Understanding information literacy among doctoral students: An ILDoc model and assessment tool

Abstract

The research paper investigates doctoral students' information literacy (IL), a demographic often overlooked in IL studies. Focusing on the unique context of Polish doctoral schools, the paper explores the competences of young researchers. The methodological and descriptive objectives of the study include creating and validating the ILDoc tool and evaluating the self-efficacy in terms of information competences of doctoral students. The research employs the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique, targeting doctoral students from five Polish universities (Jagiellonian University, University of Gdańsk, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, and University of Warsaw). Through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study refines the ILDoc model, identifying four latent factors: Information Access, Information Retrieval, Reference Management, and Information Analysis. The findings highlight the critical importance of IL in academic librarianship, particularly underscoring gaps in advanced searching and reference management skills. While gender and age appear to have no significant impact, the year of study and successful midterm evaluations do influence IL self-efficacy. Additionally, the field of study affects students' abilities in information access and analysis. The study advocates for customized IL training and support for doctoral students. It also calls for ongoing IL training that aligns with the evolving research processes of doctoral students, emphasizing the collaborative role of librarians and faculty. The application of the ILDoc tool in this study yields significant benefits, offering academic institutions, libraries, and educators valuable insights for improving support strategies, thereby enriching the information literacy journey of doctoral students.