A comparison of manual/electronic versus electronic approaches to the development of information retrieval skills in electronic database instruction

This study examined manual/electronic versus an electronic only approach to training novice database users in information retrieval from an electronic database. Eighty-two undergraduate university students were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: manual then electronic (MTE) or electronic only (EO). All participants completed instructional activities during Stage One of the study using systematically designed instructional package which presented skills and concepts that had been defined as prerequisites for information retrieval. Participants then completed three sets of instructional activities during Stage Two of the study in which they developed, consolidated and applied information retrieval strategies using an algo-heuristic model of information retrieval. During these instructional activities measures of retrieval effectiveness and retrieval efficiency were taken. Stage Three of the study required participants to evaluate the accuracy of retrieved information, and measures of evaluation effectiveness were taken. Although mastery participants retrieving information from a printed database were significantly more effective in generating the required information product than mastery participants retrieving the same information from an electronic database, there was no significant difference between the two mastery groups for measures of process effectiveness, process efficiency or evaluation effectiveness. These results indicate that there is no advantage, or disadvantage, in including manual information retrieval activities when participants are first developing information retrieval strategies.; The statistically significant positive correlations between performance on the criterion-referenced mastery test and measures of information retrieval and evaluation performance provided support for the requirement for mastery of the defined entry level skills and concepts before participants begin electronic information retrieval. The study findings indicate that by achieving mastery of the defined entry level skills, and applying these skills using an algo-heuristic model for developing information retrieval strategies, some novice database users can achieve levels of competence equivalent to experienced database users with just six hours of instruction.; Suggestions for further research address the role of feedback during information retrieval, the use of strategy guides, clarification of the perceived nature of the task to novice computer users, and the application of an algo-heuristic model in more varied information retrieval environments.