Belief in importance of information literacy abilities among undergraduates. Underlying factors and analysis of variance
ISSN: 0090-7324
Article publication date: 7 July 2020
Issue publication date: 30 November 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the levels of belief in importance of information literacy abilities (BILAs) among an undergraduates’ sample. The aim is, on the one hand, to discover if there is a representative latent structure and, on the other hand, to know the existing differences according to external variables such as academic degree, course, gender and age.
Design/methodology/approach
A self-assessment questionnaire (IL-HUMASS) was applied to a sample of 749 students in English Studies, Translation and Interpreting and Education in Spain. Three types of statistical methods have been used to study the results: descriptive, factorial and analysis of variance.
Findings
Students’ levels of BILAs are acceptable but improvable. A framework of six underlying factors has been uncovered: evaluation-ethics, searching-using, technological processing, communication, dissemination and cognitive processing of the information. Significant differences on degree, course and gender have been found.
Practical implications
This paper is intended for a broad academic sector, including faculty, librarians and students in higher education. The BILAs construct helps to improve the diagnosis of the perception of the BILAs. Its representation through a reduced number of latent factors simplifies results and possible applications. The results show that variations in degree, course and gender are significant and should be taken into account.
Originality/value
Although much has been written about information literacy abilities, we still know little about the importance students place on them. The BILAs construct is intended to improve that knowledge.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study is a part of the Spanish Research Programme I + D + i (Research, Development and Innovation), through the project “Information competencies assessment of Spanish university students in the field of Social Sciences” (EDU 2011–29290). The authors are grateful to the teaching faculty colleagues who encouraged students to complete the questionnaire and to the students of the sample.
Citation
Pinto, M., Caballero, D., Sales, D. and Segura, A. (2020), "Belief in importance of information literacy abilities among undergraduates. Underlying factors and analysis of variance", Reference Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 4, pp. 559-577. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-03-2020-0020
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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