Impact of information literacy on research work performance: measuring thesis students’ competency at a public university in Bangladesh

Purpose Information literacy (IL) is crucial in academia, encompassing the ability to effectively find, assess, ethically use and disseminate information. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of IL on students’ research competency at Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU), Bangladesh. The research also aimed to understand the current trends in conducting students’ research at NSTU, to what extent they got research support from supervisors, and highlight the necessity of a research literacy course as a prerequisite before going to the real world. Design/methodology/approach This study used a mixed-method strategy. As part of quantitative data collection, the population was the research level students (honors final year and masters level), and an estimated 225 respondents of NSTU were surveyed using a convenience sampling technique. Qualitative data was accumulated through interviews with faculty members of 2 institutes and 31 departments at NSTU (a representative from each department) and an interview with the university librarian. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software and qualitative data using thematic codes as well as text. Findings Results showed that students are aware of diverse information and research literacy aspects. Although almost all the departments contain research methodology-related courses, the contents vary; due to time limitations, it is hard to provide hands-on training to thesis students in every stage of research, from research idea formulation, research design, data analysis, interpretation and ethical use of information to dissemination of research output. This study found a positive correlation between students’ IL with research competency. As there is no prerequisite course in the university curriculum before conducting practical research, therefore, this study proposed a course “Information and Research Literacy” to support novice researchers. Practical implications The importance of IL in higher education and its influence on research activities is gaining attention. This research output might be crucial for university authorities to initiate training programs for thesis students to impart IL training. This research would be a worthwhile contribution to the research output of tertiary academic institutions. Originality/value IL in academia is not a new area of research. However, research attempts to show the relation between IL effects on students’ research competency are new in nature.