Adaptation of Big6 Skill Model in the Assessment of Information Needs and Seeking Behavior of University of Ilorin Students

Abstract

Study of information need and information seeking behavior tends to examine the sources and services employed by information seekers while striving to solve a particular phenomenon. This study carried out an assessment of information need and information seeking behavior of undergraduate student of faculty of Communication and Information Sciences (CIS), University of Ilorin, Nigeria using the Big6 Skill Model. That is, it examined the relevance of Big6 Skill Model in information searching process of
undergraduate, identified undergraduate most preferred source of information, ascertained information sources at their disposal and as well pinpointed the least information source consulted when searching for information. A survey approach was adopted in identifying the information need and information seeking behavior of the respondents. The population of undergraduates in Faculty of CIS stood at 1,677 from which sample size of 333 respondents were drawn as suggested by Istreal Sample Size Determination Table. Findings from the study revealed relevant of the Big6 Skill Model in information searching process of undergraduate students. Work load from course of study informed their major information need; follow by health, research and recreational purposes. Information sources at the disposal of respondents are internet, library, expert, friends and personal collections, but they ranked internet as their first port of call for information followed by the library. The study recommended
inclusion of information literacy skill in the curriculum of all students irrespective of field of studies, academic libraries should improve their online present for the marketing of library services and that further study on models testing and models expansion should be encourage.