Qualitative results
| Themes | Sub-themes | Interviewees' comments |
|---|---|---|
| Information resource | Search engine (Google) | D5 stated “If I do not find enough information, I tend to go Google which I have easy access to articles. I do not need to pay for them” |
| I6 regarding information resources he uses mentioned, “The easiest way to start searching anything about the topic is Google and it gives you some primary feedbacks about topics for going to the next level” | ||
| Library databases | As D7 reported, he uses some databases very much which is made by the Finnish association to keeps it up to date about different diseases and different topics on medicine | |
| I1 stated, “If I did not get access to the needed information and I could not find it on Google Scholar then I can go to the library and use library databases (E-library)” | ||
| Google scholar | In terms of information resources: D10 uses for her assignment, she stated, “I usually use Google Scholar to find relevant scientific papers.” | |
| I5 reported, he usually uses Google scholar and it's the first tool where he looks for information | ||
| Printed books | In respect of information resources: D5 uses, he stated, “If I cannot find the relevant article. I prefer to go to the library and see what kinds of books they have | |
| I5 noted that when she researches a new topic, she prefers to start with some printed books | ||
| Preferred learning methods | Orientation course | When asked D5 how she learnt about conducting library research, she stated, “when I started studying the university, the library had a course, like a short course about one hour they presented the databases and how to do the search and how to find the following materials. And they explained about search tools” |
| I10 stated, “We had a one-hour lecture. How to use the websites, how to use the libraries. How to borrow and return books and so on and more importantly what accesses do we have in different databases? It was a library orientation” | ||
| Depend on themselves for searching the information | When asked about how D1 learned to conduct library research skills, she stated, “I use library services more independently, I did not ask for searching because I could learn myself” | |
| I5 believes that using library services is very similar to Google search engine because the interface is very intuitive and convenient | ||
| Librarian | With respect to learning way, D8 mentioned: “I just walked to the library and ask help. I asked from the librarians” | |
| I7 also reported, in the beginning, he went to the library and asked the librarian how he can search for articles | ||
| Student challenges | Searching skills and library terminology | With respect to the challenges D4 faces in library research and developing information literacy skills, she noted that the most problem for her is to narrow it down the terms. She does not know how to search exactly |
| I9 related that the challenges reported that sometimes she does not know how to use the key terms | ||
| As I10 stated, “It is difficult to find something if the topic is new and it is important how you use the search terms and everything. Today, we have plenty of sources and databases. You have too much information, but then the summarising is somewhat difficult. You have to do it yourself at the abstract, so it is difficult to summarize all these articles that you're reading. So, it is a lot of information. You feel overwhelmed which one to use, how you know and how you filter them down” | ||
| Problem with finding valid and relevant information | D1 elaborated on the challenges she faces in developing information literacy and conducting research in the library, noting that determining the validity or find recent enough relevant academic information is a challenge for her | |
| I5 responded to the question about the challenges that it is very difficult for her: finding a good article is the major challenge for me. What should I read? She would like to learn how to find how to understand that this is a good article about how to choose the information and structure and combine them | ||
| Language barrier | I10 concerning the challenges he faces in developing information literacy skills, she noted that, she did have some linguistic barriers; she doubts about academic terms she needs to use. She believes knowing the language and then knowing those terms in a particular topic of information and the terminology are important and somebody with low English efficiency might not be familiar with terms | |
| I7 reported, because of the language barrier, he prefers to ask the librarian to help him | ||
| References | When asked about the challenges I4 faces in developing information literacy, he stated that, “At the first assignment was hard for me because I did not know even about the referencing methods because everything should have reference in the papers, articles, and thesis, whatever you write, and most important challenge was to find the best and most correct method of referencing in my article” | |
| Student needs | Courses and workshops | D4 elaborated on her library and information literacy needs by emphasizing the library orientations and noted that, there was one lecture in the master seminar but not course. She continued to say that it was too much information for one lecture. It would be good to have a course because that lecture was too complicated |
| As I1 reported, introductory lecture about library and research methods at the beginning was not so good, there were a lot of students and they share the information, but she did not feel comfortable to try when more than one person trying together, she emphasized the need for a special course for international students from the library to teach them how to use library resources | ||
| Market services by library | D4 commented on his information literacy needs, noting that, the library should increase the awareness of students about the resources and how they can use the resource. He commented that the library should market and promote library resources to students | |
| I10 talked about his information literacy needs as an international student and noted that he is not familiar with the services that library provides to students and he continued to say that, he is in doubt that even if he asks for help for a particular topic, librarian is less likely to help him that way |
| Themes | Sub-themes | Interviewees' comments |
|---|---|---|
| Information resource | Search engine (Google) | D5 stated “If I do not find enough information, I tend to go Google which I have easy access to articles. I do not need to pay for them” |
| I6 regarding information resources he uses mentioned, “The easiest way to start searching anything about the topic is Google and it gives you some primary feedbacks about topics for going to the next level” | ||
| Library databases | As D7 reported, he uses some databases very much which is made by the Finnish association to keeps it up to date about different diseases and different topics on medicine | |
| I1 stated, “If I did not get access to the needed information and I could not find it on Google Scholar then I can go to the library and use library databases (E-library)” | ||
| Google scholar | In terms of information resources: D10 uses for her assignment, she stated, “I usually use Google Scholar to find relevant scientific papers.” | |
| I5 reported, he usually uses Google scholar and it's the first tool where he looks for information | ||
| Printed books | In respect of information resources: D5 uses, he stated, “If I cannot find the relevant article. I prefer to go to the library and see what kinds of books they have | |
| I5 noted that when she researches a new topic, she prefers to start with some printed books | ||
| Preferred learning methods | Orientation course | When asked D5 how she learnt about conducting library research, she stated, “when I started studying the university, the library had a course, like a short course about one hour they presented the databases and how to do the search and how to find the following materials. And they explained about search tools” |
| I10 stated, “We had a one-hour lecture. How to use the websites, how to use the libraries. How to borrow and return books and so on and more importantly what accesses do we have in different databases? It was a library orientation” | ||
| Depend on themselves for searching the information | When asked about how D1 learned to conduct library research skills, she stated, “I use library services more independently, I did not ask for searching because I could learn myself” | |
| I5 believes that using library services is very similar to Google search engine because the interface is very intuitive and convenient | ||
| Librarian | With respect to learning way, D8 mentioned: “I just walked to the library and ask help. I asked from the librarians” | |
| I7 also reported, in the beginning, he went to the library and asked the librarian how he can search for articles | ||
| Student challenges | Searching skills and library terminology | With respect to the challenges D4 faces in library research and developing information literacy skills, she noted that the most problem for her is to narrow it down the terms. She does not know how to search exactly |
| I9 related that the challenges reported that sometimes she does not know how to use the key terms | ||
| As I10 stated, “It is difficult to find something if the topic is new and it is important how you use the search terms and everything. Today, we have plenty of sources and databases. You have too much information, but then the summarising is somewhat difficult. You have to do it yourself at the abstract, so it is difficult to summarize all these articles that you're reading. So, it is a lot of information. You feel overwhelmed which one to use, how you know and how you filter them down” | ||
| Problem with finding valid and relevant information | D1 elaborated on the challenges she faces in developing information literacy and conducting research in the library, noting that determining the validity or find recent enough relevant academic information is a challenge for her | |
| I5 responded to the question about the challenges that it is very difficult for her: finding a good article is the major challenge for me. What should I read? She would like to learn how to find how to understand that this is a good article about how to choose the information and structure and combine them | ||
| Language barrier | I10 concerning the challenges he faces in developing information literacy skills, she noted that, she did have some linguistic barriers; she doubts about academic terms she needs to use. She believes knowing the language and then knowing those terms in a particular topic of information and the terminology are important and somebody with low English efficiency might not be familiar with terms | |
| I7 reported, because of the language barrier, he prefers to ask the librarian to help him | ||
| References | When asked about the challenges I4 faces in developing information literacy, he stated that, “At the first assignment was hard for me because I did not know even about the referencing methods because everything should have reference in the papers, articles, and thesis, whatever you write, and most important challenge was to find the best and most correct method of referencing in my article” | |
| Student needs | Courses and workshops | D4 elaborated on her library and information literacy needs by emphasizing the library orientations and noted that, there was one lecture in the master seminar but not course. She continued to say that it was too much information for one lecture. It would be good to have a course because that lecture was too complicated |
| As I1 reported, introductory lecture about library and research methods at the beginning was not so good, there were a lot of students and they share the information, but she did not feel comfortable to try when more than one person trying together, she emphasized the need for a special course for international students from the library to teach them how to use library resources | ||
| Market services by library | D4 commented on his information literacy needs, noting that, the library should increase the awareness of students about the resources and how they can use the resource. He commented that the library should market and promote library resources to students | |
| I10 talked about his information literacy needs as an international student and noted that he is not familiar with the services that library provides to students and he continued to say that, he is in doubt that even if he asks for help for a particular topic, librarian is less likely to help him that way |
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