TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – i
Approval Page – – – – – – ii
Certification Page – – – – — iii
Dedication – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – v
Table of Contents – – – – – – vi
List of Tables – – – – – – vii
Abstract – – – – – – – viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION – – – – – 1
Background
of the Study – – – – – – 5
Statement
of the Problem – – – – – – 6
The
Purpose of the Study – – – – – – 6
Research
Questions – – – – – – – 6
Significance
of the Study – – – – – –
7
Scope
of the Study – – – – – – – 8
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW – – – – 9
Conceptual
framework – – – – – – 9
An
over view of serials in libraries – – –
– – – –
– – –
– – 9
Serials made available in university libraries — 18
Use of serials publications for research in University libraries 24
Extent of satisfaction with the use of serials publications for researching University libraries – – – – – – 29
Problems
that hinder postgraduate students in use of serials for researchin University libraries – – – – – – 31
Strategies
for enhancement of serials utilization in University libraries 34
Review
of Related Empirical Studies – – – – – 38
Summary
of Literature Review – – – – – 45
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS – – 46
Research
Design – – – – – – – 46
Area of Study – – – – – – 46
Population
of Study – – – – – – – 46
Sample
and Sampling Technique – – – – – 47
Instruction
for Data Collection – – – – – 47
Validation
of Instrument – – – – – – 48
Method
of Data Collection – – – – – – 48
Method
of Data Analysis – – – – – – 49
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF DATA – – – 50
What are the serials materials available to post graduate students
for research? – – – – – 50
What are the objectives of the post graduate students in use of serials in their academic work? – – – – – 51
To what extent do the post graduate students utilize these serials intheir academic work? – – – – – – – 52
To what extent are the post graduate students satisfied in use of serials in their academic work? – – – – – – 53
What are the problems that hinder post graduate students in use of serials? 54
What strategies could enhance students in use of serials in university libraries? 55 Summary of findings – – – – – 56
CHAPTER FIVE– – – – – – 58
Discussion of Findings – – – – 58
Conclusions – – – – – – 63
Implications of the Study – – – – 64
Recommendations – – – – – 64
Suggestions for Further Research – – – 65
Limitations of the Study – – – – 66
Summary – – – – – 66
References – – – – – 68
Appendices – – – – – – 75
LIST OF TABLES
Serials made available in university libraries – – – 50
Objectives of post graduate students in use of serials publications – 51
The extent of utilization of serials by the P.G students – 52
Extent of satisfaction in use of serials publications by P.G students – 53
Problems that hinder students in use of serials – – 54
Strategies that could enhance P.G students in use of serials – 55
Serials availability in these libraries – – – – 81
Population of post graduate students – – – – 82
Sample size – – – – – – 83
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this work was to
study utilization of serials publications by post graduate students for research
in two federal university libraries in South East Nigeria. The researcher
selected university
of Nigeria Nsukka and
Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka. The purpose of the study were to find out
serials materials available, students objectives for using them, their extent
of utilizing serials, the problems encountered and to proffer strategies for
improvement. The population of the study was made up of eight thousands, five
hundred and twenty (8520) post graduate students from the two universities for
2009\ 2010 academic year. The sample size was made up of eight hundred and
sixty eight (868) from the two universities. Descriptive survey interview and
observation check list were used to collect data from the respondents. The data
was analyzed using frequency table and mean scores. From conclusion we are made
to know that post graduate students realized the importance of serials
publications in research work. In spite of the fact that these students
realized the importance of serials publications in research work, these
students are not satisfied with available serials publications in libraries.
Some of the recommendations made were provision of access tools like indexes,
abstracts, bibliographies, and the use of ICT to facilitate and to enhance the
accessibility of serials. User education programmes to be used for the
impartation of skills essential for effective utilization of serials. The use
of SDI services to encourage the use of serials among researchers.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Serials include publications of
indefinite duration which appear in series or regularly. As the name implies it
is a publication that is constituted by appearing regularly with distinctive
title and issued in successive parts, bearing numerical or chronological
designation and intended to be continued indefinitely. However, serials are
known to be direct and accurate in dealing with any subject area designed
purely for teaching, learning and research. Most serials indicate the subject
coverage of the document with dates and numbers. Characteristics of serials publications are:
They have a remarkable propensity for change. Serials are issued on a
continuing basis, often with a regular frequency (e.g. Annual, monthly, etc).
Many serials do not have a title page. Instead, the title is found on the cover
or at the beginning of the text. This is particularly the case with periodicals
(magazines, journals etc.) and newsletters. Serials have designations numbers
or dates or combinations of both that distinguish the individual issues.
Serials do not usually have personal authors. Most persons associated with
serials are editors or compliers. Serials are more often the work of one or
more corporate bodies that have “issued” the serial. Serials titles are often
given in more than one place in the issue and sometimes in different forms.
Serials are often related to other serials, as earlier or later titles,
companions, sections, language editions, translations, etc. Serials may also be
related to monographs. Serials may have supplements, indexes, reprints, or
special issues or may, themselves be a supplement index, reprint or special
issue. Because serials are issued continuously, the information presented on
them may change. Such changes may be in the title, issuing body, form of
numbering frequency, size and physical appearance, or just about anywhere else.
Serials
as publication in any medium issued in successive parts, with numerical or
chronological designations and intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials
are those library materials that are published and issued in successive parts,
with chronological or numerical designation intended to be continued indefinitely.
(Miller 1980;
Ogbonna and Okenyi, 2006).
The
importance of serials to post graduate students in their academic research is
very crucial as they provide the most up-to-date and current information in
their areas of their specially. Serials contain current and up-to-date
information, which are very important for research and also provide the latest
idea. They support and supplement school subjects and provide information on
topics not well covered in the textbooks. Serials supply additional information
or materials when the reader has exhausted all information in the available
books he can fine on the subject. They contain articles contributed by
different people on different issues, and as such grant an individual access to
a variety of stand points in different disciplines.
Serials
help students to weigh different view points and so arrive at sound opinion.
They expose students to panorama of viewpoint.
The students in this sense are endowed with unparallel knowledge such
that they are no longer a servant of a single dogma but master over an empire
of knowledge. Serials provide to the students accurate information quickly and
in depth particularly on topics of current concern stimulate the growth of new
interest and hobbies in areas like sport. They complement books available in
the library because of the current information they supply.
Serials
publications represent an important source of information and knowledge for all
categories of users. Serials information comes from academic, religious,
cultural, political, social environmental and entertainment issues. They also
help to disseminate and exchange information between authors and readers. By
this, new knowledge becomes available for further research. Serials are
therefore essential for research as they contain current information. Aina
(1988) pointed out that serials are particularly as a means of keeping
students, teachers and researchers up-to-date in their field. In any government
approved library, serials are primary sources of information thus; they are
highly valued in great demand by students and lecturers alike and utilized by
all.
Gadsby
(2000) defines utilization as, to make use of something for a particular
purpose. Serials utilization is a way post graduate students make use of
available serials publications in their academic research. The concern of this
study is to examine to what extent post graduate students make use of the
intellectual contents of serials publications in their research work.
Attenberg (1987)
defines a post graduate student as one who engages in advanced academic studies
after graduation from high school or college pertaining to such student or
studies. Post graduate students are being considered as special people who need
serials most in their research work due to their maturity in area off
specially. Most post graduate students are already in academic institutions, so
for this notion, they need current information from serials not only to accomplished the task of their projects but
also for article publications and growth. Serials are the most current vehicles
of new ideas, knowledge and break through in scientific development for this
group of students. Serials are very important among researchers, scholars and
post g graduate students who are pursuing their masters and doctoral studies in
diverse areas.
Research,
in general, has to do with any enquiry into the unknown. It is the search for
solutions to problems or answers to questions. Going by this, many activities
of the individual, in the course of his day to day functioning, can be
described as research in a sense. For instance, providing answers to questions
relating to the background of your finance, or how best to feed your family,
etc. When research employs a systematic approach the scientific method – it is
said to be scientific research or investigation. Indeed every field of human
endeavor involves research but not in all fields is the scientific method
employed. In other words, not every research qualifies as scientific research
investigation. Educational research, however, qualifies as scientific research
or investigation in so far as it adopts the scientific method. Educational
research, therefore, is a systematic approach to the solution of educational
problems. It involves the application of scientific method in finding solutions
to educational problems Nworgu (2006).
University
libraries since the range of the entire university programme starts from
freshmen to the doctoral candidates who are engaged in research, the university
libraries try to offer services of innumerable range. They therefore offer more
of general collection of materials of common interest to several fields from
the most recent to those of historical value. Their collection include general
and specialized reference materials, research materials such as incunabula,
(first editions), manuscripts, papers, letters, museum objects, and historical
maps, publications of federal, state, local and foreign governments as well as
those of the United Nations, research reports, thesis, dissertations, archives,
microforms, disc, tape recordings, films, sound tracks language laboratories
video tapes, listening and viewing apparatus, computers and other machines Eze
et al (2004).
Statement of the Problem:
