Evaluation of Information Seeking Anxiety of Islamic Azad University Postgraduate Students of Kerman Branch

Document Type : Research َ Article

Authors

1 Assistant professor, Knowledge and Information Science, Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology (IranDoc), Tehran, Iran

2 M.A., Knowledge and Information Science, Harndi Library, Astan Quds Razavi, Kerman, Iran

10.30484/nastinfo.2024.3508.2251

Abstract

Purpose: This research focuses on information-seeking anxiety, a condition that can hinder individuals from effectively exploring and meeting their information needs. Its significance lies in exploring information-seeking anxiety among Islamic Azad University, Kerman branch students.
Method: This study was conducted through a survey. The population examined in this study were post-graduated students of Islamic Azad University, Kerman branch. According to statistics from the university, 38,62 were postgraduate students already studying there. The sample size for the study was based on a total population of 350, according to the Morgan Table, and the Stratified sampling method was used to select the sample, including students of Islamic Azad University, a branch of Kerman. The Efanmanesh, Abrizah & Karim's Information Seeking Anxiety Questionnaire Inventory was used to collect research data, which was organized with six primary components of anxiety with an emphasis on information: The barriers to dealing with the barriers to computing resources information; the barriers to dealing with the Internet and computer; the barriers to dealing with the library. (4) The barriers associated with barriers to information seeking: The barriers of obstacles, technical issues related to barriers related to the issue, and. Friedman's test was used to check the difference between the average components of information-seeking anxiety. Use a single sentence (T) and the Fridman test to check research questions.
Findings: The chi-square test value of (244.290) and the significant value of (0.000), which is smaller than the significance level, indicate a substantial difference in the average of the six components of information-seeking anxiety. The most influential elements, 'barriers to intelligence sources' and 'barriers to information seeking,' also show significant differences, with the former having a greater impact on anxiety.
Conclusion: The results obtained with an awareness of the importance of each component would indicate that the average difference between the level of seeking anxiety among students of Kerman Azad University is in the top size. The "barriers to intelligence sources" factor plays a vital role in this research, and it is necessary to plan appropriately to use them better. Students may face anxiety, fear, and apprehension about doing some of their activities. They may face fear and concern regarding how to use information resources, the library, the computer, and the Internet, search for some information, methods of choosing the subject, or even many technical issues. Training information exploration skills, making information sources available directly, strengthening the ability for information retrieval, training information literacy, and proper interaction of librarians with users are among the strategies to reduce anxiety.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
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  • Receive Date: 24 October 2023
  • Revise Date: 20 December 2023
  • Accept Date: 27 January 2024

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