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APPENDIX J.
Hilton C. Buley Library Instruction
Information Literacy Skills Survey – Spring 2001
PRE-TEST & POST-TEST SURVEY RESULTS
Clara Ogbaa, Instruction Coordinator

As we began planning for the integration of ACRL's Information Literacy Standards for Higher Institution into the Buley Library Instruction program in January 2001, a pilot pretest and post-test surveys were designed to assess the information skills of SCSU students and the effectiveness of our existing instruction program.  To check its validity and reliability, the tests were administered to students who came to Buley Library for specific bibliographic instruction.   It included both undergraduate and graduate classes.  Of the 62 student respondents, 44 were at the undergraduate level and 18 were at the graduate level.  The predominant age group of the respondents fell into the ages 22 to 31 category.  37 respondents were male; 25 respondents were female.

The section entitled Library Usage and Background included three questions concerning how often the participant uses the library, have the participants had library instruction prior to the assigned course and what kinds of instruction have the participants had at SCSU in using Buley Library.   

It is interesting to observe that responses to the question "How often do you use the library" varies greatly from the pre-test and post-test.  The pre-test responses showed that the majority (24 %) never used the library.  After the assigned library instruction class the majority (56%) of the respondents indicated they now use the library several times a week.

Responses to the question:  "Have you had instruction on how to use library and information resources prior to this course?" revealed that the majority (42%) replied never.  Fifteen percent (15%) indicated they received instruction in high school from a librarian; 15% indicated they received instruction in high school from a teacher.

Responses to the question: “What kinds of instruction have you had at SCSU in using Buley Library?” included a greater range of responses.  The majority of the respondents, 81% during the pre-test had no library instruction, and 19% indicated they received only orientation by a librarian.  The post-test responses indicated that only 6% did not have instruction.  Nineteen percent (19%) received instruction via the virtual tour of Buley Library, 31% from research consultation, 13% of individualized, 3% from an instructor, and 89% from librarians.

Pre-testing the respondents concerning their computer experience revealed that 24% have Internet access at home, 31% use the WWW first for research and 19% use the computer online library databases.  The post-test results showed an interesting correlation; 76% have Internet access at home, 24% use the WWW first for research and 61% use the computer online library databases.

The section on Information Literacy Skills consisted of 14 specific questions covering pertinent information seeking skills.  A comparison of the pre-test and post-test responses indicated that the respondents had been instructed in and learned the correct responses to such queries as "What is Consuls?",  "To locate books in a library you must search in…", "Periodical articles can be obtained at Buley by searching what three of the following?", "Boolean operators are…".  Of the 14 questions asked, all of the respondents exhibited a marked improvement in noting the correct answers on the post-test questionnaire.   The resultant factor would, once again, be attributed to the library instruction the respondents had received during the assigned class in Buley Library.

Of the final four questions, three dealt with the individual respondent’s perception of how he/she rated himself/herself.  The initial question posed was: “I will rate my library and information research skills as (check one) below average, good, average, excellent".  It is interesting to note that the pre-test answers indicated 40% rated themselves below average and post-test revealed that 39% rated themselves average. 

The second question in this grouping was: “When I have to use library resources to do research for papers I am usually”…(Check all that apply) overwhelmed, confused, anxious, confident, frustrated.  Pre-test responses showed that the majority felt overwhelmed and confuse while post-test responses showed that 50% felt confident

The respondents had an opportunity to list what wasn’t covered in the session that they would like to know.  Their written responses included how to locate microfilm, accessing EBSCO from home, solution to access from home.  Most of the respondents used the comment space to indicate their satisfaction with the library instruction they had received.

Conclusion:

Although the sampling was limited to 62 students, the responses for the pre-test and post-test queries indicated that library instruction was valid, had accomplished the task of instruction and was needed.  Also as a result of this pre-testing, two questions were rewritten for the Fall New Students Information Literacy Pre-test.  Suggestions for further study might include a wider scope of respondents, additional information literacy queries assessing more skills, and an on-line information literacy tutorial with an assessment component.  

Demographics/Student Information

Class Level  Raw Score Percentage
Freshman 30  48 %
Sophomore     9 15 %
Junior 5 8 %
Senior 0   0 %
Graduate  18 29 %
Other 0  0 %
Age     
16-18 7     11 % 
19-21 12 19 %
22-31  27  44 %
32-41 16   26 %
42-51 0 0 %
52-61 0  0 %
62-71 0 0 %
72 or over 0 0 %
Gender    
Male  37 60 %
Female 25 40 %

Library Usage & Background  

Pretest Posttest
How often do you use the Library?
Several times a week 11 18 %  35  56%
Once a week  10 16 % 15 24 %
Once or twice a month  10 16 % 5 8%
Once or twice a semester 9 15 % 6 10%
Once a year  8 13 % 0  0%
Never used the library 15  24 %  1  2%
Have you had instruction on how to use library and information resources prior to this course?
Never 26  42 %    
In high school from a librarian  9 15 %    
In high school from a teacher 9 15 %    
In the public library from a librarian 9  15 %    
In grade school    9 15 %    
Other, please specify 0 0 %    
What kinds of instruction have you had at  SCSU in using Buley Library?    
None  50  81 % 4 6%
Orientation by a librarian  12  19 % 35  56%
Instruction from a librarian  0  0 % 55 89%
Guided tour of Buley Library 0 0 %  13 21%
Individualized instruction   0 0 %  8  13%
Research consultation  0 0 %  19 31%
Virtual tour of Buley Library 0 0 % 12  19%
Instruction from an instructor teaching in one of your classes  0 0% 2 3%
Computer Experience - check all that apply:
I have Internet access at home 15 24 % 47 76%
I use the WWW first for research 19 31 % 15 2 4%
I use the computer only for word processing 9 15% 11 18%
I have used online library databases 12 19 % 38 61%
I am fairly new to computer use of all kinds 7  11 % 3 5%
I use the computer for e-mail 17 27 % 41 66 %
I can find my way around any computer 13 21 %  30 48%

Information Literacy Skills –Questions
(Correct Answers in BOLD)

Pretest Posttest
What is the following? http://www.library.southernct.edu
An e-mail address for SCSU.  17  27 % 10 16%
A URL used in the World Wide Web  34 55 % 49 79%
A call number for locating books 0 0 % 0 0%
A call number for locating sites 11  18 % 3 5%
To locate books in a library you must search in ?
Amazon.com 0 0 % 0 0 %
EbscoHost   18 29 % 5 8%
Reader’s Guide  0  0 % 0 0%
Library Catalog  26 42 % 50 81%
ERIC Database 20 32 % 7  11%
What is CONSULS?
Government official 0 0 % 0 0 %
An index to articles 19 31 % 11 10%
Online catalog  29 47 % 41 66%
Library consultant 10 16 % 10 16%
What is the best way to search for books on a given topic?
Author or Title  17  27 % 12 19%
Publisher or Call number 0  0 % 1 2%
Family Name or ISBN 17  27% 1 2%
Keyword or Subject  27 44 % 48 77 %
No  answer 1  2 %    
Periodical articles can be obtained at Buley by searching what three of the following?
Online catalog 19 31 % 10 16%
Online databases 25 40 % 55 89%
EbscoHost  19 31 % 43 69%
ERIC database 21 34 % 27 27%
Boolean operators are:
Books written by George Boole  0 0 % 0 0%
People who operate elevators in Buley Library  0  0 % 0 0%
Terms that allow you to broaden or narrow your search 26  42 % 58 94%
None of the above  22 35 % 4  6%
No  answer 14 2 3 %    
Most library databases and Internet search engines allow you to exclude or include words in your searching using AND, OR and NOT.  What does each of these do?  (Choose the right option for each)
AND allows you to broaden your search 13 21 % 8 13%
AND allows you to narrow your search 12 19 % 54 87%
OR allows you to broaden your search  19  31 % 53 85%
OR allows you to narrow your search  8 13 %  7 11%
NOT allows you to broaden your search 0  0 % 0  0 %
NOT allows you to exclude some terms  14 23 % 62 100%
To what does the following refer?
"Gum chewwers united in Frankfurt, sticking it to hygiene campaign.” By Aalund, Dagmar;Wall Street Journal—Eastern Edition, 11/10/2000, vol. 236 issue 93, pB1.
Journal article 19  31 % 11  1 8%
Magazine article  0 0 % 0 0%
Newspaper article 28 45 % 51 8 2%
Web page 0 0% 0 0%
No  answer 15 24%    
All types of encyclopedias and handbooks are inappropriate for use in doing research at the college level 
True  18 29 % 7 11%
False 39 63 % 55 82%
No  answer 15 24 %    
You can find all the information ever published on the Web.
True 18 29 %  5  8%
False 44 71 % 57  92%
The Internet is the best place for locating scholarly and research quality information on all topics
True 20 32 % 19 31%
False 36 58 % 43 6 9%
No  answer   6 10 %    
Library classification systems arrange books on the library shelves by
Color  0 0 %  0 0
Subject  32 52 % 46  21%
Author 27  43 % 13 21 %
Publisher  3 5 % 3 5%
You will be able to do all your college research on the Internet
True  25 40 % 11 18 %
False 36 58 % 51 82%
No  answer    1 2 %    
Research produced by faculty, experts or professionals is most often published:
on the Internet 5 8 % 8 13%
in newspapers 0 0 % 0 0%
in general interest magazine  16  26 % 2 3%
in books and scholarly journals 41 66 % 52 84%
I will rate my library and information research skills as (check one)
Below average  25 40 % 4 6%
Good 13 21 % 21 34%
Average 20 32 % 24 39%
Excellent 6 10 %  6 10%
When I have to use library resources to do research  for papers I am usually…(Check all that apply)
overwhelmed  15 24 % 7 11%
confused 14  23 % 7  11%
anxious 12 19 % 12 19%
confident 10 16 % 31 50%
frustrated 10 16 % 5 8%
The Inform ation Literacy Instruction class I participated in is…
useful     22  35%
informative     27 44%
a waste of time     2  5%
repeating what you already know     1 2%

What wasn’t covered in this session that you would like to know?

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