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RESEARCH SKILLS AMONG LIS RESEARCH SCHOLARS IN PAKISTAN: A STUDY

Farah DeebaM. Phil Scholar, Department of LIS,University of Sargodha, Sargodha

Haroon Idrees, PhDAssistant Professor, Department of LIS,

University of Sargodha, Sargodhah.haroonidrees@gmail.com

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Table of Contents

• Introduction

• Research Methodology

• Data Analysis and Results

• Conclusion

• Recommendations

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Introduction ½

• A few of LIS schools in Pakistan have taken initiative to start M.Phil. and PhD Programs.

• Every year articles, thesis, dissertation, conference papers are being published.

• Research is being done in the majority of the fields of LIS in Pakistan.

But Less interest is being shown to find out if the research scholars,

doing research possessed the necessary skills.

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Introduction 2/2

The study is aimed to

• Identify the level of Research skills among LIS Research

Scholars

• Identify the level of ICT skills among LIS Research Scholars

• To organize, apply and communicate information and the ways

for the development of research skills.

• To increase the awareness of improving research skills LIS

research scholars

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Research methodology 1/2

• The survey method was used to conduct the study.

• The questionnaire was divided into three sections

Demographic information

ICT skills

Research skills.

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Research Methodology 2/2

• The population of the study was all the M.Phil. and PhD

Research scholars who are pursuing their research.

• A total of 90 questionnaires were distributed among all the LIS

Research Scholars and 60 scholars have responded to the

questionnaire. So the response rate is 67 %.

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Data Analysis and Results

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Demographic Informationn=60

M.Phil.=51 PhD=9

Assistant Professor

Lecturer Librarian Assistant Librarian

Library Incharge

Cataloguer Research Scholars

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

2.00%

5.80%

29.40%

9.80% 9.80%

5.80%

37.30%

22.20% 22.20%

33.30%

11.10%

0.00% 0.00%

11.10%

M.Phil PhD

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Demographic Information Gender WiseMale= 32 (63.33%) ½

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

3.10%

6.20%

25.00%

12.50% 12.50%

9.40%

12.50%

6.30% 6.20% 6.30%

0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

M.Phil PhD

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Demographic Information Gender WiseFemale

n=28 (33.33%) 2/2

Assistant Professor

Lecturer Librarian Assistant Librarian

Library Incharge

Cataloguer Research Scholars

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

0.00%3.60%

25.00%

3.60% 3.60%0.00%

53.60%

0% 0%4% 4%

0% 0%4%

M.Phil PhD

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Workshop/Training on Research Skills and Computer Coursen= 60 ½

Research Skills Computer Course0

5

10

15

20

25

30

11

27

7 6

Attended

M.Phil PhD

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Workshop/Training on Research Skills and Computer Coursen= 60 2/2

Research Skills Computer Course0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

40

24

2 3

Not Attended

M.Phil PhD

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Level of Research Skills

Selecti

on of R

esea

rch T

opic

Prepari

ng Res

earch

Pro

posal

Desig

ning Q

uestio

nnaire

Literat

ure S

earch

Review

ing L

iterat

ure

Conducting O

nline S

urvey

s

Data co

llecti

on

Quantit

ative/S

tatist

ical A

nalysis

Qualitat

ive A

nalysis

SPSS Usa

ges

NVIVO U

sages

Endnotes

Presen

tatio

n Skill

s

Report

Writ

ing

0

10

20

30

40

50

Level of Research Skills

BeginningDevelopingAccomplishedExemplary

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Descriptive statistics on comparison of ICT skills ¼

Sr. No.

DescriptionMean

MPhil PhD

1 Basics of Computer 2.52 3.77

2 Operating System (Window X.P, Linux, etc) 2.13 3.77

3 Application Software

Ms. Excel 2.13 3.44

Ms. Power Point 2.23 3.44

Adobe PDF Reader 2.01 3.33

4 Compression Software (example Win Zip,

Stufflt, 7-Zip)

1.66 3.22

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Descriptive statistics on comparison of ICT skills 2/4

5. Telecommunication and Networks MeanRange: 1-4

M.Phil PhD

  Internet 2.50 4

E-Mail (Ms. Outlook, G-mail, Yahoo etc) 2.54 4

Social networking tools 2.37 2.88

Chat voice mail 2.23 3.33

Video conferencing (Skype, Viber, etc) 2.19 3.22

Group serves (Paklag, PLOW, IFLA, M.

Phil, PhD etc)

2.07 3

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Descriptive statistics on comparison of ICT skills 3/4

6. Library Automation Mean (Range: 1-4)

M.Phil. PhD

  Use of OPAC 2.07 3.11

Use of MARC 1.78 2.66

Use of EDDC 1.82 3

Use of LIMS Software 2.19 2.66

Use of COHA Software 2.17 3

Other Library Software 1.60 3.11

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Descriptive statistics on comparison of ICT skills 4/4

7 Online Skills Mean (Range: 1-4)M.Phil PhD

  Operating an Internet browser 2.13 3.33

Operating online search engines 2.50 3.33

Completing /filling online forms 2.43 3.33

Working with online databases 1.64 2.88

Boolean Search 2.23 3.11

Online information interval 2.25 3

Online indexing and abstracting services 1.62 2.11

Other search techniques (Truncation, Range etc) 1.66 3.33

Web Page Creation 1.41 2.44

Web Technologies 1.47 2.77

Hypermedia 1.31 2.22

Storage Devices

(Drop box, Clouding etc).

1.84 2

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Descriptive statistics on comparison of Research skills

Select

ion o

f Res

earc

h Topic

Preparin

g Res

earc

h Pro

posal

Desig

ning Q

uestio

nnaire

Litera

ture

Sea

rch

Review

ing L

itera

ture

Conductin

g Onlin

e Surv

eys

Data co

llect

ion

Quantit

ative/S

tatis

tical A

nalysis

Qualit

ative A

nalysis

SPSS Usa

ges

NVIVO

Usa

ges

Endnotes

Prese

ntatio

n Skill

s

Report

Writ

ing

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

1.88 1.81.62

1.882.09

1.431.66 1.54

1.37 1.271.13

1.72

1.39

3 2.883.11

3.55 3.55

2.66

32.77

2.64

32.77

3.55

3.11

3.55

M.Phil PhD

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Conclusion 1/2

• Research skills of the current research scholars is not up to mark.

• M.Phil. scholars are still in the level of developing their ICT and

Research skills.

• M.Phil. Scholars don’t have knowledge of usage of SPSS, NVIVO

software.

• It is certain that it is because of lack of training, resources, and lack of

practices.

• The trainings which are being offered also lack luster.

• Online skills may evolve with time.

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Conclusion 1/2

• Social media tools can be a real boon in the development of

research skills.

• PhD scholars are better in their ICT and research skills as

compared to M. Phil. scholars.

• The Pakistani LIS schools do not have the effective and

adequate tools and services.

• LIS Schools should take initiatives together with professional

associations to enhance research and support skills in researchers

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Recommendations 1/2

• The library Associations at national level and district level

should take initiative to provide better education

• The trainings need to be introduced in universities for

researchers

• Improvement in ICT infrastructure in all the library schools

should be materialized

• An evaluation test prior to starting any Postgraduate program

should be conducted to determine level of student skills

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Recommendations 2/2

• The usage of SPSS, NVIVO software at length should be the

part of curriculum

• Assignments of these tools need to be taken as mandatory, for

which weightage in final result should be provided

• For admission to M. Phil, publication of at least one study

should be compulsory

• Teachers should pay more attention in enhancing the research

skills among the research students

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Thank you for your patience.