Die universiteitsbiblioteek en opleiding in literatuurstudie vir navorsing

Abstract

Literature study (including the collection of relevant information sources, the interpretation, analysis and integration of the information as well as the communication of the research results in a research report) plays an important role in the research required for master's and doctoral qualifications. A lack of literature study skills can be detrimental to postgraduate study, with dire consequences. With the current increasing pressure for a high standard and quality of university training and research, this matter requires urgent attention. In various surveys conducted at different South African universities, it was found that students are aware of their incompetence in this regard and ascribe it to insufficient training. This was confirmed by study leaders and promoters of postgraduates. The teaching staff agreed that there is a serious deficiency in the training of students, but it was found that they are unable to improve training in these skills because of the lack of time and personnel, making it impossible for them to keep up with all the required skills. The university library was then taken into consideration to determine if this institution could be utilised to provide the urgently needed training. It was found that the functions of the university library could be extended to become a so-called "teaching library". The traditional library user education movement of univerity libraries has, during the last decade, developed into that of training in information literacy, with subject matter closely corresponding to the requirements of literature study. The conclusion reached in this study is that the university library can and should play a crucial role in fulfilling the identified need by taking the initiative, whilst closely cooperating with the teaching staff. The training in literature study is however, so complex and requires so much practical work, that it has to commence in the form of a full one year course during the first year of a student's university career. In the second and third years a semester or part of a semester can be devoted to the continuation of literature study training, and it is suggested that there should be compulsory workshops for honours students and a compulsory admittance pretest for master's and doctoral candidates.