Ishimura & Bartlett - Comparison of domestic and international students: What does their research process tell us about their information literacy skills?

Comparison of domestic & international students | What does their
research process tell us about their information literacy skills?
School of Information Studies
McGill University
Yusuke Ishimura & Joan C. Bartlett

CONTEXT OF THE STUDY

April 20, 2011 Ishimura & Bartlett 2

Information literacy1

“To be information literate, a person must be
able to recognize when information is needed
and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and
use effectively the needed information.”


International student population2

1995 2009

Canada 30,885 87,798 2.8x

USA 453,787 690,923
1.5x


Top 5 countries of origin3

Canada (2004) USA (2009)

1 China China

2 USA India

3 France S. Korea

4 S. Korea Canada

5 Japan Taiwan


Reasons for accepting international students4


Research on International Students5


Differences between two groups

International Domestic


Academic libraries and international students6

Students Librarians

Diverse Diverse Library
experience expectations services

Diverse
needs


METHODS


Participants in the study

• Undergraduate students taking 300‐400 level courses

• Japanese students
– Born in Japan
– Japanese as first language
– Primarily educated in Japan

• Canadian students
– Raised in Canada
– English as first language
– Primarily educated in Canada


Research questions

What are Japanese students’ information behaviours during
their research tasks as compared to Canadian students?

– What factors (e.g., personal, social, and linguistic) are involved in
information behaviour during the research task?

– What are their actual behaviours in relation to information literacy
standards?

– What differences and similarities in behaviour exist between the two
groups of students?


Conceptual framework8

Information behaviour model
(Process oriented)

Information Information Information Users’ context
needs seeking use ‐Cultural
‐Educational
Potential ‐Linguistic
Corresponds with effects
‐Personal
‐Psychological
‐Social
Outcomes Outcomes Outcomes

Information literacy standards
(Quality oriented)


Data collection


Data collection schedule

Assignment Start Assignment submission
schedule
Portfolio Start End
(Ongoing)

1st interview 2nd interview
Interviews ‐ Guidance for the study
‐ Past experience ‐ Contemporary experience
‐ Reflection on meaning
Flowchart Making flowchart

Analysis Portfolio analysis
Full analysis starts


ID Gender Selected paper discipline Length of time in North America

J1 Female Psychology 5 years
J2 Male Economics 6 months (Exchange)
J3 Female Political Science 5 years
J4 Female Marketing 6 months (Exchange)
JPN
J5 Female Religious Studies 6 months (Exchange)
J6 Female Political Science 11 months (Exchange)
J7 Female Political Science 7 years (Exchange)
J8 Female Botany 1 year
C1 Female English literature ‐
C2 Male History ‐
C3 Female History ‐
C4 Male History ‐
CAN
C5 Female Political Science ‐
C6 Female Linguistics ‐
C7 Female History ‐
C8 Male History ‐

FINDINGS


Process overview
Feedback

Information Information Information
needs seeking use

Information Information Information
needs seeking use

Feedback


ASSIGNMENT CHARACTERISTICS


Assigned topics

“We got an assignment sheet [list of topics]. What I did first
was read it. But most topics on the sheet had not been
covered in class yet. So when I asked my friends, their
reaction was ‘I don’t know these either!’ So, I quickly
looked at the questions and thought about how to answer
them. If I thought of something, I felt like I could write. So
I could eliminate some topics this way.” J6


Step‐by‐step (Guideline sample)
A. CHOOSE SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION TO PROFILE (must be confirmed by Jan 27):
Sign‐up sheet in class from January 20. If you want to study an organization not included on the
list discuss with professor prior to commencing research.

B. FIRST DRAFT (10%): DUE MARCH 1
a. Information uploaded on Moodle should include:
 first draft of the profile (DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON THE PROFILE FILE)
 Full list of references including active webpage links to all source
b. Info submitted in class:
 FIRST DRAFT FORM (available from Moodle page) with:
 Copies of any literature not available on‐line (brochures, articles from books, etc)

C. PEER REVIEW (10%): (Assigned in class March 3) DUE MARCH 17
a. Information uploaded to Moodle should include:
 All editing recommendations for the profile saved using the TRACK CHANGES option
b. Info submitted in class:
 PEER REVIEW FORM (received on March 3)
 Confirmation that all references to active webpages are working
 Confirmation that the SJO contact name and contact information is correct
 Return all copies of literature received with initial profile

D. FINAL DRAFT (8%): DUE MARCH 29
Upload to Moodle REVISED profile as per comments by peer review editor and professor.


[Y] For your future work, do you want to use the same research
process? . . . .

[J5] It was easy to complete this assignment because the
professor gave us clear guidance like what to search, what
to use. But I don’t know how to find resources if I don’t
have clear guidance.

[Y] Do you mean searching for information? Or from the
beginning, like deciding a topic?

[J5] I am a bit worried even when selecting topics. It will be
hard without knowing what to write. What kind of sources
we need to use. I am worried that what I am doing is the
right.

Free topics
Participant: C5

April 20, 2011 cont. Ishimura & Bartlett 28

PERSONAL STRATEGIES


Past experience

• Previous learning experience (e.g., high school, past
classes)
– How to conduct research
– How to search for information
– How to cite information
– How to write research papers

• Previous library instruction
– In‐person
– Online

• Good guidance from faculty on how to construct a paper


[Y] I see. When did you build this kind of research strategy?

[C5] I guess in high school, one of my teachers did a section on
how to do a research paper. What he recommended was
doing research, getting a piece of information, and then
writing them up. Writing the paper that way. That’s how I
started from. You know I guess the rest is just I want to
brainstorm.

[Y] I see. Of course, difficulties are different from high school,
but are still you following the same type of process?

[C5] Yeah. I mean with every paper, I get better at finding the
information in databases.


[Y] Have you had training how to write research papers?

[J5] Yes because all classes are taught in English. Generally speaking, I
took classes about academic writing.

[Y] How about doing research?

[J5] I didn’t do that in Japan. But I attended a library workshop and
learned how to use Google, databases, etc.

[Y] How did you know about it?

[J5] Soon after coming to Canada, there were different kinds of
orientations. Then I heard about the library workshop.

[Y] Was it useful?

[J5] Yes, my research in Japan did not focus on how to find resources.
In particular, it is useful here rather than there.

Personal strategies

• Trial & error
– Developed own research style
– Don’t know what to do
– Too much focus on research process

• Found something new by chance
– Subject search on OPAC
– Subject guide
– Boolean operators and truncation

• Source preference
– Avoided using OPAC
– Databases
– Google (including Google Scholar)


[Y] Do you want to change your research process for your future
assignments?

[J3] Yes, I would like to change.

[Y] In what way?

[J3] I guess I don’t search well in libraries. And I think I should
read class readings little by little. I am always behind. If I read
them regularly, I don’t have to read everything before the
due date and can spend more time in the library. I think time
management is really hard. Probably my research approach
is wrong. But I don’t know what’s wrong.


[Y] It’s interesting that you’re searching subject headings. So where
did you learn this kind of stuff?
[C2] It’s on the classic catalogue and I saw “subject begin with.” I
clicked on it. It makes a lot of sense.
[Y] I see. You just notice, like the option is there. And then OK, like
what this function is. And just try it?
[C2] Yeah. Also like from there, I try that a few times, like Poland
history. Like OK. So there’s the Poland history page. Then later, I
see a book and noticed a LC subject like “Poland socialism” and
something else, I cannot remember what found this one. And
then it would be like, oh click on that and it took me to the
subject I was looking for. This was great and this is nice.
[Y] I am just wondering do you know what a LC subject is?
[C2] I have no idea.

OTHERS


Time management skills


More sources
[Y] What made you use about 40 resources? The assignment guidelines
didn't specify a minimum number of sources. So it's amazing that you
used so many sources.

[C6] Well, I actually always use MORE sources than I end up listing in the
bibliography/reference section. I know that I tend to use more sources
than “expected”, but that’s probably because I like to “cover all my
bases” and I guess, go beyond the professor’s expectations for better
grades.

And besides, it makes me feel better to know that I haven’t “missed”
something that might be important. I want to feel like I have covered
everything. I prefer going from a large pool of sources and then
narrowing it down. But for a 15 page paper, I think that 5 pages of
references is about average for me. Even if I didn’t cite all of the sources
within my paper (since I was supposed to focus on those “five” – and I did
“six”), I still used them all.

Why more sources?

“So the one way is to include only what you have to, and the
other one is to include everything to show the research you did
as a part of the grading thing. I am focusing on the paper. I feel
like the paper should speak for itself. The bibliography is a
formality at that point. So, yeah, both are, I think, normal at
some point. I am really trying to imitate the article I read…. So
this one only used 5 [sources]...” C2


HELP FROM OTHERS


Participant: J2


[J2] I think analysing data and finding sources was tricky. It was
almost the last minute when I realized that I have to find
outsides sources. I thought “Seriously?” because my friend
told me that “I used 30 sources.”

[Y] I guess you thought “What are you talking about?”

[J2] Yeah, I thought it was strange that I didn’t have any (laugh).
I felt something was wrong.

[Y] It was fortunate that you found out, wasn’t it?

[J2] I think so. It was risky not to know.


[J4] When I was in Japan, I didn’t use the internet for my
research so often. It seems that management students [in
Canada] use the internet so much. After watching them, I
started using Google. In Japan, I went to the library and
asked librarians questions.

[Y] So your classmates often search for information on the
internet?

[J4] I think so. Management students really love the internet.
Like searching for something and put it into wikis. These
kind of things often happen. I learned from them.

[Y] Everyone uses Google when they have assignments?

[J4] Yes, I think so.

Students tended not
to seek help from
librarians . . .


[Y] Generally speaking, at any point during your research, you
can ask librarians for help.

[C4] We just don't, like we asked each other when we’re writing
this. Can we go and ask a librarian to like help me find
something? Are they willing to sit down with me, like to
search? I don’t know. I have never, … I just don’t know
whether they are too busy or not.

So professors make this our job to find that out. We just like,
we actually ask each other, like I don’t know. But then I
talked to [a friend] and heard [a librarian] helped him to find
primary sources. And like that’s so cool.


WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?


Differences between the two groups

• Searching for information in Japanese to supplement English
skills

• Slower process due to language barriers

• Some Japanese students showed relatively weaker research
skills than Canadian students
– Where to search
– How to search
– Understanding of academic expectations
(e.g., using outside sources and critical analysis)

• Domestic students’ behaviour has large impact on how
Japanese students behave


New tools


[Y] Have you learned how to do research in the past?

[J8] It’s kind of a shame, but I have never read journal articles
before. When I was in ESL classes, I learned how to write
essays, how to use libraries, how to search for information.
However, the content of the classes was very general. So
they were not focusing on science and biology.


[Y] How’s your impression of your research process? Is it easy,
complicated?

[C1] No, I hated it! I am not a English major and am not used
to writing an English paper so as a starting point, I didn’t
know what to do. I had a couple of meetings with my TA
and talked with her, I am an Education student and I don’t
know this English stuff, I don’t know how to write an
English paper.

So I spend time with her and then, research, I am used to
going online and use journals for everything. Writing an
Education paper is usually studies, it’s more hands‐on than
somebody just writing about stuff. So I have to use actual
books which I am not good at it…. How do I, they are not
accessible... I don’t know. I didn’t like it.

IMPLICATIONS


Implications for information literacy

• Need to help students develop a holistic picture of research
process (e.g., time management demonstrated by students)

• Many students develop skills by themselves; need more
active support from faculty and librarians

• Interaction between Japanese and Canadian students could
positively affect information literacy skills development

• Interaction is NOT necessarily effective for information
literacy skills development


Future needs

Students expressed areas that they would like to change in
future research tasks. For example, they would like to:

•Improve research skills
(e.g., topic selection, search techniques, making research plans)

•Improve time management skills

•Ask librarians for help on assignments

•Spend more time on writing rather than doing research


Notes
1. “Presidential committee on information literacy: Final report”, American Library Association, accessed April 1, 2011,
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/publications/whitepapers/presidential.cfm.

2. “Opendoors online,” Institute of International Education, accessed April 1, 2011, http://opendoors.iienetwork.org; “A
Changing Portrait of International Students in Canadian Universities,” Statistics Canada, accessed April 1, 2011,
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81‐004‐x/2010006/article/11405‐eng.htm.

3. Ibid.

4. Jenny J. Lee and Charles Rice, “Welcome to America? International student perceptions of discrimination,” Higher
Education 53, no. 3 (2007): 381‐409; John Taylor, “Toward a strategy for internationalisation: Lessons and practice from
four universities,” Journal of Studies in International Education 8, no. 2 (2004): 149‐171.

5. Ann Curry and Deborah Copeman, “Reference service to international students: A field stimulation research study,”
Journal of Academic Librarianship 31, no. 5 (2005): 409‐420; Yusuke Ishimura, Vivian Howard, and Haidar Moukdad,
“Information literacy in academic libraries: Assessment of Japanese students’ needs for successful assignment
completion in two Halifax universities,” Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science 31, no. 1 (2008): 1‐26.

6. “Library services for international students,” Society of College, National and University Libraries, accessed April 1, 2011,
www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/access/papers/international_students.pdf.


Questions?
Contact: Yusuke Ishimura: yusuke.ishimura@mail.mcgill.ca


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