The Survey of American College Students: Student Evaluation of Information Literacy Instruction

Primary Research Group, March 2009, Pages: 54

This report presents approximately 125 tables of data exploring how full time college students in the United States view and use and evaluate their college library’s information literacy training. The data in the report is based on a representative sample of more than 400 full time college students in the United States. Data is broken out by 16 criteria including gender, grade point average, major field of study, income level of students and type, size of college, and mean SAT acceptance score of colleges, among other variables.

The report presents data on the percentage of students who have received information literacy training, how they evaluate the effectiveness of that training, how they perceive their need for additional training, whether they believe that an information literacy course should be required, if they have ever used online tutorials provided by the library, and how they evaluate their own information literacy skills.

Just a few of the report's many findings are that:

- More than 67% of the students in the sample say that they have received instruction on how to use their college's library. Older students are much more likely than younger ones to say that they have not received library or information literacy instruction.

- Nearly 82% of students at colleges with a mean SAT acceptance score of greater than 1950 say that they have received library or information literacy instruction.

- Most students find library instruction helpful. About 18.5% of students found the instruction that they received useless or largely useless while 31.72% considered it somewhat helpful and close to half considered it helpful or very helpful.

- Students in the hard sciences, social sciences and business/economics were the most likely to say that the training benefited them.

- 55% of the students in the sample felt that they were reasonably competent in using the various online databases offered by their college

- The youngest students, those aged 19 and younger, were somewhat more likely to consider themselves not very competent in library skills, but even then only about 9% of them characterized themselves this way.

- Suburbanites were the most likely to consider themselves highly competent while those who grew up in rural areas were the least likely to consider themselves the same

- 20.3% of students majoring in the social sciences thought of themselves as highly competent but only 4.17% of students majoring in education thought of themselves this way, a particularly frightening statistic, given that many of these students will become the next generation of primary school teachers.

- Students who consider themselves religious were far more likely to support a required information literacy course than students who did not think of themselves as particularly religious or who were not at all religious.

- More than 21.4% of students in colleges that offered PHD's but that were not full research universities noted that they needed additional information literacy training.

METHODOLOGY

THE QUESTIONNAIRE

HOW TO USE THE DATA

HOW TO READ THE DATA

SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS

Chapter One: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library

Chapter Two: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction

Chapter Three: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library

Chapter Four: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills

Chapter Five: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library

Chapter Six: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching

Chapter Seven: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library

List of Tables
Table 1.1: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library

Table 1.2: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Age of the Student

Table 1.3: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Population Intensity of the Place of Origin

Table 1.4: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Geographic Region of Origin of the Student

Table 1.5: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

Table 1.6: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Income Level of the Student’s Family of Origin

Table 1.7: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Level of Religiosity of the Student
Table 1.8: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by the Political Views of the Student
Table 1.9: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Grade Point Average or Equivalent
Table 1.10: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Academic Major or Focus
Table 1.11: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Gender of the Student
Table 1.12: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Public and Private College Students

Table 1.13: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Type of College Living Arrangement

Table 1.14: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Student Employment
Table 1.15: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Type of College

Table 1.16: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Size of Enrollment of College

Table 1.17: Percentage of students who have received instruction on how to use their college’s library, Broken Out by Publicly Claimed Mean SAT Acceptance Score of the College Attended

Table 2.1: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction

Table 2.2: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Age of the Student

Table 2.3: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Population Intensity of the Place of Origin

Table 2.4: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Geographic Region of Origin of the Student

Table 2.5: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

Table 2.6: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Income Level of the Student’s Family of Origin

Table 2.7: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Level of Religiosity of the Student

Table 2.8: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by the Political Views of the Student

Table 2.9: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Grade Point Average or Equivalent

Table 2.10: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Academic Major or Focus

Table 2.11: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Gender of the Student

Table 2.12: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Public and Private College Students

Table 2.13: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Type of College Living Arrangement

Table 2.14: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Student Employment

Table 2.15: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Type of College

Table 2.16: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Size of Enrollment of College

Table 2.17: Students’ ranking regarding the usefulness of library’s instruction, Broken Out by Publicly Claimed Mean SAT Acceptance Score of the College Attended

Table 3.1: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library

Table 3.2: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Age of the Student

Table 3.3: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Population Intensity of the Place of Origin

Table 3.4: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Geographic Region of Origin of the Student

Table 3.5: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

Table 3.6: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Income Level of the Student’s Family of Origin

Table 3.7: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Level of Religiosity of the Student

Table 3.8: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by the Political Views of the Student

Table 3.9: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Grade Point Average or Equivalent

Table 3.10: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Academic Major or Focus

Table 3.11: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Gender of the Student

Table 3.12: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Public and Private College Students

Table 3.13: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Type of College Living Arrangement

Table 3.14: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Student Employment

Table 3.15: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Type of College

Table 3.16: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Size of Enrollment of College

Table 3.17: Students’ ranking of their own skill level in using the various online databases offered by their college library, Broken Out by Publicly Claimed Mean SAT Acceptance Score of the College Attended

Table 4.1: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills

Table 4.2: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Age of the Student

Table 4.3: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Population Intensity of the Place of Origin

Table 4.4: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Geographic Region of Origin of the Student

Table 4.5: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

Table 4.6: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Income Level of the Student’s Family of Origin

Table 4.7: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Level of Religiosity of the Student
Table 4.8: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by the Political Views of the Studen
Table 4.9: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Grade Point Average or Equivalent
Table 4.10: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Academic Major or Focus

Table 4.11: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Gender of the Student

Table 4.12: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Public and Private College Students

Table 4.13: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Type of College Living Arrangement

Table 4.14: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Student Employment

Table 4.15: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Type of College

Table 4.16: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Size of Enrollment of College

Table 4.17: Students’ opinion on whether their college should have a required course in information literacy that focuses on skills like conducting database & Internet searches, using ebook collections, citation software, and other library-related research skills, Broken Out by Publicly Claimed Mean SAT Acceptance Score of the College Attended

Table 5.1: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library

Table 5.2: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Age of the Student

Table 5.3: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Population Intensity of the Place of Origin

Table 5.4: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Geographic Region of Origin of the Student

Table 5.5: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

Table 5.6: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Income Level of the Student’s Family of Origin
Table 5.7: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Level of Religiosity of the Student

Table 5.8: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by the Political Views of the Student

Table 5.9: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Grade Point Average or Equivalent

Table 5.10: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Academic Major or Focus

Table 5.11: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Gender of the Student

Table 5.12: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Public and Private College Students
Table 5.13: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Type of College Living Arrangement
Table 5.14: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Student Employment

Table 5.15: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Type of College

Table 5.16: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Size of Enrollment of College

Table 5.17: Students’ evaluation of their need for training in using the college library, Broken Out by Publicly Claimed Mean SAT Acceptance Score of the College Attended

Table 6.1: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching

Table 6.2: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Age of the Student

Table 6.3: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Population Intensity of the Place of Origin

Table 6.4: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Geographic Region of Origin of the Student

Table 6.5: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

Table 6.6: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Income Level of the Student’s Family of Origin

Table 6.7: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Level of Religiosity of the Student

Table 6.8: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by the Political Views of the Student

Table 6.9: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Grade Point Average or Equivalent

Table 6.10: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Academic Major or Focus

Table 6.11: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Gender of the Student

Table 6.12: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Public and Private College Students

Table 6.13: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Type of College Living Arrangement

Table 6.14: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Student Employment

Table 6.15: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Type of College

Table 6.16: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Size of Enrollment of College

Table 6.17: Students’ understanding of the concept of Boolean searching, Broken Out by Publicly Claimed Mean SAT Acceptance Score of the College Attended

Table 7.1: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library

Table 7.2: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Age of the Student

Table 7.3: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Population Intensity of the Place of Origin

Table 7.4: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Geographic Region of Origin of the Student

Table 7.5: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors

Table 7.6: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Income Level of the Student’s Family of Origin

Table 7.7: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Level of Religiosity of the Student

Table 7.8: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by the Political Views of the Student

Table 7.9: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Grade Point Average or Equivalent

Table 7.10: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Academic Major or Focus

Table 7.11: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Gender of the Student

Table 7.12: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Public and Private College Students

Table 7.13: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Type of College Living Arrangement

Table 7.14: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Student Employment

Table 7.15: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Type of College

Table 7.16: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Size of Enrollment of College

Table 7.17: Percentage of students who have ever used an online tutorial offered by their college library to learn about how to use some feature or service offered by the college library, Broken Out by Publicly Claimed Mean SAT Acceptance Score of the College Attended

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