Convenience or content: A study of undergraduate periodical use

Abstract

Full-text periodical databases have changed how students access research materials. Many librarians fear that students favor the convenience of full-text databases over more valuable information found in print periodical literature. To what extent is this true? A study was undertaken at Oakland University to determine how well students mastered the retrieval process for print and full-text articles, and to gather their opinions on the value of both formats. A pre-/post-test instrument was administered to students before and after instruction to measure their knowledge of the library and its databases. A final test, including questions designed to measure student attitudes about the article retrieval process, was administered upon completion of a term paper. Results indicate that many students valued the convenience of full-text articles over the article's relevance, but they also found the overall research process to be difficult. The research students conducted also impacted their test results. Other findings are discussed.