End-User Searching: Comparing ESL Students and Native English Students

to Jolie Ogg Graybill, Multicultural Services Librarian at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries; Charity Martin, Cataloging Librarian, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries; Charlene Maxey-Harris, Diversity Librarian at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries; and Elizabeth Rodacker, Associate Professor at Union College's Division of Humanities

About

91´«Ã½

Objectives for this project are to determine whether searching habits are different, how and possibly why, for students with English as a second language compared to native English-speaking students. Specifically, this research is interested in how students use the library catalog to search for books, and the electronic databases available to search for journal articles or other research information. The project was submitted under this year's Research Topic 2 – Emerging Technologies and Services to Diverse Populations.

Resulting publications & presentations:

  • Martin, C.K., Maxey-Harris, C., Graybill J.O., Rodacker-Borgens, E.K. (2009). Closing the Gap: Investigating the Search Skills of International and US Students: An Exploratory Study. Library Philosophy & Practice. Available at:

Awards Won

Title Year
Diversity Research Grant

91´«Ã½

The 91´«Ã½ Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services sponsors this grant program which began in 2002 to address critical gaps in the knowledge of equity, diversity, and inclusion issues within library and information science.

 2006 - Winner(s)

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