Gender Differences in Information Access Pattern Among Academic Users
Emmanuel E. Baro
International Journal of Information Studies, Vol. 3, No. 4, 2011.
DOI: 
Link: https://www.dline.info/ijis/fulltext/v3n4/ijisv3n4_4.pdf
Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to know the gender differences that exist in the use of the library catalogue and the
Internet and to know the problems that undergraduate students encounter in the process of their searching for information.
The study adopted a descriptive survey method. The study covered undergraduate students in history department in the
humanities in three universities in the South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria. They are Niger Delta University Amassoma,
Bayelsa State, Delta State University Abraka, Delta State and University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. The sample size of
273 was generated being 30% of the total population of 985 being population of history students from 100-400 used for the
study. Questionnaire and Interview was used for the data collection. The study revealed among the following that: female
students in history heavily rely on human assistance for information more than their male counterparts; differences exist
between male and female students in the use of the Internet and databases to retrieve information; and the female students
encountered difficulties relating to inability to use the library card catalogue effectively to retrieve information materials in
the university libraries more than their male counterparts. The study will enable librarians to intensify their efforts to educate
both male and female students about the information environment rather than simply providing the knowledge of how to use
specific tools.