICATION————- v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS————- vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS————– viii
LIST OF TABLES—————– x
Abstract—————- xi
CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study————- 1
Statement of the Problem———– 8
Purpose of the Study————— 9
Research Questions—————— 9
Hypotheses——————- 10
Significance of the Study——— 10
Scope of the Study——– 11
CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Framework—————— 12
Concept of Undergraduate Students———–12
Concept of Internet————– 13
Concept of Resources————- 15
Concept of Internet Resources———- 15
Concept of Research———- 17
Availability of Internet Resources for Research Project—— 19
Extent of Internet Resources Used For Research Projects—- 21
Basic Internet Skills Necessary for Utilization of Internet Resources for Research Projects—— 40
Undergraduate Students perception on use of Internet Resources for Research Projects———47
Challenges of Use of Internet Resources in Research Projects—- 49
Strategies for the Enhancement of Use of Internet Resources for Research Projects 52
Theoretical Framework———59
Application of the theory———– 61
Empirical Studies————64
Summary of Literature Review——73
CHAPTER THREE:RESEARCH METHODS
Research Design—————75
Area of Study——————–76
Population of the Study————-76
Sample and Sampling Techniques——77
Instrument for Data Collection———77
Validation of the Instrument———79
Reliability of the Instrument———79
Method of Data Collection——-79
Method of Data Analysis—– 80
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS——–81
CHAPTER FIVE:DISCUSSION, IMPLICATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
Discussion————– 91
Availability of Internet resources—————- 91
Extent of undergraduate use of Internet resources——– 92
Basic Internet skills possessed by undergraduate students—– 92
Undergraduate Students perception on use of Internet Resources for research projects 93
Problems hindering undergraduate students use of Internet resources for research projects———94
Strategies for the Enhancement of use of Internet Resources for Research Projects 94
Implication of the Study————95
Recommendations———–98
Limitations of the Study——99
Suggestions for Further Study——–99
Conclusion—-100
REFERENCES——– 101
Introduction
Background Of Study
Libraries, irrespective of the type are meant to meet the information needs of their users. In University libraries,there are numerous library users including undergraduate students who need information for project writing.
The students need information for their studies and research, while lecturers need information for their teaching and research. However, the collection of any library including university libraries cannot hold everything the users need.
As such, Internet connectivity was introduced into the university libraries to augment the printed resources for undergraduate students’ use for learning and research project, (Ani, 2005).
Researchers carry out various studies using information sources of libraries. In the present dispensation, information is needed even faster than ever.
Since there are many other sources from which information is acquired other than libraries, it becomes necessary that the library should do everything possible to ensure that its relevance is felt among its clients who value its usefulness on the basis of available information sources found in it (Atsugh&Gwaza, 2012).
Irrespective of the quantity of the library’s collections, it cannot hold everything the users need within its building, then Internet readily comes in to complement in its efforts to assemble information not found in the library building. Therefore, the use of Internet has greatly improved information dissemination.
Internet service provision has become a critical factor for undergraduate student’s research activities especially in developing countries including Nigeria where the problem of limited access to current and reliable information resources has not been adequately addressed.
References
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