Perception, Attitude and Proficiency of Postgraduate Students as Correlates of Electronic Information Resources Usage for Research in Universities in North-West, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated perception, attitude and proficiency of postgraduate students as correlates of electronic information resources  usage for research in universities in North-west, Nigeria. The study was guided by two research objectives and two research hypotheses.  The study adopted a descriptive correlational research design. A sample size of 530 was drawn out of a population of 26,531. Copies of  questionnaire were distributed to the respondents out of which 499 were returned and used for the study. Data were analyzed using  inferential statistics (simple linear and multiple regressions). The study found that there is significant composite effect of perception,  attitude and proficiency level of the postgraduate students on the electronic information resources usage for research in 2 universities in  North-west, Nigeria (Adj.R = 0.170, F = 35.04, p < 0.05). It is also revealed that there is significant relative contribution of postgraduate  students' perception (â = 0.177, p < 0.05) and proficiency (â = 0.309, p < 0.05) in the prediction of electronic information resources usage for research. However, attitude (â = 0.066, p 0.05) is nonsignificant predictor of electronic information resources usage for research in  universities in North-west, Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommended that university library management should intensify advocacies,  awareness campaign and sensitization exercises in order to sustain the postgraduate students' perception and proficiency to electronic  information resources usage for research. On the other hand, University librarians should work persistently and diligently to improve  postgraduate students' attitude toward electronic information resources usage for research.