DIGITAL SKILLS AND THE USE OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH WORK AMONG POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES IN NORTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated digital skills and the use of electronic information resources for

research work among postgraduate students in federal universities in northwest Nigeria. The

study was guided by three research questions and one hypothesis. The study adopted a

descriptive survey design. The population of the study is 5,320 postgraduate students of federal

universities in Northwest Nigeria. The sample size is 380 postgraduate students. Data were

collected using a questionnaire and observation checklist. The instruments were face validated

by two research experts from the Department of Library and Information Science. The

questionnaires were trial-tested for reliability on postgraduate students of the University of

Nigeria, Nsukka. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to answer

research questions, while a t-test was used to test the hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance.

The study found out that digital skills contribute to a high extent to the use of electronic

information resources for research among postgraduate students in universities in Northwest

Nigeria. Findings indicated that major challenges inhibiting acquisition of digital skills and use

of EIRs are inadequate continuity in e-resource subscriptions, inadequate electronic

information search skills, erratic power supply, poor postgraduate students’ attitude to the use

of EIRs, and others. Strategies for enhancing acquisitions of digital skills and use of EIRS are

strong internet connectivity in the university libraries; subsidizing the cost of internet access

by the university management for the students; provision of a constant power supply; provision

of adequate training on ICT; and adequate information literacy skills. The study recommended

that: The federal university managements should ensure subscriptions of diverse e-resources

are provided to the libraries; there is need for steady electric power supply in the university

libraries; provision of adequate information literacy skills among others.