Brown, Cecelia. Information literacy of physical science graduate students in the information age.College & Research Libraries. Sept. 1999. 60(5): 426-38.
Abstract: A study examined the information literacy level of physical science graduate students at the University of Oklahoma. Participants were 36 students who had access to the university's libraries. Results revealed that the participants exhibited a high degree of information literacy and that they were able to find, effectively use, and evaluate information to meet their specific needs with minimal library anxiety. However, library instruction aimed at benefiting the participants was not well-attended or remembered, despite encouragement by faculty advisers, flexible scheduling, and the hands-on nature of the library sessions. Recommendations based on the results for library instruction and for further research are presented.
Leckie, Gloria J., Fullerton, Anne. Information literacy in science and engineering undergraduate education: faculty attitudes and pedagogical practices.College & Research Libraries. Jan. 1999. 60(1): 9-29.
Abstract: A study examined faculty perceptions of, attitudes toward, and pedagogical practices in teaching information literacy in the sciences, health sciences, and engineering. A total of 233 science and engineering faculty from the University of Waterloo and the University of Western Ontario in Canada participated. Results revealed that faculty generally thought that undergraduates were poor at locating, retrieving, using, and assessing information in the lower years but improved somewhat by the upper years. Although a large majority of faculty indicated that library research instruction was important for their students, the optimal timing of such instruction varied a lot by discipline. About one-half of the faculty favored a more collaborative approach to library research instruction that involved the librarian and the faculty member, and about one-half of the faculty did not favor a collaborative approach and wanted librarians to take sole responsibility for information literacy instruction. Suggestions for the design of library instruction for science and engineering undergraduates are provided.
Onwuegbuzie, A. J. Science process skills and achievement in research methodology courses. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Mid-South Educational Research Association. 2000, 28th, Bowling Green, KY, November 17-19.
Discusses ways for teachers to help science students understand what makes a good description of a problem in a scientific investigation. (WRM)
