Information retrieval skills and scholarly research output of postgraduate students in selected universities in Oyo and Lagos States, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined information retrieval skills and scholarly research output of postgraduate students in selected Universities in Oyo and Lagos States. Survey research design method was adopted for the study and questionnaire employed to obtain data from the 369 respondents that constitute the sample size for the study. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, frequency count, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Findings from the study revealed that majority of the postgraduate students know when information is needed and can also determine the nature and extent of the information needed. The study also revealed that information retrieval skills are required by postgraduate students to conduct scholarly research while challenges such as poor articulation of research problem statement, ambiguous research topics and lack of funds to finance quality research work were major constraints to scholarly research in Nigerian universities. The study recommended acquisition of requisite information retrieval skills, continuous mounting of training and retraining programme on information retrieval skills acquisition, and provision of adequate funding for scholarly research, among others.