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1. INTRODUCTION The aim of this report is a study of undergraduate students in context of their information needs, information seeking, information searching and information uses. This report will be based on four major studies by Dunn, Zhang, Valentine and Callison. It will consist of following parts: · Introduction · Definition of target group · Description of target group · Description of information behaviors · Key practice implications · Conclusion · Bibliography 2.DEFINITION OF TARGET GROUP 2.1.Definition of terms Undergraduates are university or college students who have yet to complete their first Bachelor degree (Oxford Dictionary, 1996:1997). Information is described by Dervin &Nilan “as something constructed by human beings”(1986:16) or “all knowledge, ideas, facts, data, and imaginative works of mind which are communicated, or to be communicated, formally and/or informally in any format to reduce a specific uncertainty of any individual”(Zhang, 1992:46-47). Information need: gap in individual’s knowledge in sense making situations (Dervin&Nilan, 1986) or’’ the existence of uncertainty in a person’s state of knowledge that is affecting…the personal or work related life of that individual’’. The need may be fact, problem solving, and idea generating –oriented (Zhang, 1992:46-47). Information-need situation:’’a situation in which the subject explicitly or implicitly perceives an information need’’(Zhang, 1992:47). Information seeking:’’an activity that is undertaken to identify and/or retrieve information that is expected to satisfy an information need’’(Zhang, 1992:47). Information-seeking strategies:’’ the specific paths pursued by…individuals in attempt to resolve an information need’’(Zhang, 1992:48). Information provider/source: any individual, agency, publication, organisation institution…that is utilized by the individual as a means to meeting an information need (Zhang, 1992:47). 2.2 justification of target group The justification for choosing this target group is as follows: -It is a large group -Nationwide/worldwide -How students see themselves and how they behave accordingly will affect their course results and hence, future careers and society as whole, therefore undergraduate students as an 9important group -Relevance to myself being an undergraduate student enables me to identify myself within undergraduate system and thereby identifying my needs and difficulties in comparison with others. -This will also broaden my understanding of my role as an undergraduate student. 3.DESCRIPTION OF TARGET GROUP 3.1.Undergraduate students characteristics Undergraduates can be divided according to: age, sex, gender, nationality, ethnicity, location (rural&city), mode of studies (part-time full-time), subjects studied, psychological types and traits, etc. For the purpose of this study, the focus will; be only on these elements which are related to undergraduates learning processes and learning environment: · Students have two expectations from their teachers which are: Their teachers will be knowledgeable and present the material in clear, easy to understand and systematic way.
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