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This paper focuses on the use of e-resources by research scholars and post-graduate students at Kashmir University. The main aim is to determine the use of e-resources, users skills in handling e-resources and the purpose of their use. Further, this paper aims to highlight the problems faced by research scholars and post-graduate students in accessing e-resources.

The survey was conducted through a structured questionnaire circulated among 250 research scholars, both (M.Phil./Ph.D.) and post-graduate students, from different departments of Kashmir University, and the response rate was 80%. Random sample method was used for the selection of respondents and interacting with them. The responses received from the research scholars to 14 questions are presented in the form of tables.

Major findings of the study reveal that the majority of the students reported using electronic journal resources for various purposes including working on assignments, research proposal writing, literature review writing, research report writing, current awareness and leisurely exploration of ongoing scientific debates through peer-reviewed papers. The challenges encountered in the use of electronic journal resources include a power outage, inadequate bandwidth, slow download speed, inability to access the resources from home, lack of training, lack of awareness, limited access to computers and difficulty in searching. The paper concludes that electronic resources have become an integral part of the information needs of research scholars’ post-graduate students at Kashmir University. Further, it finds that e-resources can be good substitutes for conventional resources, if the access is fast, and more computer terminals are installed to provide fast access to e-resources. Finally, recommendations for improving the use of electronic journal resources are provided.

The paper restrains the study exclusively to use of e-resources by the research scholars and post-graduate students of Kashmir University.

The paper highlights the use of e-resources by research scholars and post-graduate students of Kashmir University and makes some constructive suggestions for the improvement of electronic resources and services. This is the first time an effort has been made to assess the use of electronic resources by post-graduate students at Kashmir University. The study could be used to assess the post-graduate students’ needs for electronic resources at the Kashmir University and other users in higher learning institutions.

The purpose of this paper is to examine post‐graduate health promotion students' self‐perceptions of information literacy skills prior to, and after completing PILOT, an online information literacy tutorial.

Post‐graduate students at Queensland University of Technology enrolled in PUP038 New Developments in Health Promotion completed a pre‐ and post‐self‐assessment questionnaire. From 2008‐2011 students were required to rate their academic writing and research skills before and after completing the PILOT online information literacy tutorial. Quantitative trends and qualitative themes were analysed to establish students' self‐assessment and the effectiveness of the PILOT tutorial.

The results from four years of post‐graduate students' self‐assessment questionnaires provide evidence of perceived improvements in information literacy skills after completing PILOT. Some students continued to have trouble with locating quality information and analysis as well as issues surrounding referencing and plagiarism. Feedback was generally positive and students' responses indicated they found the tutorial highly beneficial in improving their research skills.

This paper is original because it describes post‐graduate health promotion students' self‐assessment of information literacy skills over a period of four years. The literature is limited in the health promotion domain and self‐assessment of post‐graduate students' information literacy skills.

Since the education of Master of Science students in the discipline of agriculture is catalectic without libraries, the present paper seeks to assess the information literacy competency (ILC) of post graduate (PG) students at Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, India, along with the impact of instruction initiatives in this respect.

Based on the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology, 2006, an instrument was developed with 79 scoring items in the first part of the questionnaire along with non‐scoring items in the second part. Broad headings of the questions asked are shown in detail. Validity and reliability of the instrument are also reported.

Information literacy competency of PG students has been found satisfactory along with significant difference between the first and second year students. Results of the paper distinguish between the first and second year students in the light of five information literacy (IL) standards along with other considerations. Various instruction initiatives were found to have a positive impact upon the ILC of PG students.

Since the study has been able to establish a positive relationship between instruction initiatives and ILC, such initiatives may be introduced in other academic institutions.

None of the earlier reported research instruments had used science and engineering/technology IL standards, especially upon PG students in agriculture. This study further paved the way for the development of such an nstrument along with assessing the ILC of PG students and impact of instruction initiatives in an agricultural university.

Training in both employability and discipline‐specific skills has been provided and expanded over a number of years for post‐graduate research students, (PGRs) in the Faculty of Physical Sciences administered by the Physical Sciences Graduate School (PSGS) at the University of Glasgow. This project explored the training provided in 2005/06 with a view to further developing a programme that students and faculty alike consider appropriate, timely and developmental for the needs of research students. The training provided by the PSGS had grown over a number of years in response to suggestions from academic staff in the Faculty of Physical Sciences. Data were collected from Postgraduate Research students (PGRs) from all the stages of the 3 year PhD process to enable a complete map of views to emerge. In particular, the way PGR students perceive the training they undergo in relation to their core PhD research and career progression was examined. The students in our study also identified clearly where they perceived they were developing such transferable skills, and training sessions are not seen as the sole or even major source; the research group itself would appear to play a major role. The authors believe the finding could inform the provision of PGR training in other UK institutions.

A comparative analysis of the results of two longitudinal studies conducted a decade apart, among research post-graduate students, with the purpose of understanding the progress in their information literacy (IL) skills, forms the content of this report. The analysis is based on the application of the Research and Information Search Expertise (RISE) model, which traces students’ progression across four stages of expertise. Such progression was measured across two dimensions of knowledge: that of information sources/databases and that of information search skills. Both studies adopted basic interpretive qualitative methods involving direct observation, interviews, think-aloud protocols, and survey questionnaires, during each of the five interventions, which were spread over a one to one-and-half year period. Scaffolding training was provided at each meeting and data were collected to assess the influence of such training on development of search expertise. A comparison of the findings reveals that students in both studies advance in their IL skills largely in a similar manner. Scaffolding support was found to help both dimensions of knowledge and that lack of one or the other type of knowledge could hinder their ability to find relevant sources for their research. The studies make evident the need for training programs for higher education students, to improve both their knowledge of information sources and their search techniques, tailor-made to closely correlate to their specific information needs. The studies provide insights into student behaviors in the development of IL skills, and the RISE model offers a framework for application to other similar research.

Libraries are the real centres of learning. The realisation of the objectives of education will be possible only with an adequately conceived system of libraries. The objectives of higher education are:

Many start pursuing graduate or postgraduate research based education, however few complete on time. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a postgraduate student support model which will facilitate students to complete their studies successfully and on time.

The model was designed using authors viewpoint on this issue which was informed by literature and first-hand interactions with post graduate students and supervisors.

Ahmad's Student Support Model for Postgraduate Research Training proposes that students need support on three major dimension (Financial, Technical and Publishing) to complete degree on time. University and supervisor play critical role in this as they provide administrative and emotional support as they create learning environment for students. The model illustrates their role.

The model is useful for universities to ensure they provide students with all elements proposed. New supervisors can get ideas how to play their role in facilitating students to complete their degrees on time. Students can evaluate an institution before enrolling in research education if the institution has the elements proposed in the model.

The objective of the pilot study reported on here was to identify some of the more elusive “costs and benefits” of work‐based learning (WBL) placements. This was addressed by exploring the views and experience of a small number of human resource development (HRD) professionals who currently offer supervised work‐based learning placements to full‐time post‐graduate HRD students.

The small qualitative study outlined was a pilot, focused initially on the perceptions of one set of stakeholders within the placement process, the HRD professionals. By means of questionnaires and interviews the participants were invited to reflect on their interpretation of the tangible and intangible costs and benefits to the organisation, the supervisor/mentor, the student and the university.

The findings imply that there are a number of non‐financial costs and benefits that may not be widely recognised but which may have significance when seeking/agreeing placement opportunities.

This is a small‐scale study, and may have limited transferability.

In due course the study will be extended to examine the perspectives of other stakeholders.

Evidence from the literature suggests that obtaining and sustaining good quality WBL placements can be difficult. A reflection on potential “non standard” costs and benefits may assist organisations to weigh up these more ephemeral but potentially important factors and aid decision‐making about the viability and desirability of offering WBL placements and at the same time develop awareness of non‐standard costs and benefits amongst those seeking to set up placements for their students.

This study examines the relationship between higher education improvement and tacit knowledge importance. In this context, the scarcity of empirical and theoretical studies on acquiring tacit knowledge to enhance academic performance in higher education suggests that this research area holds significant importance for experts and policymakers. Consequently, this study aims to explore the factors that influence academic research performance at Chinese universities by acquiring tacit knowledge.

To achieve the study aims, the current approach utilizes the research technique based on the socialization, externalization, internalization and combination (SECI) model and knowledge management (KM) theory. To analyze the study objective, the authors collected data from post-graduate students at Chinese universities and analyzed it using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the model and hypotheses.

The results indicated that social interaction, internalization and self-motivation have a positive impact on academic research performance through the acquisition of tacit knowledge. Furthermore, the findings suggest that academic researchers can acquire more knowledge through social interaction than self-motivation, thereby advancing research progress.

This study addresses the critical issues surrounding the acquisition of tacit knowledge and presents a comprehensive framework and achievements that can contribute to achieving exceptional academic performance.

International students' HE decision making is a high stakes process. There is an insufficient evidence base that would aid university level strategic planning in areas of recruitment from the African continent and in supporting its students to maximise the benefits from a UK HE experience. This paper aims to explore the decision making and experience of African students in UK HE and provides hypothesis for re‐conceptualising these processes.

The research was exploratory and part of a bigger project on international students' experience of UK HE. It employed focus group interviews with 28 students studying in two universities in the South of England together with semi structured discussion with staff in those institutions with a specific remit for recruiting from Africa.

A six element model of decision making was developed from the data which identifies a range of push and pull factors operating within constraints of fears and anxieties about studying in UK HE. The data suggest that African students come to study in England on the promise of getting a truly international HE experience. Questions are however raised about whether this promise is delivered in full.

The sample size and use of focus groups as a single data gathering strategy does not allow broad generalisation of findings. However, the evidence obtained enabled the generation of useful hypothesis to stimulate further research in this area. The research identifies implications for strategic decisions for recruitment, student support and curriculum and for future research in this area.

This is an area with patchy research and the research reported here provides a good basis for developing a broader research agenda in Africa to support decision making on a wider scale.