A multiple case study exploration of undergraduate subject searching: preliminary report

Abstract

A common goal of undergraduate degree programs is to foster students’ critical and creative thinking skills within a liberal education framework, the desired result being graduates who habitually make positive contributions to society through sound independent thought and action. Academic libraries advance this endeavour through instruction, programs, services, resources, and research tools that promote the development of information literacy competencies (Association of College and Research Libraries, 2000) underpinning the ability to think critically. A multiple case study was undertaken to probe one such information literacy competency – the ability to access “needed information effectively and efficiently” – by examining undergraduates’ processes of subject searching for information in order to understand better the factors associated with successful subject searching.