Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
Fall 9-10-2022
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Research is an activity that brings about new discoveries and in order to perform it, competence is required. However, studies on research competence are a seldom area that needs more attention. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the research competence of postgraduate students in library schools in South-west, Nigeria. The peculiarity of this study is that research competence was sub-divided into three (3) different areas comprising: research knowledge, research skills, and research attitude. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study covered one hundred and sixty-one (161) library and information science postgraduate students in South-west, Nigeria and a total enumeration technique was adopted for this study to cover the total population size. Questionnaire was used as the instrument in collecting data from the respondents. The data collected were analyzed using frequency distribution table and percentage.
The study found that level of research competence possessed by the postgraduate students in library schools in South-west, Nigeria is high. Also, results from the study showed that research skills have the highest mean value and standard deviation (=41.15; std dev. = 12.863); followed by research knowledge (=39.34; std dev. = 11.641) and lastly research attitude (=32.59; std dev. = 10.785). The study also found out that the research competence possessed by the postgraduates’ students in library schools in South-west, Nigeria includes: ability to define a research problem, knowing how to formulate research questions/hypotheses, they know how to develop conceptual model for my study, they know how to explain the significance of the study, they know how to formulate research objectives, etc. The study concluded that postgraduate needs to have a positive attitude towards research. Also, lecturers are advised to develop new method of teaching research method.