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Cited by 12Library Science and Information LiteracyEducational Strategies and EpistemologiesHigher Education Research Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 3 of the 3 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Understanding first-year university student information seeking through the theory of planned behaviour: A transnational perspective

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Barber, Laura Dee, Anderson, Philip J.·2025·The Journal of Academic Librarianship
DOI 10.1016/j.acalib.2025.103096
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Abstract

Information literacy (IL) development in higher education requires understanding how students form their research behaviours. This is important in transnational settings, where students arrive with different expectations of academic practice. This study applies the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as a theoretical lens to analyse first-year undergraduate students' intended information-seeking actions at a British university branch campus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Data was collected from 151 first-year undergraduate students from nine disciplines who described how they intended to find, use, and manage information for their assignments. Well-established frameworks are used alongside the TPB constructs of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control to investigate students' research approaches. Data underwent a reflexive process, revealing patterns in how students navigate between the expectations of a Western academic institution and their existing research practices. Findings suggest that students demonstrating high perceived behavioural control often align strongly with institutional norms, particularly in evaluating sources and research strategies. However, many students display a hybrid approach, combining pre-university habits with newly acquired academic practices. The study contributes to understanding how students develop research intentions and behaviours in their early university experience, offering insights for targeted information liter…

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Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 31

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Metadata

Authors
Barber, L. D., & Anderson, P. J.
Affiliations
  • Middlesex University Dubai (AE)
  • University of Birmingham (GB)
Corresponding author
Anderson, Philip J.
Venue
The Journal of Academic Librarianship
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2025-09
Volume
51
Issue
5
Pages
103096
ISSN
0099-1333 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.acalib.2025.103096
OpenAlex
W4411224081
Cited by
12
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 4
FWCI
21.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • The Journal of Academic Librarianship (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Library and Information Sciences › Library Science and Information Literacy
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Strategies and Epistemologies
  • Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
Keywords
information seeking, theory of planned behavior, information literacy, first-year students, transnational students, research behavior, perceived behavioral control, attitudes, subjective norms, information management, source evaluation

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