Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
Purpose: This study examines the utilization of internet by Nigerian students for research using Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), post graduate students as case study.
Methodology: The citation analysis method was employed to discover the extent of internet sources use in the Theses and Dissertations (TDs) written and submitted to the MOUAU Library. Results: On the whole, a total number of 327 TDs was studied representing all the submissions from 22 departments of 6 different colleges in MOUAU offering Master and Doctor of Philosophy programmes from the year 2000 to 2010. It was observed that internet use in the TDs studied was poor and insignificant in comparison to other sources of information used by the postgraduate students. This is contrary to the findings in some recent studies where graduate students were reported to have made high use of the internet for TDs research. The researchers consequently recommended urgent education of post graduate students on internet use, essentially inculcating in them how to conduct expert search for academic works, adopt them and cite them in their research writings. It was also recommended that functional internet laboratories should be established in the university libraries to ensure self directed leaning which is hoped will result in life- long learning.