Student affect regarding library-based and web-based research before and after an information literacy course

Abstract

Affective responses toward library- and web-based research were measured in surveys administered before and after an eight-week, one-credit-hour, university course in information literacy. Affect refers to attitudinal and emotional responses as measured via Likert scale questions regarding: like-dislike, difficulty-ease, confidence-anxiety, and interest-boredom. Approximately 90 students participated. Affective responses to web-based research (WR) did not appreciably change and remained more positive than responses to library-based research (LR). However, affect responses to LR increased positively by 9 percent for all students. The most notable LR affect increases among sub-groups were: (1) 13 percent among males and (2) 28 percent among the 21—24 age group. (Numbers are rounded.)