Information Seeking Skills in Online Databases of Iranian National Medical Digital Library: A Study among Residents of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran*

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammadreza Hashemian 1
Mohammad Janatikia 2
Alireza Hashemian 3
1 Medical Library and Information Sciences, Central Library, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran (Corresponding Author) Email: hashemian553@yahoo.com
2 Library and Information Sciences, School of Health Management and Medical Informatics, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3 MSc Student, Medical Library and Information Sciences, School of Management and Medical Information, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Information seeking skills has an important role in independent searching and enables one
to have a strong research. The aim of this study was to investigate information seeking skills among the
residents of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Methods: It was a descriptive study. Morgan sampling table used to select 248 residents from 659
residents of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The data were collected using a researcher-made
questionnaire which was validated by expert and its reliability was tested with Cronbach’s alpha (0.83).
Results: Only 3.9% of the residents attended in Iranian National Medical Digital Library (INLM)
workshop and only 16.2% of them were registered to INLM. 38.3% of them were familiar with up-to-date
database and 25.8% of them used it. 48.4% of them used "advanced search". 49.2% of them used "bullion
operations" and only 13.3% of them were familiar with databases’ facilities to manage their search results.
Only 5.5% of them always evaluated the retrieved information.
Conclusion: Information seeking skills of residents was very low. Attending in workshops on database
and information literacy can help them to improve their skills and have better research.

Keywords

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Health Information Management
Volume 10, Issue 1
Spring 2014
Pages 101-108